|
Nair Ceremonies And Customs
There are numerous ceremonies and customs adopted by the Nair caste, which is prominent in the South Indian state of Kerala. Ceremonial art forms Kalarippayattu Kalarippayattu training was undertaken by every youth of the Nair community. However, it was not the sole prerogative of the Nairs, for Muslims, Christians, Ezhavas, and even Brahmins practiced and mastered the techniques of Kalarippayattu. Shri Kallanthattil Gurukkal (a Nampoothiri Brahmin), Kshatriyas, King Marthanda Varma, Shri Pazhassiraja, Guru of Kallanthattil Gurukkal (a Kshatriya, Kolathiri rajah) all learned kalarippayattu. It was established by Parashuraman and Durga, Bhadrakali among others. In ancient times, not only Nairs but also Kshatriyas and even Brahmins trained; however, Brahmins are prohibited from fighting, violence and taking arms. Kathakali Kathakali is a dance-drama which portrays scenes from Hindu epics or stories. It is a classical dance form of Kerala demanding long years of training. B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nair
The Nair , also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom historically bore the name 'Nair'. Fuller (1975) p. 309 These people lived, and continue to live, in the area which is now the Indian state of Kerala. Their internal caste behaviours and systems are markedly different between the people in the northern and southern sections of the area, although there is not very much reliable information on those inhabiting the north. Fuller (1975) p. 284 Historically, Nairs lived in large family units called ''tharavads'' that housed descendants of one common female ancestor. These family units along with their unusual marriage customs, which are no longer practiced, have been much studied. Although the detail varied from one region to the next, the main points of interest to researchers of Nair marriage custo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Velakali
Velakali is a traditional martial dance of Nair community of Kerala, India that is performed during temple festivals. Brightly dressed dancers wielding swords and shields depict a fight sequence between the Pandavas and Kauravas during the course of the dance. Myth behind Velakali There are several legends associated with the origin and history of Velakali. One such legend talks of the sage Narada witnessing Lord Krishna and his friends staging a mock battle on the banks of the Kalindi using the stalks and leaves of the water lily as swords and shields. Narada then requested the sage Villumangalam to capture the martial vigour of the mock fight in a ritualistic performance for Krishna. Villumangalam in turn requested the ruler of Ambalapuzha to teach young men to perform the dance and so the ruler asked his army chieftains Mathoor Panicker and Velloor Kurup to ready a troupe of Velakali performers. Since the dancers were originally warriors, the dance bore a close res ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agni
Agni (English: , sa, अग्नि, translit=Agni) is a Sanskrit word meaning fire and connotes the Vedic fire deity of Hinduism. He is also the guardian deity of the southeast direction and is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu temples. In the classical cosmology of the Indian religions, Agni as fire is one of the five inert impermanent elements ('' pañcabhūtá'') along with space (''ākāśa''), water (''ap''), air (''vāyu'') and earth (''pṛthvī''), the five combining to form the empirically perceived material existence (''Prakṛti''). In Vedic literature, Agni is a major and oft-invoked god along with Indra and Soma. Agni is considered the mouth of the gods and goddesses and the medium that conveys offerings to them in a ''homa'' (votive ritual). He is conceptualized in ancient Hindu texts to exist at three levels, on earth as fire, in the atmosphere as lightning, and in the sky as the sun. This triple presence accords him as the messenger between the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marumakkathayam
Marumakkathayam was a system of matrilineal inheritance prevalent in regions what now form part of the southern Indian state Kerala. Descent and the inheritance of property was traced through females. It was followed by all Nair castes, Ambalavasi and tribal groups. The elder male was considered the head known as karanavar and the entire assets of the family were controlled by him as if he was the sole owner. The properties were not handed to his sons but to the daughters of his sons or to their sisters. The word literally means inheritance by sisters' children, as opposed to sons and daughters. 'Marumakkal', in the Malayalam language, means nephews and nieces. The joint family under the matrilineal system is known as Tharavad and formed the nucleus of the society in Malabar. The customary law of inheritance was codified by the Madras Marumakkathayam Act 1932, Madras Act No. 22 of 1933, published in the ''Fort St. George Gazette'' on 1 August 1933. Malabar was part of the M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Travancore
The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At its zenith, the kingdom covered most of the south of modern-day Kerala ( Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts, and some portions of Ernakulam district), and the southernmost part of modern-day Tamil Nadu (Kanyakumari district and some parts of Tenkasi district) with the Thachudaya Kaimal's enclave of Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple in the neighbouring Kingdom of Cochin. However Tangasseri area of Kollam city and Anchuthengu near Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram district, were British colonies and were part of the Malabar District until 30 June 1927, and Tirunelveli district from 1 July 1927 onwards. Travancore merged with the erstwhile princely state of Cochin to form Travancore-Cochin i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kochi
