->ChandlerMinh at 18:07, 9 December 2021

2021-12-09T18:07:06Z

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{{Short description|Feudel Brahmin lord}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}

'''Azhvanchery Thamprakkal''' or '''Azhvanchery Samrāṭ''' was the title of the senior-most male member of the [[Brahmin]] (Namboothiri) feudal lords of Azhvanchery Mana in [[Athavanad]], [[Tirur Taluk]], present-day [[Malappuram district]], [[Kerala]] state, [[South India]]. They had the right over [[Guruvayur]] too. They were the titular head of all [[Nambudiri]] [[Brahmin]]s of Kerala.<ref name="AD1806"/> The Lord of [[Azhvanchery]] based at [[Athavanad]] and the Lord of [[Kalpakanchery]] based at the neighbouring [[Kalpakanchery]] were usually present at the coronation (''Ariyittu Vazhcha'') of a new [[Zamorin]] of [[History of Kozhikode|Calicut]].<ref name="AD1806"/> Kalpakanchery Thamprakkal were related to the [[Nambudiri]]s of [[Kumbidi|Panniyoor]] while Azhvanchery Thamprakkal to those of [[Sukapuram|Chowwara]].<ref name="AD1806">{{cite book
| author = K. V. Krishna Iyer
| title = Zamorins of Calicut: From the earliest times to AD 1806
| publisher = Norman Printing Bureau, Kozhikode
| url = https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.3379
| year = 1938}}</ref>

==History==
There are lots of theories as to how [[Nambudiri]] [[Brahmin]]s came to settle in Kerala, the commonly accepted point of view is that they moved in from [[North India]] via [[Tulu Nadu]] or [[Karnataka]].<ref name="askh"/> Another theory based on the retention of ''[[Mahabharata]]'' types as memorized by different [[Brahmin]] communities points to [[Tamil Nadu]] as the base from which they migrated to Kerala via the [[Palakkad Gap]], which is also the largest opening in the southern [[Western Ghats]], and settled around the river [[Bharathappuzha]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://crossasia-journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/ejvs/article/view/327/322?fbclid=IwAR043pxlvsgFWA861As-Kqh0T66E1MjPeul1QwbrPHzdz0SQSSLI0IetsoQ|title=On the Southern Recension of the Mahābhārata, Brahman Migrations, and Brāhmī Paleography}}</ref> The region around [[Coimbatore]] near [[Karnataka]]- western [[Tamil Nadu]] border was ruled by the [[Chera dynasty|Cheras]] during [[Sangam period]] between 1st and the 4th centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the [[Palakkad Gap]], the principal trade route between the [[Malabar Coast]] and [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="Trade">{{cite news|last=Subramanian|first=T. S|title=Roman connection in Tamil Nadu|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007012800201800.htm&date=2007/01/28/&prd=th|access-date=28 October 2011|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=28 January 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130919235748/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007012800201800.htm&date=2007%2F01%2F28%2F&prd=th|archive-date=19 September 2013}}</ref> The ''Azhvanchery Thamprakkal'' originally had right over parts of present-day [[Palakkad]] Taluk.<ref name="askh">{{Cite book|title='Kerala Charitram|last=Shreedhara Menon|first=A|publisher=DC Books|year=2007|isbn=9788126415885|location=Kottayam|pages=200-201|url=https://keralabookstore.com/book/keralacharithram/11148/}}</ref> Later they moved westwards along the River [[Bharathappuzha]] and settled around the river. Finally the ''Azhvanchery Thamprakkal'' bought Athavanad-[[Tirunavaya]] region in present-day [[Tirur Taluk]] and gave Palakkad to ''Palakkad Raja''s (''Tarur Swaroopam'') who were originally from [[Athavanad]] region.<ref name="askh"/> Many of the oldest Nambudiri settlements of Kerala are situated around the River [[Bharathappuzha]].<ref name="askh"/><ref name="AD1806"/> The [[Kingdom of Tanur]], [[Kingdom of Valluvanad]], [[Kingdom of Cochin|''Perumpadappu Swaroopam'']], and the kingdom of [[Palakkad]], located around the river [[Bharathappuzha]], were once strongholds of Nambudiris.<ref name="askh"/><ref name="AD1806"/> The introduction of [[Grantha script]] which later got evolved into [[Malayalam script]], and the evolution of Malayalam language through [[Sanskritisation]] of [[Karintamil]] are highly related to the Brahmins who migrated through the [[Palakkad Gap]].<ref>{{cite book |title=A Short History of Malayalam Literature |author=Dr. K. Ayyappa Panicker |url=https://archive.org/details/ASHORTHISTORYOFMALAYALAMLITERATURE |year=2006 |location=Thiruvananthapuram |publisher=Department of Information and Public Relations, Kerala}}</ref><ref name="askh"/>

