Nair is a community found in Kerala and Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.
Kiriyathil(किरियत्तिल्) Nairs are the real Nairs of Malabar and Illathu(इल्लत्त) Nairs are
the real Nairs of Travancore. These two castes are non-Royal Kshatriyas. Their Vansha
is Nagavansha and their Gotra is Kashyapa. These two castes are included in general category in the lists of both central and state government.
Though Pallichans also claim that they are Nairs, Kiriyathil Nairs and Illathu Nairs
do not marry Pallichans. Each sub-caste has their own rules and lifestyle.
Kiriyathil(किरियत्तिल्) Nairs are the real Nairs of Malabar and Illathu(इल्लत्त) Nairs are
the real Nairs of Travancore. These two castes are non-Royal Kshatriyas. Their Vansha
is Nagavansha and their Gotra is Kashyapa. These two castes are included in general category in the lists of both central and state government.
Though Pallichans also claim that they are Nairs, Kiriyathil Nairs and Illathu Nairs
do not marry Pallichans. Each sub-caste has their own rules and lifestyle.
Do not confuse Illathu Nairs with Illathu Pillais. Illathu Pillai is a different caste. They
have no relation to Nair community and Nair-Pillais.
have no relation to Nair community and Nair-Pillais.
There are many false stories and rumours spread about Nair community. Some people
claim that Nairs were actually Tamils, some claim that Nairs actually belonged to their
community and because Nairs supported Nambuthiri Brahmins they were given high
status, some claim that Nair women had many lovers. These are all false stories.
There is no truth in it. In ancient times, some Tamil dancers were brought to Kerala to
perform the dance in palacesand temples. Members of their family use the surname
Nair, but they have no relation with the real Malayali Nair community.
claim that Nairs were actually Tamils, some claim that Nairs actually belonged to their
community and because Nairs supported Nambuthiri Brahmins they were given high
status, some claim that Nair women had many lovers. These are all false stories.
There is no truth in it. In ancient times, some Tamil dancers were brought to Kerala to
perform the dance in palacesand temples. Members of their family use the surname
Nair, but they have no relation with the real Malayali Nair community.
According to Brahmin tradition, the Nair community is the offspring of the union
between Nambuthiris and Deva, Gandharva and Dakshasa women who were introduced
by Lord Parashuram
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram is believed to be one of the ancient Naga Kingdoms. And it is
also said that it has some connection with Anantnag of Kashmir.
also said that it has some connection with Anantnag of Kashmir.
Nagas
According to Hindu Puranas first Nagas were born from the marriage of Maharishi
Kashyapa and Princess Kadru. Princess Kadru was the daughter of King Daksha.
Nagas are respected for their spiritual wisdom, prodigious powers, beauty, skill, and
great courage, but sometimes feared for their violence and quick tempers. It is said
that they have beautiful palaces decked with rich gems. The Nagas also keep books
of great mystical knowledge. Serpent Goddess Naga Kanya is still worshipped in
India today. She is the guardian of underwater treasures and spiritual attaintments.
Nagas in Ramayana
Surasa is Hindu Goddess, who is described as the mother of the Nagas (serpents).
Her most popular tale appears in the Hindu epic Ramayana, where she is tasked to
test the Lord Hanuman on his way to Lanka.
According to Hindu Puranas first Nagas were born from the marriage of Maharishi
Kashyapa and Princess Kadru. Princess Kadru was the daughter of King Daksha.
Nagas are respected for their spiritual wisdom, prodigious powers, beauty, skill, and
great courage, but sometimes feared for their violence and quick tempers. It is said
that they have beautiful palaces decked with rich gems. The Nagas also keep books
of great mystical knowledge. Serpent Goddess Naga Kanya is still worshipped in
India today. She is the guardian of underwater treasures and spiritual attaintments.
Nagas in Ramayana
Surasa is Hindu Goddess, who is described as the mother of the Nagas (serpents).
Her most popular tale appears in the Hindu epic Ramayana, where she is tasked to
test the Lord Hanuman on his way to Lanka.
Nagas in Mahabharata
In the Mahabharata, the Naga Kingdom is the territory of a hardy and warlike tribe
called Nagas. They were also considered as one of the supernatural races like the Kinnaras. Princess Kunti’s grandfather was a Nagavanshi. Princess Ulupi, One of
the wives of Prince Arjuna, was a Nagavanshi Princess.
