Yes, this is a part of journey of establishing a clear cut cultural and traditional difference between two communities ( now castes) that have been considered by renowned historians like Thurston and Anantha Krishna Iyer as one. Tracing back to history, we have no clear cut historical background for any castes as of now and it is even more corrupted in the case of kalari kurup/panickers of kerala who have been the for bearers of the erswhile kalari tradition that is not ony related with martial arts and military training but also with all sorts of knowledge sharing through a gurukula system. The title itself is the main purpose of this particular blog which is to differentiate kalari kurup( kurup hereafter will also mean kalari panicker) from kaniyans which is what is propogated by historians through the texts that are popular in internet. I speak on ample proofs that are available for me to speak out my concern . I will point out quotes and references from history books that have pointed out the different social situations that they were in yet have came to a contradictory and questionable conclusion regarding the matter. This is my first post.
The first and foremost diffrenece between kalari kurup and kaniyans are that the latter have no kalari's or places of training the martial art system called kalari which was aimed at training nair soldiers for military purposes which diminished during british empire, who considered them as a threat to their existence in india, and it was in that regard that, by its sole purpose of providing protection to homeland, kalari system deserves the same respect that our current military systemgets today as it was the military system of pricely states of travancore, malabar and cochin.
The kaniyans are primarily umbrella stichers for royal temles who later became to be known for astrological predictions. Since after the diminishing of kalari systems, the kalari kurups were compeled to ursue the profession of astrology, that doesnt mean kaniyans and kurups are one and the smae. This is never a caste discrimination , as kaniyans were intelligent set of people and benevolent unlike kalari kurup who too were equally talented but were known for their bravery to face war times.
Both communities had different functions and were different in their attitudes. But unfortunately, historians have put both as one, and one reason might be the case for reservations when many of the castes which have different historical backgrounds are clubbed together as one big OBC'S or other backward castes. This might serve the prurpose of government records which is not my toic of concern, nor am i interested in those topics, but it ignores the pluralistic nature of our soceity that we are. By mere clubbing some castes as backward doesnt mean they are downtrodden, they only had no independent ruling powers like a king or a feudal lord, but all backward castses had their own belief systems and customs and traditions that were ony equatable to other castes prevalent in india, as there were difference in form ony, not in philosophies. This is the unity in diversity that is the prime motto of india that is spoken of proudly by our constitution.
I am strictly not going into politics of the issue that i am putting forth but the historical reality that has never been mentioned by any of the historians.
One of the facts is that the title "NAMBI KURUP" was given to many of the olden kurup family elder member as a reward for serving the kingdom and many links with royal families of KOVILAKAMS can be traced eventoday with that fact present in the "adi adharams" of corresponding kalari persons. Kaniyans havent had any of such things to show up for this fact, infact historians mention kaniyans as nambi kurup which is actualy the kalari kurup familes which were rewarded with that title, which the proofs show for themselves.
Links with paliyam royal familes have been seen in my kalari, kannanchira which is evident from the stone pillar present at kannanchira kalari at chowwalloorppadi , guruvayur, represent paliyam valiyachan, which is considered as a diety here.This kind of spirit worship is a dravidian one, but kalari system has strong links with vajrayana buddhism, which is evident from the vishnu maya diety which is similar to manju sri bodhisatwa and also the bermer bhuta of erstwhile tulu worship, which is even now practised as bhuta kola.
So kalari system has its link with buddhism, dravidian system, and tulu nadu too.The word kalari is similar to garadi which are the same institutions that were present in tulu nadu.
There are ample proofs of historical documents which mention kalari kurups and panickers as decscendants of TULU NAMBIS who were invited from tulu nadu to teach kalari system to the nair soldiers of travancore, malabar and cochin.
to be continued....
Thamk you,
for queries
contact 09445978749
Thanks to Mr.Mukundan Kurup uncle who is now a renowned historian with a few more books to his name which have been authenticised by kerala government which is " KERALA SAMSKARA CHARITRAM BRAHMANA GRAMAMGALILOODE" published by NBS-KERALA. For his efforts in bringing out the lost tradition of kalari he was awardeded kalari gurukkal award by kerala government. He is a government employee(secreteriat assistant at gujarat) hailing from AKAPPARAMPU KALARI, a family OF NAMBI KURUPS ...
