Nayars of India

Abstract

This research paper aims to discuss the importance and influential role the Nayyars played in the establishment of their society in Kerala in spite of their unorthodox matrilineal ruling hierarchy. The effects they had on the beliefs and values of their society, as well as their node of subsistence, kinship and social organization.

Table of Contents

Thesis statement3

Introduction3

Discussion4

Mode of Subsistence4

Kinship5

Social Organization6

Beliefs and Values8

Conclusion9

Nayars of India

Thesis statement

“Nayars are the most influential and significant group of castes, living in the state of Kerala, India, for centuries. The most distinctive feature of Nayars is its matrilineal social organization which identifies woman as the chief and the ancestor of every Nayars”.

Introduction

Nayars are the off springs of the Sudras of India who were the allies of Brahmin immigrants. From its origin, Nayars are the most influential and important segment of Kerala society in India (Ray, & Qayum, 2009). Nayars were used to be the warriors, rulers and landowners, who generally used to supervise the lands rather than working on it. Nayars are the single society in the country that practice matrilineal culture. They were the principal land holders and used to possess slaves also. Fuller. (1975). Due to the division into many sub-castes and surnames, Nayars are not considered as a cast but a race.

The Nayars of India are a complex and interesting power cast society of the state of Kerala. Nayars have long been and are still form an integral part of the culture of Kerala and enjoyed a long and culturally rich history. They can be considered similar to the famous Samurai of ancient Japan. The word Nayar has its origin either in Nayaka which means leader in Sanskrit or Naga which means snake. Heitzman, Worden, & Library of Congress. (1996)

Traditionally, Nayar were a large warrior society and with a complex family structure: a woman headed the family and her siblings, children, her daughter's children, her granddaughter's children, her sisters' children and other people, with whom she shares the matrilineal relationship, live with her (Gough, & David 1961).In another interesting tradition, the Nayar men, after going through their marriage rituals, used to move back to and settle with their mother where their children were brought up and the children belonged the mother's lineage instead of father's.

Discussion

Mode of Subsistence

Nayars were a military caste and were famous for their military values. With the combination of many indigenous castes, Nayars formed a huge militia that was maintained by the state. Regular and irregular armies were combined by the King Martanda Verma in which the regular army was trained according to the modern methods of warfare while the irregular army used to follow old and traditional system of warfare. The introduction of this new warfare system by the King Verma also affected the socio-political life of Nayars. Besides being soldiers they used to live on agriculture (Fuller 1975). They were the chief landowners at many villages while also used to own the lands at other villages at smaller level. They only used to own the land ...