Story of Nambūtiris

(Malayāla Brahmins). Logan says that the Nambūtiris were the batch of Aryans that settled down in Kerala after the Nairs. The historians like Śaṅkuṇṇi Menon and others have stated that the Nambūtiris had come to Kerala from the banks of the rivers Godāvarī, Narmadā and Kāverī. Famous historians have inferred that the progress of the Aryans to the south took place between 1000 and 325 B.C. But Thomas Fawlks thinks that there were Nambūtiri priests and hermits in South India, during the time of Buddha. N.K. Datta, the author of the book "Aryanisation of India", is of opinion that during the time of the invasion of Alexander, the Aryans had spread all over India and Ceylon. Thus historians have not yet come to an agreement as to the correct period of the exodus of the Aryans to the south. Anyhow in the Geography of Ptolemy mention is made that half a degree east to Taibis there was a place called Brahmagāra. It may be assumed that Brahmagāra may be Brahmāgāra (settlement of Brahmins). It has been decided definitely that the period of Ptolemy was A.D. 2nd century, and in that case the Brahmins must have settled in the south before that period.

Though the period of the 'Saṅgha poets and their works' has been assessed differently by different scholars, the majority have fixed it as the first few centuries of A.D. In these Saṅgha poems the gods of the Aryans are praised. The gods Sūrya (the Sun), Candra (the moon), Varuṇa (god of water), Baladeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s elder brother) and Viṣṇu (Supreme God) are specially mentioned in 'Cilappadikāra'. The Saṅgha work 'Puranānūru' is an encomium to the purity of the Vedas and Agnihotra Brahmins (Brahmins who maintain the holy fire by burnt offering). In those days the King carried on the administration of the country with the advice of Brahmins. Economics, Grammar and law were taught in royal palaces. Pañcākṣara and such other spells, reading of the scriptures, Aryan ways of marriage, Recitations of Purāṇic stories etc. were prevalent in those days. Maṇimekhalā is stated to have reached the capital of the Cera King and learned Vedas and Sāṅkhya doctrines (one of the six systems of Indian Philosophy dealing with evolution) from the prominent teachers here. The diction of both the works 'Cilappadikāra' and 'Maṇimekhalā' is, to a certain extent, indebted to Sanskrit. Many of the Sanskrit poetic traditions are used in these poems. When these proofs are taken into account, it is not wrong to presume that in the period from 1st century to 5th century A.D. Aryan civilization prevailed in south India. If, during this period, Aryan civilization had taken root to such an extent in south India, the advent of the Aryans to south India must have taken place at least two or three centuries prior to this period.

The Nambūtiris of Kerala are called Malayāla Brahmins. Between them and the Brahmins of other countries there are differences in manners and customs. They are given below:—

1) The Brahmins of other parts of India do not perform agnihotra rites (maintaining the holy fire by burnt offering) so elaborately as the Malayāla Brahmins.

2) Among the sixteen purificatory rites, Agnisvīkāra (or taking up of sacrificial fire) is an important item in Malabar. From Vedic period Agni (Fire) had become a prominent God. Most of the verses in Ṛgveda are concerned with fire. The attachment of the Brahmins of Kerala to fire shows their antiquity.

3) Much importance is attached to the learning of scriptures and priest-hood in Kerala. There were 18 Maṭhas and residential institutions in Kerala for giving religious education.

4) The peculiar type of recitation of the Vedas of the Malayāla Brahmins and the accompanying gestures of their hands and the movements of the head at the time of recitation are considered by them to be ancient. Even today certain sounds are produced by them in the Vedic way. (For instance Samrāl—Samrāṭ; Vaṣar—Vasaṭ; Īḍe—Īle etc.).

5) In Malabar there is a customary atonement or expiation called Vrātyastoma for those Brahmin boys who had not undergone investiture with the sacred thread within the stipulated time. This shows the stress laid on the need of religious education.

6) The custom that all the male members of the family except the family chief should be engaged in 'Snātakavṛtti' (should remain celibates even after education) is prevalent only in Malabar.

7) Much importance is attached to evening worship in Kerala. At that time the Vedic gods are not hailed. But Brahmins of other places do not seem to attach so much importance to this practice.

8) The Brahmins outside Kerala repeat the mantras uttered by the priest and perform the functions, at the time of meditation and worship. But in Kerala for meditation and worship with or without incantations a priest is not necessary. This indicates the practice in vogue during Vedic period before the priestly class became predominant.

9) The Nambūtiris have recognized only three Vedas.

10) The Kerala Brahmins wear only one sacred thread. The Nambūtiris became predominant in Kerala and began to have a hand in the various spheres of activities. Thus the Aryan civilization shook the customary faith and religion of Kerala from top to bottom and the Aryan religion hoisted its flag of victory here. Aryan literature also found its way into Kerala. The authors and scholars in Kerala began to imitate it. The Nambūtiris erected temples in Kerala with the help of local chieftains. The sounds of alphabets, sentence pattern, grammar, poetic tradition etc. of Malayālam language underwent a thorough change. Sanskrit education spread far and wide. They spread Aryan civilization through 'Kūttu and Kūṭiyāṭṭam (Narration of mythological stories with gestures etc. and collective dance) Pāṭhaka and Saṅghakkali (Musical lectures and dramatic performances), in connection with festivals in the temples. They absorbed many of the customs and manners of Kerala. The Nambūtiris who had adopted priest-hood as their career had amassed wealth and landed property in the capacities of priests and authorities of the temples. Some of them became Kings (e.g. King of Iḍappally, King of Campakaśśeri etc.). They kept up the contact with the people of the locality by means of morganatic marriages and made their positions secure. Thus these people, though a small minority, were able to hold sway over the people of Kerala for a long time.