Randu illom vargam

Randu illom vargam or Edakkad Nambiārs are matrilinial descendants of two Nāyar women (from Balussery fort) through their morganistic union with Nambũdiri paramours from Mullapalli illom and Vellũr illom. They are a conglomerate of 9 Nambiār families and investituted with chieftainship of Edakkād between Kannur and Thalassery in pre-democratic Kerala. These families were initially vested with the herditary trusteeship (ũrāima) of ũrpazhachi temple by Mullapalli illom and Vellũr illom and administrative rights of Edakkād panchayat by explicit consent of the Prince with Koor-vāzhcha (part-dominions) of the area formerly administered by the Kolathiri family .

History of Origin

As per legend two Nambudiri youths who were scions of Mullapalli and Vellũr illoms respectively, visited the fort at Bālussery. Before returning from the fort, the two youths entered into marriage (Sambandham) ladies from the family of two Nāyar cheiftans ( Kāvullavan Nambiār and Vennapālan Kurup ) and brought them to Edakkād. They were settled in two separate residences at Kuliyambethu and Edupidikkeri.The area surrounding their residences were filled with eachil groves. After a while, when these ladies ventured in to the eachil grove nearby, they observed milk and blood overflowing from detached eachil leaves, and immediately reported it to their Nambũdiri paramours.The Nambũdiri youths inferred that it is an omen that the spirit of Vettakkorumakan (the preseiding deity of Bālussery fort) had accompanied their paramours and required to be enshrined within the temple precincts. The descendants of the two matrilinial stems of Kuliyambethu and Edupidikkeri, fathered by Mullapalli and Vellũr illoms, later expanded in to eight separate taravāds and formed an endogamous sub-clan and inherited the proprietership of the 'Ũrpazhassi Kavu and desam (Ũraima) from Mullapalli and Vellũr illoms as a danam (gift/grant).The danam (grant/gift ) was achandratārāme sanātipravesame (for the descendants as long as moon and stars last) showing the permanent, hereditary nature of the grant. The term Ũr in Malayalam means village and Ũrālan (Ũrālar, if joint partnership) means master (masters) or proprietor in these villages. The Sree Ũrpazhachi Kāvu temple was the seat of such a socio-political body that enjoyed partial autonomy and administered the region. Nine prominent Nambiār families were Ũrālar and constituted the village and temple assembly that arbitrated local administration. They belonged to a further denomination among Nambiārs called Randu Illom Vargam (As they derive their ancestry from Mullapalli Illom and Vellũr Illom).

Sept families

The nine ũrālar families are as follows .

1. Meppād
2. Thyngoli
3. Chettiānbrath
4. Keethāri
5. Kāppiath
6. Keloth
7. Thykandi
8. Pārayil
9. Kolathāttil

Each taravād referred to a family tracing descent from a common ancestress and with mudal sambandham (relationship of property )and pula sambandham (relationship of pollution). Since four taravads (1,3,5,7) arose from Eduppidikkeri and the other four (2,4,6,8) from Kuliyambethu, they formed two blocks with four sibling taravads in each block and considered their respective matrilineal stems (Kuliyambethu and Edupidikkeri) as their gotra. In essence, each block represented a wider matrilineal kin group that was knit by symbolic ties prominently in sharing birth and death pollution and a memory of common ancestor.Marriages within taravāds of the same block are prohibited. In later years it was observed that at any given time if a death or birth occurs simultaneously in either blocks, the temple administration was jeopardized as none of the eight Ũralars were not able to officiate the temple proceedings. The predicament was presented to the then Raja of Chirakkal (Kolathiri) who proposed the adoption of a ninth family in to the ũralar conglomerate as a solution. As a result the ninth family (namely Kolathāttil) was adopted as equivalent to the original eight matrilinial lines.

Churika Kettu (anointing the hereditary trustee)

It is an ascension ritual. During this, the eldest male member of each of the nine matrilinial Ũrālar family (Kārnavar) on becoming the Ũrālan ascends to his respective sthānam (dignity) in the temple. It is performed only once in the life time of an Ũrālan and is the ceremony that officially makes him one. The ceremony requires the acceptance of the Ũralan as legitimate by the Prince of the concerned dominion of Kolathunādu (Kũr-Vāzcha tampurān). Only after the churikakettu, shall such a Kāranavar be allowed to participate in the temple customs and practices in the capacity of an Ũralan. The eldest member along the matrilineal line is identified and receives the title of Family name + Achan from a prince of the part-dominion (Kũr-vazcha Thampuran). Presently, it is being taken from the Royal family of Kottayam (Malabar) . Towards this, initially a delegation comprising of Kārnavars and Komaram (Oracle, usually dressed in red and carrying a sword and a large brass anklet) represent the matter of succession of the taravād (matrilineal line) to the Kottayam Rājā who in turn bestows upon the supplicant the title of Achan of the respective taravādu after a perusal of his credential as the senior most male member within the taravādu. Churika kettu is not only a symbolic anointing ceremony to ascert to the members of family but also to the naattukootam (assembly of people) of the anointing of an Ũrālan. The Ũrālan is forbidden from taking any other profession and cannot be addressed by his title and not his birth name and receives a purse called “jeevitham”.

Komaram (Oracle)

The dignity of Komaram may be elected from any one among the families except Kolathāttil. The Komaram however is proscribed by tradition to interfere in administrative function of the Ũrālars.

Samudāyi (managing agent) or Executive officer

In the past , the Ũrālars appointed a Samudāyi on their behalf to manage the temple properties. Since 1961 the office of Samudāyi is replaced by Executive officer.

Appellation

The senior member of individual families of the Randu illom vargam were styled as Family name + Achan. All male members were addressed with the honorifice appellation of Kaikkor (possibly equivalent to the south Kerala title Kaimal) by members lower to them in caste heirarchy. The women were referred to as name + amma or family name + amma or as Moothamblakka.

Notables

A partial list is of notable Nambiars is given below:

• Late Keethari Vijayan Nambiar, eminent horarary astrologer
• Late Kavi Ratnam Thyngoli Madathil Raman Nambiar alias Munshi
• Late Mekkol Anandan Gurikkal (Writer)

External links

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See also

• Kiryathil Nair
• Nair
• Nair Subcastes
• Nayanar (Nair Subcaste)
• Namboothiri
• Eshmanan
• Forward Castes
• List of Nairs
• Samanthan
• Sambandham
• Jenmi