Jenmi

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'''Jenmi''' is the term used to refer to the landed aristocracy of [[Kerala]].<ref>https://indiankanoon.org/search/?formInput=jenmom</ref> In the past, <nowiki>''jenmis''</nowiki> owned much of the land in Kerala. Most landlords belonged to [[Nambudiri]], [[Saint Thomas Christians|Syrian Christian]] and [[Nair]] families. It was not unusual for an aristocratic family to own up to {{Convert|20000|acre|km2}} of land. The [[Maharaja]]s of [[Kingdom of Cochin|Cochin]] and [[Kingdom of Travancore|Travancore]] and many Rajas, such as those of Punjar in Travancore, were well known.<ref>See Further Notes on Poonjar Cheiftains Article accessed at http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/72849/14/14_appendix%201.pdf</ref> Proprietors of temples like the [[Padmanabhaswamy Temple]] in [[Thiruvananthapuram]], controlled by the Maharaja of Travancore; the [[Koodalmanikyam Temple]], controlled by the [[Thachudaya Kaimal]]; and the [[Guruvayur Temple|Guruvayoor Temple]], controlled by the [[Zamorin]] Rajas of [[Calicut]]; were also ''jenmis'' in their own right.

Though it has not been phased out, the term ''jenmi'' tends to be offensive, just like the word ''[[Madampi (Nair title)|madampi]],'' and is best replaced by the word "landlord."

Today, however, there are restrictions placed on the amount of land one can own in Kerala.<ref>Agrarian change and economic consequences: land tenures in Kerala, 1850-1960 By T. C. Varghese</ref><ref>India: social structure By Mysore Narasimhachar Srinivas p.15</ref> A token pension is paid to landlords who ceded their lands but the Government has refused to do so from time to time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Kerala-high-court-asks-govt-to-pay-pension-to-jenmis/articleshow/20824047.cms|title=Kerala high court asks govt to pay pension to 'jenmis' | Kochi News - Times of India}}</ref>

The largest landlords of [[Malabar (Northern Kerala)|Malabar]] included the [[Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar|Vengayil Nayanar]] who owned {{convert|200000|acre|km2}} including forest lands, while the [[Chirakkal Raja]] owned about {{convert|30000|acre|km2}}. Other major Jenmis included [[Kavalappara|Kavalappara Mooppil Nair]] (155,358 acres), Kurumathoor Namburidipad (5,615 acres), and the Kalliat Nambiar (36,779 acres).<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/books/socialscientist/pager.html?objectid=HN681.S597_56_007.gif |title=Organised Struggles of Malabar Peasantry 1934-1940 |journal=Social Scientist |volume=5 |issue=56 |date=March 1977 |first=Prakash |last=Karat |pages=3–17 |doi=10.2307/3516560 |jstor=3516560}}</ref>

==Organised violence against Jenmis==
There have been incidences of violence against landlords, some influenced by the presence of [[Communism in Kerala]].

=== Kayyur incident ===
[[Kayyur]] is a small village in the [[Hosdurg taluk]]. In 1940, peasants there under the leadership of communists rose against the two local landlords, ''Nambiar'' of ''Kalliat'' and the ''Nayanar'' of ''Karakkatt Edam''. Several were killed and four Communist leaders were found guilty: Madathil Appu, Podavara Kunhambu Nair, Koithattil Chirukandan and Pallickal Abu Bakr, all of whom were hanged. Choorikaadan Krishnan Nair was also an accused, but he was given life imprisonment because of him being a juvenile.<ref>{{cite book|author=Om Prakash Ralhan|title=Encyclopaedia Of Political Parties (Vol. 33-50)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=729dKCZwym8C&pg=PA53|year=1998|publisher=Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited|isbn=978-81-7488-865-5|page=53}}</ref>

=== Mattannur Incident ===
[[Mattanur]] witnessed riots between the [[Moplah]] tenants and their Nair landlords in 1852. The riots started when an armed band of 200 [[Moplah]]s entered the house of the local landlord, Kalathil Kesavan Thangal and massacred his family of 18 members. The rioters then conspired to eliminate the most powerful landlord in the district, Kalliat Anandan Nambiar. Their plans were leaked and Nambiar and his family fled the district, entrusting his nephew Kalliat Kammaran Nambiar with protecting the land. Kammaran Nambiar organized a militia of 300 Nair warriors and waited for the rioters. The unsuspecting rioters were ambushed and massacred, and the tenants were forced to abandon their campaign and disband.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Kerala (India)|author2=C. K. Kareem|title=Kerala District Gazetteers: Palghat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PDJuAAAAMAAJ|year=1976|publisher=printed by the Superintendent of Govt. Presses}}</ref>

=== Korom Incident ===
Another movement was at Korom village of [[Payyanur]] in 1948. Farmers of Payyanur Farka took control of the rice godown of the landlord, Aalakkat Mavila Kunhambu Nambiar and distributed the grain among themselves. The Malabar Special Force proceeded to arrest the perpetrators, including their leader, KP Kunhikannan. In protest against the police response, people marched to the spot where the volunteers were detained on 12 April 1948. The police opened fire at the procession, which resulted in the death of a youth named Pokkan. Pokkan was the first martyr in Payyanur Farka during the 1948 movement.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

== See also ==
* [[Pulleri Illathu Madhusoodanan Thangal]]
* [[Kesava Pillai of Kandamath]]
* [[Mannarghat Nair]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Nair]]
[[Category:Indian landlords| Jenmi]]

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