Ambalavasi, more properly Ampalavasi, ( ml, അമ്പലവാസി; IAST: Ampalavāsi; ) is the generic name for a group of

castes Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...

among

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

, India, who have traditionally rendered temple services.

Castes

The Ambalavasis are broadly divided into two groups, being those who wear the

sacred thread ''Upanayana'' ( sa, उपनयनम्, lit=initiation, translit=Upanāyanam) is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' ...

and those who do not.

Sacred thread wearers

Pushpaka Brahmins

Pushpaka Pushpaka is a caste of Hindu Brahmins of Kerala. In Malayalam language, this caste is also referred to as Pushpakan, Pushpakar, Pushpaka Unni or Pushpakan Unni. They are a part of the Ambalavasi community in Kerala. They carry out the various ...

(Pushpakan Unni) *

Nambeesan Nambeesan (also written as Nambisan, Nambissan, Nambiyassan or Nampeesan) is a Pushpaka Brahmin caste of Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States ...

Theeyatt Unni Theeyattunni (also written as Theeyatt Unni) or Theeyadi Unni is a caste of Hindu Brahmins of Kerala, India. They are a part of the Pushpaka Brahmins and Ambalavasi community in Kerala. Theeyattunnis are traditionally the performers of an anc ...

Kurukkal The Kurukkal are a caste in Kerala, India. Originally a patrilineal community of Travancore whose traditional function was that of temple owners, they became matrilineal towards the end of the 18th century under the influence of the dominant Nambud ...

Puppalli Ambalavasi, more properly Ampalavasi, ( ml, അമ്പലവാസി; IAST: Ampalavāsi; ) is the generic name for a group of castes among Hindus in Kerala, India, who have traditionally rendered temple services. Castes The Ambalavasis are ...

* Plappalli (Pilappalli) *

Nambidi Nambidi is a caste of Kerala, India. The form a part of the Brahmin community. They are considered to be Malayali Brahmins and to have originated when a section of the Nambudiris was degraded. They also have the same rights and rituals of nam ...

* Daivampadi or Brahmani

Others

Chakyar Chakyar ( ml, ചാക്യാർ; ; ; also spelled Cakyar, Chakkiar, Chakiar, etc.) is an intermediate priestly caste coming under the Ambalavasi community of Hindus in the Kerala state of India. The women in this caste are called ''Illo ...

, *

Nambiar Nambiar may refer to: *Nambiar (Ambalavasi caste), a Hindu caste in Kerala *Nambiar (Nair subcaste), an Indian caste from North Malabar People *A. C. N. Nambiar (1896–1986), Indian nationalist and first Indian ambassador to Germany *Aneil Namb ...

* Atikal (also written as Adikal)

Threadless Ambalavasis

Pisharody Pisharody (also spelled Pisharodi, Pisharadi, Pisharoty, or Pisharoti; colloquially known as Sharody) is a Hindu Brahmin community from Kerala, India. As Vaishnavites Pisharodys were traditionally caretakers of Hindu temples and considered as Gu ...

* Marar * Varyar *

Pothuval Ambalavasi, more properly Ampalavasi, ( ml, അമ്പലവാസി; IAST: Ampalavāsi; ) is the generic name for a group of castes among Hindus in Kerala, India, who have traditionally rendered temple services. Castes The Ambalavasis are b ...

, The feminine names of threadless ''ambalavasi'' castes are formed by adding the suffix ''-syar'' to the masculine names as Pisharadi-Pisharasyar, Marar-Marasyar, Variar-Varasyar, Poduval-Poduvalsyar.

Temple services

Though all Ampalavāsis have to do service in temples, they have sufficiently distinct functions to perform. Pushpakans and Nambeesans are teachers in the Pathasalas or Mutts and suppliers of flowers to temple. Chakyar stages dramas called

Kooth Chakyar Koothu (pronounced ) is a performance art from Kerala, India. It is primarily a type of highly refined monologue where the performer narrates episodes from Hindu epics (such as the ''Ramayana'' and the ''Mahabharata'') and stories from ...

and

Koodiyattam Koodiyattam ( ml, കൂടിയാട്ടം; IAST: kūṭiyāṭṭaṁ; ) is a traditional performing art form in the state of Kerala, India. It is a combination of ancient Sanskrit theatre with elements of ''Koothu'', an ancient perfo ...

. Marars are temple musicians. Variar and Poduval did managerial and executive functions of temple committees and served as storekeepers and watchmen.

Customs

The customs of Ambalavasis vary according to castes. Ambalavasis are generally

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetariani ...

s. Some Ambalavasi castes are

patrilineal Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritan ...

, while the others are

matrilineal Matrilineality is the tracing of kinship through the female line. It may also correlate with a social system in which each person is identified with their matriline – their mother's lineage – and which can involve the inheritance ...

. Their ritual

rank Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as: Level or position in a hierarchical organization * Academic rank * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy * ...

in Hinduism is highly disputed. Ambalavasi castes who wear Sacred Thread and adhere Vedic rituals are classified as Brahmins or as lower rung of Brahmins. Some castes are classified as intermediate class between Brahmins and Kshatriyas while some other castes are classified as intermediate class between Kshatriyas and Shudras (Nairs). So they were called as antharala jathikal (intermediate castes).

Kazhakams

''Kazhakams'' or ''Ambalakkazhakams'' refer to associations of ambalavasi peoples in a temple to perform specific duties in the temple.

Temple arts

Traditionally, Ambalavasis are associated with various types of temple arts. Earlier, each of these temple arts were performed only by specific Ambalavasi castes. Now there is no community or caste barrier.

Community welfare

Various service organizations are in operation for the welfare of various castes or groups in the Ambalavasi Community. # Sree Pushpakabrahmana Seva Sangham is working for the welfare of Pushpaka Brahmins comprising Pushpaka Unnis, Theeyattunnis, Nambeesans, Kurukkal, Puppalli, Pilappalli, Brahmani-daivampadi etc. Its headquarters is in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Sangham publishes a monthly magazine called 'Pushpakadhwani'. # Chakyar-Nambiar Samajam is working for the welfare of Chakyars and Nambiars. Its headquarters is at Kochi, Ernakuklam, Kerala. The Nambiar samajam publishes a magazine called 'Mizhavu'. # Pisharody Samajam with its headquarters at Ayyanthole, Thrissur, Kerala. Pisharody samajam brings out a magazine named 'Thulaseedalam'. # Warrier Samajam with its headquarters at Guruvayur, Thrissur, Kerala. Warrier samajam publishes a monthly magazine called 'Theertham' to convey its various activities to its members. # Akhila Kerala Marar Kshema Sabha is working for the welfare of Marars. Its headquarters is at Thrissur. Marar Kshema Sabha publishes a magazine called 'Sopanadhwani'. # Poduval Samajam with its headquarters at Vellinezhi, Palakkad, Kerala. Poduval samajam publishes a quarterly magazine called 'Nirmalyam'.

References

{{Reflist Social groups of Kerala Liturgical castes