Also helps were received from SREEHARI chettan of MAMMIYOOR KALARI who is a research scholar in kerala history.
I feel proud to represent for them as part of our watsapp group of same name of this blog...
thank you.....
The first and foremost diffrenece between kalari kurup and kaniyans are that the latter have no kalari's or places of training the martial art system called kalari which was aimed at training nair soldiers for military purposes which diminished during british empire, who considered them as a threat to their existence in india, and it was in that regard that, by its sole purpose of providing protection to homeland, kalari system deserves the same respect that our current military systemgets today as it was the military system of pricely states of travancore, malabar and cochin.
The kaniyans are primarily umbrella stichers for royal temles who later became to be known for astrological predictions. Since after the diminishing of kalari systems, the kalari kurups were compeled to ursue the profession of astrology, that doesnt mean kaniyans and kurups are one and the smae. This is never a caste discrimination , as kaniyans were intelligent set of people and benevolent unlike kalari kurup who too were equally talented but were known for their bravery to face war times.
Both communities had different functions and were different in their attitudes. But unfortunately, historians have put both as one, and one reason might be the case for reservations when many of the castes which have different historical backgrounds are clubbed together as one big OBC'S or other backward castes. This might serve the prurpose of government records which is not my toic of concern, nor am i interested in those topics, but it ignores the pluralistic nature of our soceity that we are. By mere clubbing some castes as backward doesnt mean they are downtrodden, they only had no independent ruling powers like a king or a feudal lord, but all backward castses had their own belief systems and customs and traditions that were ony equatable to other castes prevalent in india, as there were difference in form ony, not in philosophies. This is the unity in diversity that is the prime motto of india that is spoken of proudly by our constitution.
I am strictly not going into politics of the issue that i am putting forth but the historical reality that has never been mentioned by any of the historians.
One of the facts is that the title "NAMBI KURUP" was given to many of the olden kurup family elder member as a reward for serving the kingdom and many links with royal families of KOVILAKAMS can be traced eventoday with that fact present in the "adi adharams" of corresponding kalari persons. Kaniyans havent had any of such things to show up for this fact, infact historians mention kaniyans as nambi kurup which is actualy the kalari kurup familes which were rewarded with that title, which the proofs show for themselves.
Links with paliyam royal familes have been seen in my kalari, kannanchira which is evident from the stone pillar present at kannanchira kalari at chowwalloorppadi , guruvayur, represent paliyam valiyachan, which is considered as a diety here.This kind of spirit worship is a dravidian one, but kalari system has strong links with vajrayana buddhism, which is evident from the vishnu maya diety which is similar to manju sri bodhisatwa and also the bermer bhuta of erstwhile tulu worship, which is even now practised as bhuta kola.
So kalari system has its link with buddhism, dravidian system, and tulu nadu too.The word kalari is similar to garadi which are the same institutions that were present in tulu nadu.
There are ample proofs of historical documents which mention kalari kurups and panickers as decscendants of TULU NAMBIS who were invited from tulu nadu to teach kalari system to the nair soldiers of travancore, malabar and cochin.
to be continued....
Thamk you,
for queries
contact 09445978749
Thanks to Mr.Mukundan Kurup uncle who is now a renowned historian with a few more books to his name which have been authenticised by kerala government which is " KERALA SAMSKARA CHARITRAM BRAHMANA GRAMAMGALILOODE" published by NBS-KERALA. For his efforts in bringing out the lost tradition of kalari he was awardeded kalari gurukkal award by kerala government. He is a government employee(secreteriat assistant at gujarat) hailing from AKAPPARAMPU KALARI, a family OF NAMBI KURUPS ...
Also helps were received from SREEHARI chettan of MAMMIYOOR KALARI who is a research scholar in kerala history.
I feel proud to represent for them as part of our watsapp group of same name of this blog...
thank you.....
