Nambudiri
The Nambudiris ( Malayalam : നമ്പൂതിരി , Nampūtiri ; anglicizing also Namboothiri ) are a Brahmin Jati in the southern Indian state of Kerala . They are considered to be particularly orthodox and are considered to be the bearers of the classical Vedic religion and the traditional Hindu code. Nambudiris follow the conservative and ritualistic Shrauta tradition (traditional Vedic rituals) and the Purva Mimansa , unlike the majority of other Brahmins in India who follow the Vedanta .
The Nambudiris are known for their keen sense of the caste hierarchy and the associated purity regulations. In the past, if certain other groups of Brahmins only touched them, they considered themselves defiled. They were also the only Hindu caste where women wore a face veil (which was abolished around 1930).
While the eldest sons of a Nambudiri household - following the customs of the endogamous castes - married a Nambudiri woman, the younger brothers took a wife of the lower Nayar caste and fitted themselves into the matrilineal system of the Nayars.
In contrast to other brahmin casts in South India, the Nambudiris placed great emphasis on their status as priests, and they usually did not have a "normal" profession. Until the land reform in Kerala in 1963, the wealth of many Nambudiris (like the Nayar or Nair) was based on their extensive estates. Since this land reform there have been many completely impoverished Nambudiris and Nayars who, because of their high caste, do not benefit from government subsidies.
In the houses of the Nambudiri or in the temples of the god Ayyappan , members of the Nambiar caste perform the ritual drama Ayyappan tiyatta .
literature
- Fred Fawcett: Nambutiris. Notes on some of the people of Malabar. Madras 1900. Reprinted New Delhi 2001.
- Marjatta Parpola: Kerala Brahmins in transition. A study of a Nampūtiri family. Helsinki 2001.
Web links
- Namboothiri Websites Trust. namboothiri.com