Sunday 4 November 2012

BRAHMAKSHATRA MIGRATION AND IMPACT ON THIYYA COMMUNITY



          BRAHMA-KSHATRA  MIGARTION  AND  IMPACT ON  THIYYA COMMUNITY  


                                                             Photo:Brahma-kshatra



  Great sacrifices and ever burning holy fires set up by yielded of axe in Kolathunadu in Northern  kerala (Agni: The vedic ritual of fire altar vol 2, page 256)




The above incident happened in Cellur which is also called as perumchellur, one of the two northernmost Nambuthiri settlements in kerala and other being Payyanur, about 20 kilometers west of Taliparambha. These two settlements constitute northern group Geologically separated from the others by more than 150 kilometer, and the only major Brahmin settlements in Northern Malabar. Though chellur is included in the list of thirty two traditional Brahmin settlements of kerala found in keralolpatti chronicle, the prolific reference to Kerala in the sangam works do not contain any mention of the other great Brahmin settlements known to Kerala tradition. Kerelopatti refers to two Brahmin purvashikha immigrants in kerala earliest one is called as Palatuluvar and were supposedly brought by parashuraman (they had their origin in kuru-panchala region , left the land with their ever burning holy fire ,owing to spread of Jainism and Buddhist philosophy and most importantly because of persecution by Ugra nanda dynasty of Magadha. Dananad Nanda is believed to have murdered rulers of kuru and panchala dynasty and persecuted followers of vedic priesthood,  the date of emigration is between 700-400BCE since Namboothiris didn't follow Apasthambha tradition dated around  300BCE by keeping lower limit emigration must go back to 500-400BCE since Namboothiris were recorded in Sangam literature around 300BCE)

After occupying tulunadu and subjugating villavar(Billava) they spread south towards Kongunadu suffered from hostility by local people they fled and second attempt by parashurama was more successful. Palatuluvars adversaries in Kongunadu were nannas belonging to people called Vechchekkooven synonymous to chekoon or chekavar a sub caste of Thiyyars specialized in kalari payattu or martial arts who is mentioned in Sangam literature as patron of Tamil poets and great warrior of Eli Malai(Ezhemala) of Muva or Mushikavamsa. Thiyyas had fought gallantly against Brahma-kshatra invasion but were finally subdued, recently discovered archeological finding in tamilnadu revealed presence of hero stone for a hero who died in battle named Thiyya-Andavan dating around 300BCE who fought against cattle raiders in horseback which most probably could be brahma-kshatras infiltrating deeper into sangam lands.



Photo: The script says that the stone was raised in memory of a man called Tiyan Antavan of Pedu village, who died during a cattle raid that took place in another village called 'Kudal Ur."



It was after defeat of Thiyya community namboothiri’s consolidated hold on Kongunadu(Old name of Kannur) and later over entire Kerala , later Parashurama set up  ever burning fire and performed vajapeyam for conquest of all of kerala and by 500AD 32 gramams were set up there by bringing all of Kerala under Brahmin control.

 Some tribes who resisted this brahmakshtra migration left kongunadu and settled to Near by Islands now called as Maliku located in Lakshwadeep( their existence is came to be known based on Maldivian ballards called Thaavaru which speaks about Mysterious people called Theevaru living in that land prior to their arrival this Theeveru later played very important role in contemplary Thiyya culture ) however vast majority of Thiyyas continued to live in their land .  Brahma-kshatras also brought with them sudras and vashyas or Nairs and Yadavas with them and gave the administration of newly conquered land to them. In kongunadu new dynasty calling itself Kolathiri was established around 1100AD this dynasty is believed to be connected to The old Mushikha kingdom whose original rulers as well as soldiers were of Thiyya tribe ….the later kolathiri rulers were of mixed origin(Nair-Yadava). Over time a strict Chaturvarnashrama system was established in the lands and Nambyars (a mixed Nair-yadava caste) became the defacto rulers and majority Thiyya became laborers, this led to revolt by some Thiyya families against Brahmakshatra Namboothiris in the ensuing battle the karanavars of Poothatta taravad clashed with braham-kshatras and killed eight of them they even didn’t allow the body to be cremated and instead buried them near their family taravad valappil…Kolathiri shocked by this defeat gave key military posts to members of some well-known Thiyya families after this incident  brahmashatra tradition came to an abrupt end among namboothiris. They came to rely more on Nairs and trained them in martial arts so as to contain Thiyya power in Kongunadu.
By 1500AD brahma-kshatra tradition ceased among Brahmins all together in south India.

                                               Photo:A Purvashikha namboothiri Brahmin       

10 comments:

  1. kongunadu is not kannur ..its coimbatore, kolathunadu is old name of kannur

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  2. The" Keralolpathi" is fabricated and written some times in sixteenth century by Brahmins and not mentioning anything of the then natives the Thiyyars.The Malayalam year starts from 800BC or so ridiculous. Now Malayalam has got the Classical status and a Malayalam University has come up.We must request this University to conduct a research to the history Malayam along with the anthropological studies of Thiyyars basing on the said stone inscriptions got from Theni.

    All the Kerala histories are fabricated by the then ruling class and nothing has mentioned of the then natives that is only Thiyyars.
    Before the invasion and settlement of Namboodris the nattukar and the Naduvazhies were Thiyyars.
    These Naduvazhis including Mahabhali were suppressed by the Nabhudris through undue means and took over power through a fake folklore of Sri Parasurama created this land and donated to us, the Nambudhris.
    Only authenticated Kerala History was written by Sri Elankulam kunhan pillai. and that may not be available now.

