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Pushpaka
Pushpaka is a caste of Hindu Brahmins of Kerala. In Malayalam language, this caste is also referred to as Pushpakan, Pushpakar, Pushpaka Unni or Pushpakan Unni. They are a part of the Ambalavasi community in Kerala. They carry out the various activities of the temple like teaching of sacred texts, assisting in pooja, garland making, lamp bearing, blowing Sankha (conch shell) during puja etc., and sometimes they perform actual priestly activities also. The male members of this caste generally use the surname Unni with their name. Apart from the prevalent practice of using the title "Unni" as surname, Pushpakas also commonly use other surnames, such as Nambi and Sarma. Pushpakas are also classified based on their gotra, or patrilineal descent, and the Veda that they follow. Pushpaka women are known as Pushpakathi. Pushpaka men are addressed by their surname ''Unni'' or ''Nambi'', while pushpaka women are addressed as ''Atheramma''. Pushpaka house is known as ''Matham'' ( ml ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pushpaka Brahmins
Pushpaka Brahmin is a generic term that refers to a group of certain Hindu Brahmin castes in Kerala. 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 and Sanskrit language in the Pathasalas associated with Hindu temples. Nambeesans in Central and North Kerala 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 Brahmin'', in a wider sense, applies to certain other Ambalavasi castes like Theeyatt Unnis, Kurukkals, Puppallis, Pilappallis, Nambidis and Daivampadi Daivampadi (also written as Thaivampadi, Theyyampadi or Theyyambadi) is a Hindu caste in Kerala. They form a part of the Ambalavasi community. This caste is also known as ''Brahmani'' or ''Brahmani-Daivam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ambalavasi
Ambalavasi, more properly Ampalavasi, ( ml, അമ്പലവാസി; 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, being those who wear the sacred thread and those who do not. Sacred thread wearers Pushpaka Brahmins * Pushpaka (Pushpakan Unni) * Nambeesan * Theeyatt Unni * Kurukkal * Puppalli * Plappalli (Pilappalli) * Nambidi * Daivampadi or Brahmani Others * Chakyar, * Nambiar * Atikal (also written as Adikal) Threadless Ambalavasis *Pisharody * Marar * Varyar *Pothuval, The feminine names of threadless ''ambalavasi'' castes are formed by adding the suffix ''-syar'' to the masculine names as Pisharadi-Pisharasyar, Marar-Marasyar, Variar-Varasyar, Poduval-Poduvalsyar. Temple services Though all Ampalavāsis have to do service in temples, they have sufficiently distinct functions to perform. Pushpakans and Namb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Unni (Indian Name)
Unni is used as a first name in Kerala, India. In the Malayalam language, it is also used as an adjective meaning an infant boy. Thus, Unnikrishnan or Unnikannan means Lord Krishna in the infant form and Unniyesu means Yesu (Jesus in Malayalam) in the infant form. The word is also the name of a caste among Hindus in the Southern India State of Kerala. The name Unni is also used as a surname by various sub-groups of Pushpaka Brahmins like Pushpakanunnis, Theeyattunnis and Pattarunnis (Karappuram Unni or Nattuppattar). There is a common belief that Unnis are sub-divided into Pushpakanunnis, Theeyattunnis and Pattarunnis. In fact these are entirely different communities in a common class of Kerala Brahmins and there were no inter caste marriages among these communities anciently. Thiyattunnis were traditionally the performers of an ancient art form called Tīyāttu. The famous Malayalam writer Kottarathil Sankunni was a Tīyāttunni whereas famous essayist D. Padmanabhan Un ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nambeesan
Nambeesan (also written as Nambisan, Nambissan, Nambiyassan or Nampeesan) is a Pushpaka Brahmin caste of Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a 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 regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ..., India. Brahmanippattu The women of the Nambeesan caste, known as Brahmani Ammas, are entitled to perform Brahmanippattu, a type of domestic devotional offering performed usually in connection with marriages. See also * Pushpaka Unni References {{reflist Malayali Brahmins Indian surnames ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Namboothiri
