Pushpaka is a generic term that refers to a group of certain

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

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

castes in

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, 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 ...

. The term ''Pushpaka'' applies primarily to a caste known itself as Pushpaka (or Pushpakan Unni) in South Kerala (Travancore). Pushpakas were assigned the job of tending flowers and making garlands in the Hindu temples. They were also given rights to teach sacred texts including Sanskrit language in the Pathasalas associated with Hindu temples in Central and North Kerala. They are often referred to as Pushpakas owing to their cultural similarity with Pushpakas in South Kerala. In addition to these two castes, the term ''Pushpaka'', in a wider sense, applies to certain other Ambalavasi castes like Theeyatt Unnis,

Kurukkal The Kurukkal, also known as Gurukkal are an Ambalavasi caste of Tamil origin. Originally a patrilineal community found in Travancore and Malabar region of present-day Kerala, whose traditional function was that of temple servants, they became matr ...

Puppalli Ambalavasi, more properly Ampalavasi, (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 broadly divided into two groups, b ...

s, Plappallis, Nambidis, Nambeesans and Daivampadis. All these castes are associated with temple related jobs who render services to the temple and have many socio-cultural similarities. Pushpaka Thali

Community welfare

Nowadays, Pushpaka Brahmins are reluctant to cling to their traditional line of profession like priesthood, Quote:തിരുവിതാംകൂർ ദേവസ്വം ബോർഡ് ക്ഷേത്രങ്ങളിലേക്ക് 62 ശാന്തിക്കാർ കൂടി - നായർ, വാരിയർ, മാരാർ, പുഷ്പകർ എന്നീ വിഭാഗങ്ങളിൽനിന്ന് ആരുമില്ല. ''adhyapanam'' (teaching) in Pathasalas, ''malakettu'' (garland making), ''vilakkeduppu'' (lamp bearing), thidambettu (bearing replica of deity on religious procession) etc, due to low income from these professions. Sree Pushpakabrahmana Seva Sangham is an organisation working for the welfare of Pushpaka Brahmin castes.

References

{{reflist Brahmin communities