Template:Infobox Ethnic group
Kiryathil Nair or Kiriyathil Nair is a high ranking subcaste of the Vratya Kshatriya Nair community[1], who have traditionally lived in the regions of Malabar and Cochin in present-day Kerala, India. They were the defacto martial aristocracy of the Kerala.
Social status
The Kiryathil Nair is the highest class among Nairs. In the caste hierarchy, they were considered superior to Illathu Nairs, but inferior to Samanthan Nairs. The caste boundary between Kiryathil Nair and Samanthan Nair is very vague and therefore some families among the Kiryathils in the course of time may be recognised as Samanthan and vice versa.[2]
Kiryathil Nairs were feudal lords, known as Naduvazhi, and controlled a limited number of militiamen known as Charnavars under their command. These soldiers usually belonged to the Purattu Charna Nair subcaste.[3]
See also
References
- ↑ Vaidya, Chintaman Vinayak (January 1986). Downfall Of Hindu India. Gyan Publishing House. p. 293. ISBN 978-8121200509.
This land of Namboodiri Brahmins and Nair Kshatriyas sent out a religious invasion under Sankara which subjugated the whole of India.
- ↑ The Internal Structure of the Nayar Caste. Journal of Anthropological Research({Template:Date).
- ↑ Gough, E. Kathleen (1961). "Nayars: Central Kerala". In Schneider, David Murray; Gough, E. Kathleen. Matrilineal Kinship. University of California Press. Template:ISBN. Retrieved 2011-06-09.