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Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan was a Malayalam devotional poet, translator and linguist. He was one of the prāchīna kavithrayam of Malayalam literature, the other two being Kunchan Nambiar and Cherusseri. He has been called the "Father of Modern Malayalam", the "Father of Modern Malayalam Literature", and the "Primal Poet in Malayalam". He was one of the pioneers of a major shift in Kerala's literary culture. His work is published and read far more than that of any of his contemporaries or predecessors in Kerala.
The Billava Or Bhillava, Billoru, Biruveru people are an ethnic group of India. They are found traditionally in Tulu Nadu region and engaged in toddy tapping, cultivation and other activities. They have used both missionary education and Sri Narayana Guru's reform movement to upgrade themselves.
The caste system in Kerala differed from that found in the rest of India. While the Indian caste system generally divided the four-fold Varna division of the society into Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras, in Kerala, there existed only two varnas: Brahmins and Shudras, out of these four, while others were classified as Avarna. The Malayali Brahmins formed the priestly class. Brahmins labeled all other castes as "Sat-sudra", "Shudra" and "Avarna" based on their origin and ritual rank. The exception to this were Kings in Kerala like of Travancore and Cochin, who were ritually promoted to the status of Kshatriya by means of the Hiranyagarbha ceremony.
Naduvattam is a Panchayat town in The Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on Coimbatore-Gundalpet National Highway NH 67 of the Nilgiri Ghat Roads.
Kartha or Karthavu, meaning "Lord" in the Malayalam language, is an aristocratic Nair title which traditionally meant, "One who does." It was conferred by the kings of Kerala to powerful Nair families, and as such, they enjoyed Raja or Naduvazhi status. Kartha chieftains were also bestowed with extraordinary rights and authorities by the erstwhile kings and they held a special status within the royal court. They used these privileges to own vast acres of land (Jenmi). History has it that some members of the Kartha community also used to work as Supreme Commanders in the royal armies of the king, while other Kartha families were renowned for their expertise in traditional Ayurveda medicine. Most Kartha families have their ancestral tutelary deity as the Hindu Goddess Bhadrakali, or the Goddess Durga. A few families also consider their ancestral deity as Vettakkorumakan, a Hindu entity worshiped in parts of North Kerala.
The Nambudiri, also transliterated as Nampoothiri, Nambūdiri, Namboodiri, Namboothiri and Nampūtiri, are a Malayali Brahmin caste, native to what is now the state of Kerala, India, where they constituted part of the traditional feudal elite. Headed by the Azhvanchery Thamprakkal Samrāṭ, the Nambudiris were the highest ranking caste in Kerala. They owned a large portion of the land in the region of Malabar, and together with the Nair monarchs, the Nambudiris formed the landed aristocracy known as the Jenmimar, until the Kerala Land Reforms starting in 1957. Naturalized Tulu Brahmins who took up Nambudiri customary ways are known as Embranthiri Brahmins.
A valari is a traditional weapon, primarily used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. The valari resembles, and is used similar to a boomerang or throwing club. It has been used by the Tamil people in ancient battles, for protecting cattle from predators, and for hunting.The English called Valari "COLLERY" because of the name of the Kallars.
Devadiga also known as Moily, Sherigar is a Hindu Community or Caste. Devadigas were traditionally temple servants and musicians in Hindu temples. Devadigas are originally from the land stretching between Karwar in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka and Kasaragod district of Kerala and some parts of Maharashtra in west-coast of India up to the Chandragiri River and Many People live in Shivamogga and Chikmagalur too. Devadigas are quite distinct from the Ambalavasi(Semi-Brahmin)(temple servants) found elsewhere. It is believed that their two divisions, namely Kannada Devadiga (Moily) and Tulu Devadiga (Moily); were endogamous in the past.
Edgar Thurston was the British Superintendent at the Madras Government Museum from 1885 to 1908 who contributed to research studies in the fields of zoology, ethnology and botany of India, and later also published his works at the museum. Thurston was educated in medicine and lectured in anatomy at the Madras Medical College while simultaneously holding a senior position at the museum. His early works were on numismatics and geology, and these were later followed by researches in anthropology and ethnography. He succeeded Frederick S. Mullaly as the Superintendent of Ethnography for the Madras Presidency.
Valluvar is a sub-caste belonging to the Paraiyar community in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are the hereditary priests of the Pallars and Paraiyars of Tamil Nadu.
