Chakkala Nair, also known as Vattakkat Nair, [1] and VaniyaNair [2] [3] is one of the intermediate subcastes [4] [5] [6] of the Nair community. They are distributed throughout Kerala. In Travancore, they are known as Chakkala, while in Cochin and Malabar they are Vattakattu [7] and In the extreme north of Malabar they are called Vaniya. [8] [3]
The Chakkala Nairs traditionally engaged in the hereditary occupations of oil trading and village teaching [9] [10] .In addition to these roles, they were also trained as soldiers, and when conflict arose, they were duty-bound to abandon their usual occupations, arm themselves, and serve their respective kings in battle. [11]
Vattakattu Nairs [6] is a Forward caste and are now part of the mainstream Nair caste, [12] [13] [6] while vaniya nairs and chakkala nairs were recently added to the central OBC category and get a minimal reservation of 3% sharing with 70 other castes on a rotational basis.
It was the duty of Peru Vaniyan Nambiar [14] [15] section among Vaniya nairs in Kurumbranad to present the Kurumbranad Raja with oil on the occasion of his formal installation. [16] Vaniya Nairs also held Achan title For example, Kunjikannan Ezhuthachan, a Vaniya Nair, was conferred the title "Nambrath Achan," by the kolathiri where Nambram refers to a place [17] .
Vattakkat Nairs were the hereditary Velichappadu of traditional Nambudiri-led Bhagavathi Temples in Kerala [18] and even held priesthood roles in some temples, such as the famous Kadakkal Devi Temple, where a Chakkala Nair with the title Nettur Kurup serves as the head priest. [19]
Muchilot Bhagavthi is the patron deity of Vaniya Nairs and the community serve as the Uralars (custodian) of 108 Muchilot Bhagavathi temples [20] spread across North Malabar from Tulu Nadu to Kozhikode resembling the 108 Shiva Temples mentioned in the Shivalaya Stothram. It is believed that Bhagavathi first manifested herself to Muchilot PadaNair, a chieftain of Mushika dynasty from the Vaniya nair sect. [21] [22]
According to eminent scholars Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan was born in a Chakkala Nair family of Thrikkandiyoor Amsam in Vettathunadu. [23] The Nair family descendants of Ezhuthachan continue to reside in Amakavu, situated in the Palakkad district [24] .
Historically, the Chakkala Nair community fostered inter-religious harmony by engaging with various groups, including the Jacobite Syrian Church. A notable example of this is during the Saint Baselios Yeldo festival day, when a Chakkala Nair youth would carry the church's traditional lamp, leading the 'Rassa'—the customary church procession—to the church, symbolizing unity and mutual respect. [25] [26]
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