Nair (Nayar)
Nair, also spelled Nayar, is a community primarily from the state of Kerala in India, historically recognized as a warrior class with noble ties. The term "Nair" translates to "leader" in Sanskrit, reflecting their traditional roles as guardians and protectors within society. They are classified under the Kshatriya caste, which is one of the four main divisions in the Indian caste system. The Nair community is diverse, comprising various subcastes such as Kartha, Kurup, Menon, Panikar, and others.
Historically, Nairs played a significant role in the defense and shaping of Kerala's culture, and their lineage is thought to trace back to the Dravidians who intermingled with Aryans. Traditionally, Nair marriages occur within subcastes, with men marrying at a relatively older age compared to women. While the Nair community has evolved, adopting modern habits and dress, they maintain unique cultural practices, including their naming conventions based on parental lineage rather than surnames.
The majority of Nairs practice Hinduism, worshiping family deities like Krishna and Ayyappan, and they have made notable contributions to various fields, including politics, academia, and the arts. In recent years, some Nairs have voiced concerns regarding political pressures and social discrimination, highlighting the ongoing complexities of caste identities in contemporary India.
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Nair (Nayar)
Nair, sometimes spelled Nayar, refers to a community of people from the Kerala State in India. Traditionally, they were a warrior people with strong connections to nobility. While they are often called a caste, there are numerous subcastes under the larger Nair group. The Nairs originated in India, but they can now be found living in many places around the world.
Background
The word Nair means "leader" in Sanskrit and often refers to a political or social leader as well as a guardian, a father, or a teacher. Experts have often considered the Nairs a caste, or social class that inherits its role and responsibilities. Historically, the Nairs were part of the warrior class and represented a large and powerful part of society. Some experts believe they were similar to the Japanese samurai class.
The caste system in India is approximately 3,000 years old. It is a system of social divisions, which establish a person's rank and place in society. The system is based on a person's employment and their religion or duty. Castes are generally based on heredity—a person works in the same position and holds the same rank, or lack thereof, as their ancestors did. There is little opportunity for moving beyond the caste. While the caste system is no longer a rigid barrier to success and some inter-caste movements occur, most modern Indians continue to identify with a caste, which influences many aspects of society, and caste-based discrimination occurs.
An authoritative Hindu text called the Manusmriti established the basis for the caste system. Written about 1,000 BCE, the text sets forth the castes as a way to maintain social order and justice. Under the caste system, Hindus were divided into four groups: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and the Shudras. Each group was said to come from a part of the body of the creator god Brahma, and this part determined much about the caste. The Brahmins came from the head, the Kshatriyas came from the arms, the Vaishyas came from the thighs, and the Shudras came from the feet. Castes were ranked in importance from the top of the body down. Nairs are of the Kshatriya caste.
There are a number of subcastes under the broader Nair community. These include the Kartha, Kurup, Menon, Panikar, Pillai, and Nair. There are also three subsections of the Nair subcaste. These include the Chakkala Nair, Vellala Chetti, and Vilakkithala Nair.
For centuries, the caste system played an important part in Indian life. In addition to determining a person's job and position in society, castes determined whether two people could marry. The caste system also set out different consequences for breaking rules that were based on a person's caste. While many of these legal and social rules were prejudiced against specific castes, the caste system as a whole discriminated against women. In contemporary times, the caste system is not adhered to as it once was in most areas. Instead, a designation such as Nair is seen as more of a racial classification.
Overview
The origin of the Nair is somewhat uncertain. They are first mentioned by the Greek ambassador and historian Megasthenes around 300 BCE. However, historians are not sure they were the same group because the word Nair was also used as a synonym for warrior. The first definitive mention of the ancestors of the Nair came in the ninth century. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, Nair was in the official records as a caste name.
The ancient Nair were renowned fighters who did not shy away from any tactic needed to win. They are even known to have formed suicide squads to defeat invading troops. Through their powerful defense, they helped shape the culture and history of their home region of Kerala.
According to their tradition, the Nair are the first settlers of Kerala. They are believed to have originally been part of a race known as the Dravidian, who invaded the Malabar Coast of India. Later, they most likely intermarried with another race, the Aryan. As conquerors, the Nair would have assumed the role of leaders and protectors in the area; this became their role as the caste system formed.
Traditionally, the Nair marry from within their subcastes. Men wait until they are about twenty-eight before marrying. Women are often younger. The Nair do not use surnames, or last names, as people in Western countries do. Instead, females keep the house or caste name of their mother, and males take the caste name of their father. Legal names are a combination of the appropriate parent's name and the child's given name along with the caste name. Marriages are often negotiated. Some are love matches, and some are arranged in other ways. In the past, polygamy, or having multiple wives, was permitted. However, monogamy is more common in contemporary times. Divorce is permissible, as is remarriage.
While most modern Nair have adopted contemporary dress and habits, the men traditionally wore a draping garment known as a mundu along with a shawl-type garment called a mariyathu. Women wore saris that had two layers. The traditional diet was non-vegetarian and included rice, wheat, peas, and beans.
Ancient and contemporary Nair practice the Hindu religion. Hindus are polytheistic and worship many gods, with different groups worshiping different gods among the many identified by their faith. While many Hindus have clan gods, the Nair do not. They have family gods, which include Krishna and Ayyappan, one of the forms of Vishnu. Krishna and Vishnu are two of the main gods of the Hindu faith. Various villages will also worship a designated village god.
Historically known as warriors, the Nair have since gained renown in many fields. Nair have been political leaders, engineers, administrators, scholars, writers, and artists. In the early twenty-first century, the Nair were highlighted on Indian news as part of a dispute with the right-wing political party known as the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP. In some cases, Nair claimed they were being intimidated into joining the BJP.
Bibliography
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Bose, Abish K. "Nairs of Kerala Originated from the Adivasis, Says MGS Narayanan." Deccan Chronicle, 8 Nov. 2016, www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/081116/nairs-of-kerala-originated-from-the-adivasis-says-mgs-narayanan.html. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
"Classifications in the Community." Nairs Academy of Information Research and Services, www.nairs.in/classifications.htm. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
D., Peter. "Nayar." 25 Aug. 2022, Mandarin Mansion Antiques, www.mandarinmansion.com/glossary/nayar. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
"Kerala: BJP Intimidating Us, Alleges Nair Community Outfit Leader." DNA India, 1 Jan. 2016, www.dnaindia.com/india/report-kerala-bjp-intimidating-us-alleges-nair-community-outfit-leader-2161300. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Singh, K. S., editor. People of India: Maharashtra. Vol. 30, Part 3, Popular Prakashan, 2004, pp. 1520–25.
"What Is India's Caste System?" BBC, June 2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-35650616. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.