Samantan

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Samantan Nair
Regions with significant populations
Kerala
Languages
Malayalam, Sanskrit
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Illathu Nairs, Samantha Kshatriya, Kiryathil Nairs, Swaroopathil Nair

Samantan, also known as Samantar or Samanthan Nair [1] (meaning "Kshatriyas without vedic rituals" or "equal to"), was a generic term applied to dignify a group of sub-clans among the ruling elites (Naduvazhi) and feudal lords (Jenmimar) of the Nair community in Kerala. [2] [3]

Contents

Origin & History

The earliest mention of the origin of the Samantan is found in the ancient texts of Kerala which states that the Lord Parashurama is believed to have killed Kshatriya from multiple clans 21 times as part of fulfilling a divine duty. Some Kshatriyas, fearful of Parashurama, fled to foreign lands and, in the process, ceased observing traditional caste practices. Many of them eventually came to the Malabar Coast (present-day Kerala) and sought refuge with Cheraman Perumal, who ruled a region between central and southern Kerala at the time. Cheraman Perumal, with the consent of the Brahmins and following the traditions established by his royal predecessors, granted these refugee Kshatriyas protection. Thus, a new caste known as the Samantan caste was formed. The term Samantan (Saa-Manthran) meaning "without mantras or rituals," referring to Kshatriyas who no longer observed orthodox Vedic rituals. [4]

The Samantans (Kshatriyas) were not originally part of the Nair caste, but over time, they gradually integrated into the elite subdivisions of the Nairs. According to the 17th-century text Keralolpathi, the Nairs migrated to Kerala sometime between or after the 9th and 12th centuries, marking the end of the Chera dynasty, [4] recent studies suggest that the Nairs share their ancestry with modern-day northwest Indian populations and are descendants of ancient North-west Indian migrants who migrated to the southwest coast. [5]

The integration of Samantans with elite Nair clans led to the emergence of the superior Nair sub-groups, often referred to as Samantan or Samantan Nairs. These groups held high social status and were commonly known as Koiladhikaris, meaning "temple authorities" or administrators of temples. Samantan Nairs also served as Naduvazhis, or regional governors, across various parts of Kerala. They held significant political and ritual authority in their respective territories. Common titles among them included Adikal, Thiruvadikal or Raja (King), as well as region-specific honorifics such as Unniyadhiri or Unithiri (North Malabar) [6] , Adiyodi (Malabar), Pillai (Venadu) [7] , Kidavu (Malabar), Thirumalpad (South Malabar) [8] . Many of these Samantan lineages have either become extinct or have been assimilated into the elite subdivisions of the Nair caste.

Subdivisions

They were divided into three groups:

Clans Elevated to Samantha Kshatriya, Samantan or Samanthan Nair

In medieval Kerala, Brahmins and Kshatriya rulers often performed elaborate and expensive rituals—such as Hiranyagarbha and Padmagarbha—to reclaim or reinforce their lost varna status or to gain Brahminical support for political legitimacy. While these rituals were not universally practiced or deemed necessary across all parts of Kerala, they were used to reinforce Brahminical social structures and hierarchy.

The Samantan Kshatriya status came to be regarded as one of the highest social ranks in Kerala, positioned above the Samantans and Samantan Nairs in the traditional caste hierarchy. Over time, many royal clans from diverse backgrounds were absorbed into this classification, leading to the emergence of distinct groups such as the Samantans and Samantan Nairs, who held elite status within the broader Nair community.

Some of the notable clans that attained this elevated status, ranked from highest to lowest, include:

common titles used by these families included the uniform surname Varma, related families were often known by titles such as Thirumalpad, Thampuran, Thampan, Thampi, Karthav, etc.

Many local communities in South Canara, Karnataka, and the Bengal region call themselves 'Samanta Kshatriyas,' although they are generally distinct from the Samantha Kshatriyas of Kerala.

References

  1. Gough, Kathleen (1954). "The Traditional Kinship System of the Nayars of Malabar". Social Science Research Council Summer Seminar on Kinship, Harvard University. Harvard University Press. OL   15134143M.
  2. Mencher, Joan (1963). "The Nayars of South Malabar". Cornell University Press.
  3. Narayanan, Muttayil Govindamenon Sankara (January 1996). Perumāḷs of Kerala: Brahmin Oligarchy and Ritual Monarchy : Political and Social Conditions of Kerala Under the Cēra Perumāḷs of Makōtai (c. AD 800-AD 1124). Current Books Thrissur. ISBN   8193368320.
  4. 1 2 "Kēraḷōlpatti. Origins of Kerala". University of Glasgow. 2025.
  5. "Genetic ancestries of the South-west coast populations of India" (PDF).
  6. Fawcett, F. (1 February 2004). Nâyars of Malabar. Asian Educational Services. ISBN   978-81-206-0171-0.
  7. Lannoy, Mark de (1997). The Kulasekhara Perumals of Travancore: History and State Formation in Travancore from 1671 to 1758. Leiden University. ISBN   978-90-73782-92-1.
  8. Bahadur), L. Krishna Anantha Krishna Iyer (Diwan (1912). The Cochin Tribes and Castes ... government of Cochin.
  9. Kerala.com (2007). "Kerala History". Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
  10. Travancore State Manual
  11. Namboothiri Websites Kozhikode. "The Saagara Dwijans of Kerala". Namboothiri.com. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  12. Krishna Iyer, K. V. (1938). The Zamorins Of Calicut. Norman Printing Bureau, Calicut.
  13. Sadasivan, S. N. (2000). A Social History of India. APH Publishing. ISBN   978-81-7648-170-0.