Nagas in Sangham literature
In Sangam literature Nagas are mentioned as Nākkā.
In the Mahabharata, the Naga Kingdom is the territory of a hardy and warlike tribe
called Nagas. They were also considered as one of the supernatural races like the Kinnaras. Princess Kunti’s grandfather was a Nagavanshi. Princess Ulupi, One of
the wives of Prince Arjuna, was a Nagavanshi Princess.
Nagas in Sangham literature
In Sangam literature Nagas are mentioned as Nākkā.
Worship
A Nair house is called Nair Tharavadu. Every Nagavanshi Nair Tharavadu has a
Sarpakavu in its curtilage. Sarpapooja and Sarpamthullal were conducted once in
a year. Goddess Bhuvaneshwari pooja was also conducted once in a year in
Nagavanshi Nair Tharavadus. Every Nagavanshi Nair family has a family deity called Paradevatha(परदेवता). Nagavanshi Nairs visit the temple of their family deity at least
once in a month.
In Every Nagavanshi Nair Tharavadu, there is prayer room called Machu(मच्च). Vilakku(Lamp/Diya) is lit every day in morning and evening. When Vilakku is lit in
the morning it is shown to the rising sun and similarly, when it is lit in the evening it
is shown to setting sun. After showing Vilakku to the sun, it is taken to the prayer room
and kept there.
On the day of Vishu and Onam, the Sadya is first served to the deities of the prayer
room. In old times, Nagavanshi Nairs were highly religious people. Every morning they visited the nearby temple, only after that, they had their breakfast.
Men
Men of Nagavanshi Nair community served as ministers, governors, rulers, chieftain, landlords, warriors, soldiers, accountants, managers and custodians of treasury and valuables for the Kings of Cochin, Malabar, and Travancore.
Women
Nagavanshi Nair women did all the household works in Tharavadu. They respected the Karnavars. They were not allowed to get the education and were married off at a very young age. Decisions inside families were taken by men and oldest woman of the family. Kshatriya Nair families were very rich and wealthy.
A Nair house is called Nair Tharavadu. Every Nagavanshi Nair Tharavadu has a
Sarpakavu in its curtilage. Sarpapooja and Sarpamthullal were conducted once in
a year. Goddess Bhuvaneshwari pooja was also conducted once in a year in
Nagavanshi Nair Tharavadus. Every Nagavanshi Nair family has a family deity called Paradevatha(परदेवता). Nagavanshi Nairs visit the temple of their family deity at least
once in a month.
In Every Nagavanshi Nair Tharavadu, there is prayer room called Machu(मच्च). Vilakku(Lamp/Diya) is lit every day in morning and evening. When Vilakku is lit in
the morning it is shown to the rising sun and similarly, when it is lit in the evening it
is shown to setting sun. After showing Vilakku to the sun, it is taken to the prayer room
and kept there.
On the day of Vishu and Onam, the Sadya is first served to the deities of the prayer
room. In old times, Nagavanshi Nairs were highly religious people. Every morning they visited the nearby temple, only after that, they had their breakfast.
Men
Men of Nagavanshi Nair community served as ministers, governors, rulers, chieftain, landlords, warriors, soldiers, accountants, managers and custodians of treasury and valuables for the Kings of Cochin, Malabar, and Travancore.
Women
Nagavanshi Nair women did all the household works in Tharavadu. They respected the Karnavars. They were not allowed to get the education and were married off at a very young age. Decisions inside families were taken by men and oldest woman of the family. Kshatriya Nair families were very rich and wealthy.
Diet
Orthodox Nagavanshi Nairs are non-vegetarians, but they don’t eat beef and pork. Also, they don’t consume alcohol.
The repertoire of traditional vegetable dishes eaten in Kerala primarily from Hindu Namboothiri-Nair cuisine. The Namboothiris are Brahmins and their diet is vegetarian: they are also only 6 percent of the population and there you have your statistical representations of vegetarians. Nairs were traditionally warriors and nobles and, as such, ate meat. On fasting and festival days, however, they would eat vegetarian food similar to that of Namboothiris.
