Ajay Kumar at 14:52, 23 July 2023

2023-07-23T14:52:09Z

New page

{{Refimprove|date=April 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
'''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]] (regional kings) or [[Naduvazhi]] (feudal chieftains and landlords) status. <ref>{{Cite book|last=Fuller|first=Christopher John|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yQM4AAAAIAAJ&q=zamorin|title=The Nayars Today |date=1976-12-30|publisher=Cambridge University Press| journal=Changing Culture Series| isbn=978-0-521-29091-3|language=en}}</ref> 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]]).<ref>{{cite book | url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42995 | title=Castes and Tribes of Southern India| last1=Thurston | first1=Edgar| year=1909| publisher=Gutenberg Publications | isbn=978-1113560315}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mevadathampans.com/|title=Mevada Thampans renowned Thamban Vaidyan Kartha Family|date=2020-04-27|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427174022/http://www.mevadathampans.com/|archive-date=2020-04-27|access-date=2020-04-27}}</ref> 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.

Kaimal is a closely related Cast/Title Both Kartha and Kaimal are identified as Samanthan.
''Those who belong to the old Royal families are styled Rāja or Tamburān (lord), their ladies Tamburāttis, and their houses Kōvilagams or palaces. Some Sāmantans have the caste titles of Kartāvu and Kaimal. But it does not appear that there are really any material differences between the various classes of Sāmantans, other than purely social differences due to their relative wealth and influence.''
<ref>{{cite book |title=Castes and Tribes of Southern India, by Edgar Thurston |first=Edgar. O. |last=Thurston |publisher=Publications |year=1909 |isbn= |pages=286 |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/42996/42996-h/42996-h.htm}}</ref>

[[File:Pattupurackal Bhagavathy Temple-OwnedBy-Kartha Family-Front.jpg|thumb|An Age-old [[Hindu]] Devi Temple of Goddess [[Bhadrakali]]. The temple belongs to Edamana Kartha Family.(Pattupurackal Bhagavathy Temple)]]

'''Kartha''' and Kaimals identify themselves as a Nair sub-cast with '''Kshatriya''' Varna. There are many references recorded in various historical documents. They are noted as Kings/Nadivazis('''നാടുവാഴി''')/ Princes.<ref>
{{cite book

| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=c0DmAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Only+the+kings+called+Kaimal%22
| title =Journal of Kerala Studies
| year =2005
| publisher =University of Kerala.
}}
</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Journal of Kerala Studies/ | year=2005 | publisher=University of Kerala. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c0DmAAAAMAAJ&q=perumal+kaimal}}</ref>
<ref>
{{cite book

| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=X7UCAAAAMAAJ&dq=Kaimal+king&pg=PA48

| title =The Cochin State Manual

| year=1911 | publisher =Cochin Govt Press, Year 1911

}}
</ref>
<ref>
{{cite book

| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=c0DmAAAAMAAJ&q=Kaimal+king

| title =Journal of Kerala Studies
| year =2005
| publisher =Cochin Govt Press, Year 1911
}}
</ref>
<ref>
{{cite book

| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=PdtVAAAAYAAJ&q=Kaimal+prince

| title =From Biography to History Essays in the History of Portuguese Asia (1500-1800)
| year =2005
| publisher =The University of Virginia
| isbn =9788189420017
}}
</ref>
<ref>
{{cite book

| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=w-swV3uZxMoC&q=Kaimal%20princes

| title =Madras Christian College Magazine, Page 411
| year =1910
| publisher =Madras Christian College, year 1910
}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web

| url =https://archive.org/details/fx-schurhammer2/page/n91/mode/2up?q=kaimal
| title =Francis Xavier: His Life, his times - vol. 2: India, 1541-1545
| publisher =The Jesuits Historical Institute, 1977
|last=Kaimal,” the title of a prince of the Nayar caste in Malabar (Dalgado I 172-173).
| year =1977
}}
</ref>
==Social Role==
The Karthas, as a community, ruled regional principalities and fiefdoms, served in the royal armies or worked as Tax Collectors for the kings. They also served as military commanders and feudal chieftains. The Kartha surname is still used today, although it is less prominent.

The title of Kartha ("Lord") appears to have been used as a titular name by some of the rulers of [[Madurai|Madura]]. During the Madras Census of 1901, the title of Kartha was returned by the Balijas who claimed to be the descendants of the Nayak kings of Madura and [[Thanjavur|Tanjore]]. The Tekkumkur and Vadakkumkur Rajas are said to have first conferred the title of Kartha on certain influential Nair families who were related by blood to the Rajas themselves. In social matters, the authority of the Kartha was supreme. Only on important issues were higher authorities called on to intercede. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/castestribesofso05thuriala/castestribesofso05thuriala_djvu.txt |title=Full text of "Castes and tribes of southern India" |access-date=22 September 2013}}</ref>

As per historical records, such as the 'International Congress on Kerala Studies', it states that Territorial rulers titled '''Kaimal and Kartha''' ran parallel administrative systems by even challenging Kings( Maha Raja)
<ref>

{{cite book
| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=SjZuAAAAMAAJ&q=Kaimal+kartha
| title =International Congress on Kerala Studies
| year =1994
| publisher =the University of Michigan
}}

</ref>

==Caste system ==
Most Karthas belong to the Illam subdivision of the Nair caste, while a few were from the higher [[Kiryathil Nair]] subdivision.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Castes and Tribes of Southern India | first1=Edgar | last1=Thurston|year=1909| volume=5|pages=295}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Caste system in Kerala]]
*[[Eshmanan]]
*[[Madampi (Nair title)]]
*[[Pillai (Kerala title)|Pillai]]
*[[Nayanar (Nair subcaste)]]
*[[Samanta Kshatriya]]s

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Indian castes]]
[[Category:Nair]]

Kartha - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 14:52, 23 July 2023