==Position in [[Varna_(Hinduism)|Indian social order]]==
The Azhvanchery Thamprakkals were also temporally, the rulers of [[Athavanad]]: The name [[Athavanad]] is believed to be derived from them or vice versa. Before abolition of the princely-order of government, The Azhvanchery Thamprakkal was considered as the supreme religious head of Kerala Brahmins. His presence was required for the anointing of the [[Thachudaya Kaimal]] of Travancore, the Yogathiripad of Thrissur and the ruling chiefs of South India <ref>Census Report of Travancore, 1901 and 1927 Edited by Dr N Kunjan Pillai mentions the Azhvanchery Thamprakkal and their special status</ref>

The Thamprakkals were great patrons of mathematics and astronomy. The [[Kerala School of Astronomy and Mathematics]] flourished between 14th and 16th centuries of [[Common Era]] in [[Tirur]]-[[Tirunavaya]]-[[Triprangode]] region on the bank of the river [[Bharathappuzha]]. In the famous work ''Brahmandapuranam'', of poet Thunchath Ezhuthachan, Azhvanchery Thamprakkals had been mentioned with the title "Netranarayanan".

==Title and Privileges==
The title of ''Thamprakkal'' literally means Emperor (having originated from the [[Sanskrit]] ''Samrat'' and later corrupted into ''Thampran'') came to be used to refer to the [[Brahmin]]s of Azhvanchery Mana family. The story according to popular lore is that while returning from the coronation ceremony of Kulashekhara Perumal with the gift of a golden-cow, the Thamprakkal was stopped on the road by Pakkanar, a person of low [[caste]]. He claimed that it was the exclusive right of his castemen to take dead cows. The Thamprakkal, affronted, sprinkled water on the golden cow and brought it to life. The low caste man exclaimed "You are indeed a Thamprakkal" and since then the title has stayed with the family.

The Thamprakkal had four privileges within the Hindu Social Order of Kerala.

* '''''Bhadrasthanam''''': The chief seat in any assembly
* '''''Sarvamanyam''''': Universal respectability
* '''''Brahma Samrajyam''''': Sovereignty over all Brahmins
* '''''Brahmavarchas''''': Highest authority in [[Veda|Vedic]] learning

The opinion of the Azhvanchery Thamprakkal was considered supreme in deciding matters relating to religion, caste, society etc. Only the anointed head of the family received the title. The junior members of the family are ordinary Adhyan Namboodiris and use the style of Namboodiripad.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* [[Travancore]] State Manual, Volume II by V.Nagam Aiya, page number 249.
* Census Report of Travancore, 1901 which mentions the Azhvanchery family and their special status with details.

==See also==
* [[Parasurama]]
* [[Namboodiri]]
* [[Nair]]
* [[Kerala]]
* [[Malappuram]]
* [[Kingdom of Tanur]] (Vettattnad)
*[[Athavanad Grama Panchayat]]
*[[Athavanad]]

{{Malappuram district}}
{{South Malabar}}
{{Kerala topics}}
[[Category:Malayali people|Thamprakkal]]
[[Category:History of Malappuram district]]
[[Category:Kerala society]]
[[Category:Malayali Brahmins]]
[[Category:People from Guruvayur]]

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Azhvanchery Thamprakkal - Revision history

->ChandlerMinh at 18:07, 9 December 2021