Namboothiri-Nair cuisine has evolved with particular concern for health-based Ayurvedic principles (discussed further on in this chapter). Ayurveda is traditional medicine system of India; the first writings on it appeared in the first-millennium bc but the practices it describes are older. Food and eating habits are given particular attention in Ayurveda as what one eats is considered to have a significant effect on physical and spiritual well-being. Many of foreign foods such as Chilli, that came to India many years after the system of Ayurveda was recorded, were not included in its dietary canon, or were assimilated only as medicine (modern Ayurveda practitioners do not include more 'recent' foods in their dietary prescriptions).
Marriage
Nagavanshi Nairs marry from their community, from Hindu Royal families, and from real Brahmin communities. Children born from these marriages are accepted in Nagavanshi Nair community. The Tharavadu names of husband and wife's paternal grandfathers, paternal grandmothers, maternal grandfathers and maternal grandmothers should NOT be same.
Engagement
In Nair community, Avunculate marriage is a taboo. In cousin-marriages, only cross-cousin marriages are allowed, all other cousin-marriages are considered taboo. Marriage is fixed by maternal uncles of the of man and woman in woman's house. In the marriage fixing ritual, first, the Vilakku is lit. Then woman's maternal uncle declares that he and his family wish to get his niece married to the man and asks the man's maternal uncle whether he and his family are willing to have the relationship for his nephew or not. Then the man's maternal uncle declares that he and his family accepts the woman as his nephew's fiancee. And finally, woman's maternal uncle declare the date and venue of the marriage and gives a small sum of money with ripe areca nut and betel leaves to man's maternal uncle. This small sum of money is called Murukkaanpanam(मुरुक्कान्पणम्). After marriage fixing ritual, Sadya is served to all the guests.
2. After the arriving of the priest, bride, groom, and their family members come closer for the Thaalikettu ceremony. If Mandapam/Mandap is available in the temple Thaalikettu is done at Mandap. First Vilakku(Lamp) is lit. Then the priest starts chanting Mantras and gestures the groom to tie Thaali. The groom ties the Thaali. Then Brides wears a flower garland to groom and similarly, the groom wears a flower garland to the bride. Then groom gives Enappudava(two silk sarees) to bride and bride accepts it.
3. After that, Kanyadaanam ceremony is done. In this ceremony, groom’s father holds his groom’s left hand and bride’s father holds bride’s right hand and bride’s father puts the bride’s palm over groom’s palm and then bride and groom circumambulate seven times around lamp or Vilakku.
4.Then they again pray to the main deity of the temple and go to the marriage hall. After Thaalikettu bride and groom are not allowed to enter the temple. The marriage hall is well decorated on morning by hall employees. And when bride and groom arrive at the hall, bride’s relatives light a Vilakku on the stage and keep a Nirapara(a vessel filled with raw rice grains and above it a Kathir(coconut flowers) are fixed in the center.)
5. After reaching the marriage hall, both of them are taken to the stage with Thaalam(तालम्), first, the groom is taken to the stage then the bride. But before the groom steps inside the marriage hall bride's brother or cousin brother washes the feet of the groom and gives a gold ornament as a gift to the person who washed groom's feet. In marriage, Thaalam is a ritual in which young girls and women of the same caste hold trays which contains the lamp, flowers etc and they walk in a line with groom or bride walking after them. It is equal to welcoming the groom or bride to the stage. After bride and groom reach the stage, the Thaalappoli girls and women circumambulate the bride and groom and put their trays at the edge of the stage.
6. After coming to the stage, bride and groom are made to sit behind the Vilakku and Nirapara. That is, in such a way that Vilakku and Nirapara should be in front of them. Then groom’s sisters, sister-in-laws and cousin sister wear gold bangles on bride’s hands and after that groom’s mother wears a gold necklace to the bride.
7. After the gold wearing ceremony, photo session is done. Bride and groom’s photos are taken with all the relatives, friends and family friends.
8. After the photo session, Sadya is served to all the guest. Only after all the guests had their Sadya the bride, groom and their family members will have the Sadya.
9. After Sadya, relatives, and guests meet the bride and groom’s family members and inform their leaving.
10. After having their Sadya, Bride, groom and their family members leave for groom’s house. There groom’s mother, sister, and sister-in-law welcome the bride and groom with Aarti. The bride is given a lit Vilakku(lamp) and she steps inside groom’s house. While stepping, the right foot is kept first. Then the bride takes the lamp to the prayer room and keeps it there. Then all members pray to the God.