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala and is commonly referred to as Ernakulam. Kochi is the most densely populated city in Kerala. As of 2011, it has a corporation limit population of 677,381 within an area of 94.88 km2 and a total urban population of more than of 2.1 million within an area of 440 km2, making it the largest and the most populous metropolitan area in Kerala. Kochi city is also part of the Greater Cochin region and is classified as a Tier-II city by the Government of India. The civic body that governs the city is the Kochi Municipal Corporation, which was constituted in the year 1967, and the statutory bodies that oversee its development are the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matrilineality
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 of property and/or titles. A matriline is a line of descent from a female ancestor to a descendant (of either sex) in which the individuals in all intervening generations are mothersin other words, a "mother line". In a matrilineal descent system, an individual is considered to belong to the same descent group as their mother. This ancient matrilineal descent pattern is in contrast to the currently more popular pattern of patrilineal descent from which a family name is usually derived. The ''matriline'' of historical nobility was also called their enatic or uterine ancestry, corresponding to the patrilineal or "agnatic" ancestry. Early human kinship In the late 19th century, almost all prehistorians and anthropologists believed, followi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kuzhal
The kuzhal is a traditional double reed wind instrument used in the south Indian state of Kerala. It is similar in construction to a ''nagaswaram'' or a large ''shehnai'', and has a very shrill and penetrating tone. Kuzhal is primarily used as an accompaniment for chenda-led ensembles Panchari Melam and Pandi Melam, where the piper plays the anchor role. However, as prelude to melams, it is also used to present solo concert (with a couple of accompanying instruments), in which case it is called Kuzhal Pattu. The instrument has a wooden body with a conical bore, at the end of which is affixed a brass bell. The player, who is almost always male, blows through a double reed and closes small holes with both hands. See also * Nadaswaram * Shehnai The ''shehnai'' is a musical instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is made of wood, with a double reed at one end and a metal or wooden flared bell at the other end. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kombu (instrument)
The Kombu (Tamil:கொம்பு, Malayalam: കൊമ്പ്) or Kompu also known as the Kombu Pattu is a wind instrument (a kind of Natural Horn) in Tamil nadu and Kerala. Usually played along with Panchavadyam, Pandi Melam, Panchari melam etc. This musical instrument is usually seen in south India. The instrument is like a long horn (''Kombu'' in Tamil and Malayalam). In ancient days ''kombu'' played during war along with Murasu. History Listed one of the Musical instruments used by ancient Tamil people out in Tirumurai dated 6th to 11th century, Sangam Period. வெல் படைத் தறுகண் வெஞ்சொல் வேட்டுவர் கூட்டம் தோறும் சில்லரித் துடியும் கொம்பும் சிறு கண் ஆகுளியும் கூடி கல் எனும் ஒலியின் மேலும் கறங்கிசை அருவி எங்கும ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elathalam
Elathalam, or Ilathalam, is a metallic musical instrument which resembles a miniature pair of cymbals. This instrument from Kerala in southern India is completely made out of bronze and has two pieces in it. Elathalam is played by keeping one part of the cymbal in left hand banging the other cymbal to the one in left hand. Even though this instrument is small by size, it does have more thickness than the common cymbal, and thus gives a distinct chime. Elathalam is never a lead instrument but is used in a number of ethnic Kerala percussion ensembles like Panchavadyam, Chenda melam, Thayambaka and Kailaya vathiyam besides by second singer on a Kathakali stage beside providing the beat in Kuzhal Pattu and Kombu Pattu. Masters of Elathalam Leading elathalam masters of the present day include:Cheriyath Thanku Marar, Chelakkara Unnikrishnan, Maniyamparambil Mani, Kothachira Sekharan Nair, Chengamanad Paramu Nair, Pallavur Raghava Pisharody, Chelakkara Jayan, Pookottur Sasidharan (Asia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Madhalam
The maddalam or madhalam (Malayalam: മദ്ദളം) मद्दलम , ମଦ୍ଦଳମ , మద్దళమ్ , ಮದ್ದಳಂ is a drum made out of the wood of the jackfruit tree. It has two sides for playing, made out of leather, and has different kind of sounds on each side. The maddalam is a heavy instrument which is hung around the waist of the person playing, and the player stands all the while to perform. The maddalam is a vital instrument in traditional Kerala percussion ensembles like Panchavadyam, Keli and Kathakali orchestra. Except for the central projection, the Maddalam resembles a Mridangam in shape. Etymology The name Madhalam is derived from the word ''Mardhalam which'' means 'one which receives pressure'. In Sanskrit the instrument is called as Mardhalam. Using style In ancient times Madhalam was played by suspending it from the neck of the player and later in the 1920s Madhalam maestro Venkichan Swamy changed the style to the way it was su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thavil
A ''thavil'' (Tamil:தவில்) or ''tavil'' is a barrel-shaped percussion instrument from Tamil Nadu. It is also widely used in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu and Telangana States of South India. It is used in temple, folk and Carnatic music, often accompanying the ''nadaswaram''. The ''thavil'' and the ''nadaswaram'' are essential components of traditional festivals and ceremonies in South India. In folk music contexts, a pair of wider, slimmer sticks are sometimes used. Thanjavur is famous for ''thavil'', so called ''Thanjavur Thavil''. In Kollywood Filmi songs thavils are mostly used, Notable movies: "Thillaanaa Mohanambal", "Paruthiveeran", "Karagattakaran", "Sarvam Thaala Mayam". History Thavil is a traditional musical instrument of the ancient city of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. It is an integral part of the Carnatic music in Thanjavur. It is mostly made in Thanjavur and Valayapatti. Physical components The ''thavil'' consists of a cylindrical s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
_Hindu_puja%2C_yajna%2C_yagna%2C_Havanam_in_progress.jpg "Click for more on -> Agni")
.jpg "Click for more on -> Kochi")
.jpg "Click for more on -> Kombu (instrument)")
