Tamil Padam Nair
Encyclopedia
Tamil Padam Nair is one of the subcastes belonging to the Nair
community in Kerala. This class of Nairs, as the name indicates, were migrants from Tamil Nadu
who were embraced into the Nair community. Most of them belonged to the Maravar
community which composed the Maravar Pada or secondary army of Travancore
. The Tamilpadam Nairs numbered 273 during the 1901 census and constituted for almost 0.05% of the total Nair population in Travancore. Of them 258 reported their caste was "Nair
", while 15 said that their caste was "Maaraar
".
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
community in Kerala. This class of Nairs, as the name indicates, were migrants from Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
who were embraced into the Nair community. Most of them belonged to the Maravar
Maravar
Maravar are a Tamil community of the state of Tamil Nadu, southern India, and are one of the three branches of the Mukkulathor confederacy.Maravars are found predominantly in the Southern districts of Tamilnadu viz., Madurai, Theni, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Thirunelveli,...
community which composed the Maravar Pada or secondary army of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
. The Tamilpadam Nairs numbered 273 during the 1901 census and constituted for almost 0.05% of the total Nair population in Travancore. Of them 258 reported their caste was "Nair
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
", while 15 said that their caste was "Maaraar
Maaran
Maaran is the name given to the temple musicians of Travancore, Cochin and Malabar in the state of Kerala, India whose primary duty was to provide the traditional temple Sopanam music. Their position in the caste system varies from place to place in Kerala...
".