What is a pulayi in India?

A female member of the Pulayan community or the wife of a male Pulayan, historically considered a lower caste or marginalized group in the Malabar region (present-day Kerala).

What is a Pulayan in India?

The Pulayar IPA: [pulɐjɐr] (also Pulaya, Pulayas, Cherumar, Cheramar, and Cheraman) is a caste group mostly found in modern-day Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka and historically in Tamil Nadu. They are classified as a Scheduled Caste under India's reservation system in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

What are the highest castes in Kerala?

The Nambudhri Brahmins were top of the caste hierarchy and the Pulayar were at the lowest. According to most travelers, the Nairs were placed below the kings and the Brahmins in Caste hierarchy.

What is the meaning of Pulaiyar?

Answer: Pulaiyar and Panars were a lower caste communities in South India who were considered untouchable.

Which is the royal caste in Kerala?

Nair Superior clans composed the Royal or ruling dynasties of Kerala. Out of the 161 Royal houses of Kerala, 157 were Nair, 3 were Nambudiri and One was Muslim. Broadly, the ruling clans can be divided in to two - koil thampurans and samantan nairs.

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Which surnames are high caste in Kerala?

Nair - Higher caste surname, encompassing several subcastes which includes High ranking martial castes like Pillai, Kurup, Unnithan, Menon, Nambiar, etc that formed the aristocracy and elite of traditional Kerala, which is also used by auxiliary, intermediate and middle-caste Nairs like Padamangalam Nair, Pallichan ...

Which is the richest royal family in Kerala?

The erstwhile Travancore royal family has overseen Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple for centuries—home to hidden vaults, legendary treasures, and assets worth over ₹1,00,000 crore. Bound by sacred duty, they serve not as rulers but as Padmanabhadasa—servants of the deity.

What is the lowest caste in Tamil Nadu?

The Vanniyars were historically considered a lower caste, although some were peasant-warriors in the 14th century. The palli along with paraiyar were also the traditional agricultural laborers and sometimes as serfs of the society.

What is the origin of Pulaya caste in Kerala?

Pulayar Caste: Origin & Historical Background

To find out where the Pulayar community originated, we can trace their origins back to the agrarian societies of southern India, particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where they are particularly engaged in farming and manual labor.

Which caste is Paraiyar?

According to 1961 Madras Census Report, castes that are categorised under Paraiyar include Koliyar, Panchamar, Thoti, Vettiyan, Vetti, Vellam, Vel, Natuvile, Pani, Pambaikaran, Ammaparaiyan, Urumikaran, Morasu, Tangalam, Samban, Paryan, Nesavukaraparayan, Thotiparayan, Kongaparayan, Mannaparayan, and Semban.

Which is the richest caste in Kerala?

The Nambudiri (Malayalam: [n̪ɐmbuːd̪iɾi, n̪ɐmbuːɾi]), also transliterated as Nampoothiri, Nambūdiri, Namboodiri, Namboothiri, Namboodri, Namboori, and Nampūtiri, are a Malayali Brahmin caste, native to what is now the state of Kerala, India, where they constituted part of the traditional feudal elite.

Where did Kerala people come from?

The original inhabitants of Kerala were the Dravidians who are the ancestors of the present day Keralites. The Aryans invaded the region and with this invasion there came about a mixture of races. The earliest known inhabitants were the Negritos or the people of Negroid race.

What are the Brahmin surnames in Kerala?

The proper Malayali brahmin castes are the Nambudiri, and the Potti. Pushpaka Brahmin, Nambeeshan, Nambidi, Chakyar, Nambiar, Ilyathu, etc., are other semi-Brahmin castes, which are part of the Ambalavasi community.

What is the lowest caste in Hinduism called?

Dalit (English: /ˈdælɪt/ from Sanskrit: दलित meaning "broken/scattered") is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. They are also called Harijans.

Which is the highest caste of Muslims in India?

Ashraf hierarchy is determined by the degree of nearness to Muhammad and country of origin; Syeds (who trace descent from Fatima, Muhammad's daughter) have the highest status. Non-Ashrafs are categorized as ajlaf, with untouchable Hindu converts also categorized as arzal ("degraded").

What are Dalit surnames in India?

What is the old name of Kerala?

What is the old name of Kerala? Kerala was known as Keralam in the ancient period, which may have originated from the Chera dynasty or the word for coconuts, which grow in the region. It was also called Malabar by European merchants and explorers.

Who is the richest lady in Kerala?

Sara George Muthoot has become the only Malayali woman to feature on the Forbes World's Billionaires List for 2025. Ranked 1850 globally, her estimated net worth has grown to $1.9 billion (approximately Rs 15,800 crore) in 2025, up from $1.3 billion the previous year.

Do maharajas still exist in India?

These royal families were stripped of their princely rights when the monarchy was abolished in India. Their power and titles were abolished officially. However, maharajas in India still hold their palaces and honorary titles, are a significant image among the locals, and live like a royal.

Which Brahmin caste is the highest?

According to André Wink, the Kanyakubja Brahmins emerged as the highest ranking subcaste of Brahmins and are known to have migrated to and colonized many areas outside their homeland in Kannauj.

What language do Kerala people speak?

Malayalam. Malayalam is the language of Kerala, the southernmost state in India. Over 35 million people speak this language. Malayalam, one of the Dravidian languages, has its own alphabet and grammar.

What is the second name of Kerala?

Kerala was alternatively called Malabar in the foreign trade circles.

What is the new name of Paraiyar?

The Tamil name is சக்கிலியர்/Cakkiliyar. Arunthathiyar is a Sanskritizatin of their name by them so is like Adi Dravidar for Paraiyar and Devendra Kula Vellalar for Pallar all attempts to escape their status through various name changes.

Is pariah an offensive word?

noun. Note: Although sense 1 is in common use and is not usually regarded as offensive by Western English speakers, it is highly inflammatory to many people of Indian descent due to its close association with the offensive caste-related meaning of sense 2.

What is the caste of Gounder?

Gounder (also transliterated as Gavundar, Kaamindan, kavundan) is an administrative caste who were protectors and rulers. It means “Noble protector of the country”. Originally, they belong to the “Kshatriya” varna and the dynastic lineage (Surya Vamsa and Chandra Vamsa).