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  3. http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/03/stories/2004090310670500.htm

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  4. https://m.facebook.com/groups/179757339148299?message_id=184934538630579&comment_id=184994728624560&notif_t=like&notif_id=1478189152000526&ref=m_notif


    തിയ്യരെക്കുറിച്ച്‌ ഒരു ഗ്രൂപ്പ്‌

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  5. Sir i would lyk to knw more abt the sources

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  6. You have not given references. That is, from which book you got this information.
    There is a community called Belchada in Dakshina Kannada(South Canara). They are known as Thiyya in Southern part of Dakshina Kannada. Southern part of Dakshina Kannada is the neighbouring area of Northern Malabar. Ancient Kerala was from Kanyakumari to Mangalapuram(Mangalore).

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  7. Read this article.
    https://tulu-research.blogspot.in/2013/04/312-thiyya-belchada-community-conspectus.html?m=1

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  8. Parashurama lived in Treat Yuga before 869,122.
    ParasuramaN creating Kerala or giving it to Nambuthiris is not mentioned in any records prior to 14th century.

    Brahmins during Later Chera dynasty (800 AD to 1102 AD)
    were
    1. Pattar(பட்டர்)(പട്ടർ),
    2. Pattarar(பட்டாரர்)(പട്ടാരർ),
    3. Pattarakar (பட்டாரகர்)(പട്ടാരകർ),
    4. Pattariyar(பட்டாரியார்)(പട്ടാരിയാർ)
    5. Pazharar(பழாரர்)(പഴാരർ),
    6. Chathirar(சாத்திரர்)(ചാത്തിരർ),
    7. Nambi(நம்பி)(നമ്പി)
    8. Uvachar(உவச்சர்)(ഉവച്ചർ)
    9. Sadukkal(சாதுக்கள்)(ചാതുക്കൾ)
    10. Santhi(சாந்தி)(ചാന്തി)

    Nambuthiri is not mentioned at all.

    Nairs and Nambuthiris were residents of coastal Karnataka between 345 AD to 1120 AD.They were brought to Karnataka by Kadamba King Mayura Varma in 345 AD.

    In 1120 AD a Tulu invader called Banapperumal invaded Kerala with a 350000 strong Nair army. Banapperumal had the support of Arabs. With their support only he could invade Kerala.

    Between 1120 to 1156 Nairs Nambuthiris and Samanthas had occupied Kasragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts.

    All south was then ruled by the Cherai dynasty of Kollam and Villarvattom kingdom of Chendamangalam.

    Malik Kafur invaded Pandyan kingdom in 1310 AD. Then Kerala and Tamilnadu were ruled by the Pandian Kingdom. When the Pandyan dynasty was defeated by Malik Kafurin 1310 AD all the Tamil kingdoms came to an end, The Tulu-Nepalese kingdoms of Malabar by allying with the Delhi sultanate gained the overlordship of Kerala. Thus Malik Kafur helped the Tulu invaders and their Nepali army.

    Four Matriarchal kingdoms were established in Kerala after 1335 AD only when the Madurai Sultanate was established. They were Kolathiri, Samuthiri, Attingal queen at Venad and Kochi Kings migrated from Vanneri near Ponnani lake to Kochi and occupied it, whole Kerala came under the Tulu-Nepalese people. Who helped them was Arabs Delhi Sultanate. Europeans protected them after 1498 AD.

    None of the Sangam literature or Later Chera dynasty era (800 AD or 1102 AD) mention Nambuthiri or Nairs.

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  9. Tulu invader Banapperumal was brother of Kavi Alupendra of Alupa dynasty of Mangalore. Banapperumal invaded Kerala in 1120 AD and after ruling for 36 years he embraced Islam and left for Arabia.

    Banapperumal's son was Udayavarman Kolathiri the first Kolathiri ruler crowned in 1156 AD.
    Banapperumals sister Sridevi's son was Dharmadam ruler Mahabali. Mahabali converted to Islam and adopted the name Saifudeen Mohammed Ali.From Mahabali the Araikkal dynasty descended. From Sridevi's another son Samuthiri dynasty originated.
    Sridevi's son born through a Nambuthiri was the progenitor of Kochi kingdom.

    Nairs cant mix with the Tulu Samantha dynasty. The Samantha princes had Sambandham with Nambuthiris and the son thus born had the title Thirumulpad or Nambiadris only became the king,
    Children born to Nair woman married to Samantha kings will be considered Sudras and can't become king.But Tulu Bunts with the Title Nambiar and Nayanar can become Samantha Kshatriyas.

    Nambuthiris and Nairs were migrants from Ahichatram in the indo-Nepalese border. (Ramnagar in Tehri District UP). Ahichatram was the capital of Uttarapanchala country ie Ancient Nepal. From 1335 AD to 1947 AD Tulu-Nepalese dynasties and people of Nepalese origin ruled over Kerala. From Ahichatra Madastana Madambis came.

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  10. Many Thiyyas Nadukals were found in the Eastern slopes of Western Ghats near Theni in Tamilnadu. Thiyyas appear to have fought with cattle thief's and died. ERINTHU PATTAN is mentioned in each stone. Thiyyas seem to have been the Police officers in the ancient Tamil Nadu.Tharissappalli Sasanam mentions that Theeyamazhwan the police officers won't bother Mar Sapir Eso the Persian Merchant

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