11.The bride and groom are made to sit in the sitting room, and they are fed milk and banana by all the family members. After this ceremony bride, groom and their families leave for bride’s house. After the reaching bride’s house, both bride and groom are welcomed by bride’s mother, sister and sister-in-law. Then there too they are fed milk and banana.
12. Then groom’s family leave the bride’s house. And both bride and groom stay in brides house for that entire day. On evening members of Nair Seva Samajam/Nair Service Society visit the bride’s house with a register to register the marriage of the couple.
13. On next day, groom’s family visits bride’s house and finally they take the bride and groom with them to their house. Then the married woman stays forever with her husband and in-laws or if the husband has his own separate house then they shift to that house after a few days. And the woman is allowed to visit her family whenever she wants.
Birth
Orthodox Nagavanshi Nairs are non-vegetarians, but they don’t eat beef and pork. Also, they don’t consume alcohol.
The repertoire of traditional vegetable dishes eaten in Kerala primarily from Hindu Namboothiri-Nair cuisine. The Namboothiris are Brahmins and their diet is vegetarian: they are also only 6 percent of the population and there you have your statistical representations of vegetarians. Nairs were traditionally warriors and nobles and, as such, ate meat. On fasting and festival days, however, they would eat vegetarian food similar to that of Namboothiris.
Namboothiri-Nair cuisine has evolved with particular concern for health-based Ayurvedic principles (discussed further on in this chapter). Ayurveda is traditional medicine system of India; the first writings on it appeared in the first-millennium bc but the practices it describes are older. Food and eating habits are given particular attention in Ayurveda as what one eats is considered to have a significant effect on physical and spiritual well-being. Many of foreign foods such as Chilli, that came to India many years after the system of Ayurveda was recorded, were not included in its dietary canon, or were assimilated only as medicine (modern Ayurveda practitioners do not include more 'recent' foods in their dietary prescriptions).
Marriage
Nagavanshi Nairs marry from their community, from Hindu Royal families, and from real Brahmin communities. Children born from these marriages are accepted in Nagavanshi Nair community. The Tharavadu names of husband and wife's paternal grandfathers, paternal grandmothers, maternal grandfathers and maternal grandmothers should NOT be same.
Engagement
In Nair community, Avunculate marriage is a taboo. In cousin-marriages, only cross-cousin marriages are allowed, all other cousin-marriages are considered taboo. Marriage is fixed by maternal uncles of the of man and woman in woman's house. In the marriage fixing ritual, first, the Vilakku is lit. Then woman's maternal uncle declares that he and his family wish to get his niece married to the man and asks the man's maternal uncle whether he and his family are willing to have the relationship for his nephew or not. Then the man's maternal uncle declares that he and his family accepts the woman as his nephew's fiancee. And finally, woman's maternal uncle declare the date and venue of the marriage and gives a small sum of money with ripe areca nut and betel leaves to man's maternal uncle. This small sum of money is called Murukkaanpanam(मुरुक्कान्पणम्). After marriage fixing ritual, Sadya is served to all the guests.
Wedding Rituals
1. On the morning, bride and groom reach the temple with their families. Groom’s family brings Thaali/Mangalsutra and Enappudava with them and bride’s family brings flower garlands with them. First, they pray to God for a happy married life. Then they inform the temple employees that they had booked for Thaalikettu(तालिकेट्ट) and the temple employees arrange a priest or Purohit to the Thaalikketu ceremony.
2. After the arriving of the priest, bride, groom, and their family members come closer for the Thaalikettu ceremony. If Mandapam/Mandap is available in the temple Thaalikettu is done at Mandap. First Vilakku(Lamp) is lit. Then the priest starts chanting Mantras and gestures the groom to tie Thaali. The groom ties the Thaali. Then Brides wears a flower garland to groom and similarly, the groom wears a flower garland to the bride. Then groom gives Enappudava(two silk sarees) to bride and bride accepts it.
3. After that, Kanyadaanam ceremony is done. In this ceremony, groom’s father holds his groom’s left hand and bride’s father holds bride’s right hand and bride’s father puts the bride’s palm over groom’s palm and then bride and groom circumambulate seven times around lamp or Vilakku.