The Mannanar were a Thiyya dynasty of Malabar, a well known ruler, in the present-day Kannur and Kasaragod districts of India. The ruins of Mannanar palace can still be seen at the foot of the Ghats borders of Coorg. The Mannanar palace in Eruvesi to the North West of Taliparamba was called as Anju Aramana.Kunnathoor Padi Muthappan madapura and Padikutti temples were their royal family temples.
Dheevara is a grouping of fishing castes from the Kerala state of South India.
The population of Kerala, India is a heterogenous group that comprises many ethnic groups that originated in other parts of India as well as the world, with distinctive cultural and religious traditions. While the majority of Keralites speak the Malayalam language, various ethnic groups may speak other languages as well.
Kiryathil Nair or Kiriyath Nair is a Kshatriya subdivison of Nair caste, of martial nobility, having performed the functions of Kshatriyas in Kerala, India.They also did business, industry, medicine and accounting.But as they were Kshatriya sub-division their main occupation was martial nobility.
Tirumalpād or Thirumalpād is a Hindu Kshatriya title used in North and Central Kerala, India. The title is used independently by certain sections of Samanthan Nairs and Samanta Kshatriya as well as by some Namboothiri clans. Sāmantha Thirumalpād is investituted with a sacred thread and observes customs and manners exactly similar to other Samantan Nairs. In contrast, the Samanta Kshatriya Thirumalpāds wear the sacred thread, performing vedic rites.
Nambidi is a caste of Kerala, India. The form a part of the Ambalavasi community. They are considered to be Malayali Brahmins and to have originated when a section of the Nambudiris was degraded. They also have the same rights and rituals of nambudiri's. The nambidi ladies are usually called Mandals / Atholammas used to wear the cheruthalis and are similar to Antharjanams. The nambidi's also had great economic and Societic importance and have the same grade of Nambudiris in the Society. They have no right to do Poojas in temples. Nambidis are divided into two: the ones who wear the sacred thread and perform the Upanayanam and the ones who do not. The former are Nambudiris who were degraded to the Lower status since their ancestors had committed a heinous act by murdering a ruler of Kerala. On their return the other Nambudiris welcomed them but they refused to seat themselves with the other Brahmins owing to the sin they committed and instead sat on the steps of the hall. They came to be known as Nom Padimels or those on the steps and this term was later corrupted into Nambidi. The latter are Nairs who were assigned the Nambidi title. Namboodiris will Join with nambidi's in all their functions and rituals.
Vararuci is a name associated with several literary and scientific texts in Sanskrit and also with various legends in several parts of India. This Vararuci is often identified with Kātyāyana. Kātyāyana is the author of Vārtikās which is an elaboration of certain sūtrās in Pāṇini's much revered treatise on Sanskrit grammar titled Aṣṭādhyāyī. Kātyāyana is believed to have flourished in the 3rd century BCE. However, this identification of Vararuci with Kātyāyana has not been fully accepted by scholars. Vararuci is believed to be the author of Prākrita Prakāśa, the oldest treatise on the grammar of Prākrit language. Vararuci's name appears in a verse listing the 'nine gems' (navaratnas) in the court of one Samrat Vikramaditya. Vararuci appears as a prominent character in Kathasaritsagara, a famous 11th century collection of Indian legends, fairy tales and folk tales as retold by a Saivite Brahmin named Somadeva.The Aithihyamala of Kottarathil Shankunni states that Vararuchi was the son of Govinda Swami i.e. Govinda Bhagavatpada. It also states that King Vikramadithya, Bhatti- minister of King Vikramaditya and Bhartruhari were his brothers.
Castes and Tribes of Southern India is a seven-volume encyclopedia of social groups of Madras Presidency and the princely states of Travancore, Mysore, Coorg and Pudukkottai published by British museologist Edgar Thurston and K. Rangachari in 1909.
The legend of Cheraman Perumals is the medieval tradition associated with the Cheraman Perumals of Kerala. The sources of the legend include popular oral traditions and later literary compositions. The time of origin of the legend is not known to scholars. It seems the legend once had a common source well known to all Kerala people.
Ezhuthachan(, Malayalam: എഴുത്തച്ഛൻ, eḻuttacchan), also known as Kadupattar(, Malayalam: കടുപട്ടr, kaṭupaṭṭan) is a caste native to the Indian state of Kerala. It is classified as an Other Backward Class by the Government of India under its system of positive discrimination.
References
- Thurston, Edgar; Rangachari, K. (1909). Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. VII (T to Z). Madras: Government Press.