4.Then they again pray to the main deity of the temple and go to the marriage hall. After Thaalikettu bride and groom are not allowed to enter the temple. The marriage hall is well decorated on morning by hall employees. And when bride and groom arrive at the hall, bride’s relatives light a Vilakku on the stage and keep a Nirapara(a vessel filled with raw rice grains and above it a Kathir(coconut flowers) are fixed in the center.)
5. After reaching the marriage hall, both of them are taken to the stage with Thaalam(तालम्), first, the groom is taken to the stage then the bride. But before the groom steps inside the marriage hall bride's brother or cousin brother washes the feet of the groom and gives a gold ornament as a gift to the person who washed groom's feet. In marriage, Thaalam is a ritual in which young girls and women of the same caste hold trays which contains the lamp, flowers etc and they walk in a line with groom or bride walking after them. It is equal to welcoming the groom or bride to the stage. After bride and groom reach the stage, the Thaalappoli girls and women circumambulate the bride and groom and put their trays at the edge of the stage.
6. After coming to the stage, bride and groom are made to sit behind the Vilakku and Nirapara. That is, in such a way that Vilakku and Nirapara should be in front of them. Then groom’s sisters, sister-in-laws and cousin sister wear gold bangles on bride’s hands and after that groom’s mother wears a gold necklace to the bride.
7. After the gold wearing ceremony, photo session is done. Bride and groom’s photos are taken with all the relatives, friends and family friends.
8. After the photo session, Sadya is served to all the guest. Only after all the guests had their Sadya the bride, groom and their family members will have the Sadya.
9. After Sadya, relatives, and guests meet the bride and groom’s family members and inform their leaving.
10. After having their Sadya, Bride, groom and their family members leave for groom’s house. There groom’s mother, sister, and sister-in-law welcome the bride and groom with Aarti. The bride is given a lit Vilakku(lamp) and she steps inside groom’s house. While stepping, the right foot is kept first. Then the bride takes the lamp to the prayer room and keeps it there. Then all members pray to the God.
11.The bride and groom are made to sit in the sitting room, and they are fed milk and banana by all the family members. After this ceremony bride, groom and their families leave for bride’s house. After the reaching bride’s house, both bride and groom are welcomed by bride’s mother, sister and sister-in-law. Then there too they are fed milk and banana.
12. Then groom’s family leave the bride’s house. And both bride and groom stay in brides house for that entire day. On evening members of Nair Seva Samajam/Nair Service Society visit the bride’s house with a register to register the marriage of the couple.
13. On next day, groom’s family visits bride’s house and finally they take the bride and groom with them to their house. Then the married woman stays forever with her husband and in-laws or if the husband has his own separate house then they shift to that house after a few days. And the woman is allowed to visit her family whenever she wants.
Birth
From the eight month of pregnancy, the pregnant woman is not allowed to enter the temples. When a new member is born in the family Nairs do not visit temples, pray in the Prayer room or light lamps in Tharavadu for ten days. But eating non-vegetarian food is allowed at this time.
Death
When one of the family members dies, Nairs don’t visit temples and eat non-veg food for 16 days. In this time a ritual called Nilam Mezhukuka is done in the house. In this ritual, one of the female members of the family takes bath and smears cow dung on the place where the dead member’s body was laid. This is done two times a day for 15 days. And no one should step on the place where the cow dung is smeared. On the 16th day, all members of the family go to the temple and perform Pitra-Tarpana for the soul of the dead member. After that, they bring Punyaaham(पुण्याहं) to the house and sprinkle it everywhere. The death date’s month and Nakshatra are noted according to Malayalam calendar. Birthdays and festivals are not celebrated for one whole year, i.e until the same month and Nakshatra of next year. Even engagement and marriage ceremonies are delayed for six months.
Data were collected from Wikipedia, Handbook of Ayurveda by Bhagwan Dash, Acharya Manfred M.Jounious, Book: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, An Insider's A-Z Guide to Mythic People, Places by Richard Leviton, Martial races of undivided India by Vidya Prakash Tyagi, Maharashtra, Part 3. Edited by B. V. Bhanu, The Penguin Food Guide to India by Charmaine O' Brien, and some of my family members.