The Nambudiri (), also transliterated as Nampoothiri, Nambūdiri, Namboodiri, Nampoothiri, and Nampūtiri, are a Malayali Brahmin caste, native to what is now the state of Kerala, India, where they constituted part of the traditional feudal elite, owning a large portion of the land in the region of Malabar until the Kerala Land Reforms starting in 1957, and intermarrying with the Nair monarchs and aristocracy through sambandham. They have historically been distinguished by rare practices such as the adherence to Śrauta ritualism, the Pūrva-Mīmāṁsā school of Hindu philosophy, and orthodox tradition, as well as many idiosyncratic customs unique among Brahmins, including primogeniture. Cyriac Pullapilly mentions that the dominating influence of the Nambudiris was to be found in all matters: religion, politics, society, economics and culture of Kerala. History Origin Nambudiri mythology associates their immigration to Kerala from the banks of Narmada, Krishna, Kaveri r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Punyaha
Punyaham (पुण्याहम्, ) or Punyaha () is a cleansing ritual observed by Hindus. Performed by Brahmins, it is performed for the consecration of a house before its occupation by residents. After a site is selected as suitable for construction, the priest offers a sacrifice, and pronounces the name of the ceremony, ''puṇyāham'', “this is an auspicious day”, to the sounding of musical instruments. He repeatedly whispers a ''mantra,'' the object of which is to request malicious spirits, asuras, and devas who may inhabit the site to leave, and find their abode elsewhere. He then takes a pot, fills it with earth mixed with cowdung white reciting ''mantras'', and sows seeds within it. Etymology Punyaham (पुण्याहम् - पुण्यञ्च तदहश्चेति) is a Sanskrit word that means 'an auspicious day' or 'sacred day'. Types Punyaham is of two types: ''Nandeemukha Punyaham'' and ''Suddha Punyaham''. The "Nandeemukha Punyah ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marriage
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between them and their in-laws. It is considered a cultural universal, but the definition of marriage varies between cultures and religions, and over time. Typically, it is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually sexual, are acknowledged or sanctioned. In some cultures, marriage is recommended or considered to be compulsory before pursuing any sexual activity. A marriage ceremony is called a wedding. Individuals may marry for several reasons, including legal, social, libidinal, emotional, financial, spiritual, and religious purposes. Whom they marry may be influenced by gender, socially determined rules of incest, prescriptive marriage rules, parental choice, and individual desire. In some areas of the world, arrang ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Krishnanattam
Krishnaattam (Malayalam: കൃഷ്ണാട്ടം, IAST: Kṛṣṇanāṭṭaṃ) is a temple art in Kerala, India. It is a dance drama and presents the story of Krishna in a series of eight plays and was created by Manaveda (1585–1658 AD), the then Zamorin Raja of Calicut in northern Kerala. The eight plays are: Avataram, Kaliyamardanam, Rasakrida, Kamsavadham, Swayamvaram, Banayuddham, Vividavadham and Swargarohanam. It survives in its glory at the Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple (Thrissur district, Kerala, India). The troupe of players, once maintained by Zamorin of Calicut came to Guruvayur Devaswom. in 1958.The only troupe of artists are well maintained by devaswom till date. Origin Krishnanattam is based on Krishnagiti (1654 AD) written by Manaveda, Zamorin of Kozhikode. It is believed that the Zamorin had a vision of Krishna who gave the king a peacock feather, which became the living symbol of this dance-drama. Krishnanattam players wore a peacock feather a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ramanattam
Ramanattam (Malayalam: രാമനാട്ടം, IAST: Rāmanāṭṭaṃ) is a temple art in Kerala, India. The dance drama presents the story of Rama in a series of eight plays and was created under the patronage of Veera Kerala Varma (AD 1653–1694) ''alias'' Kottarakkara Thampuran. Ramanattom is based on a story from the epic ''Ramayana'', covering the incarnation of Rama to the Rama-Ravana War, Ravana's defeat and Rama's crowning at Ayodhya. The story was written by Kottarakkara Thampuran and is divided into eight poetic sections so that each section can be enacted in one day. These eight sections are puthrakameshti, seetha swayamvaram, vicchinnabhishekam, kharavadham, balivadham, thoranayudham, sethubandhanam and yudham (war). Ramanattam is widely believed to be the immediate stem of the well known classical art form of Kerala, Kathakali. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Koodiyattam
Koodiyattam ( ml, കൂടിയാട്ടം; IAST: kūṭiyāṭṭaṁ; ) is a traditional performing art form in the state of Kerala, India. It is a combination of ancient Sanskrit theatre with elements of ''Koothu'', an ancient performing art from the Sangam era. It is officially recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Origin Koodiyattam, meaning "combined acting" in Malayalam, combines Sanskrit theatre performance with elements of traditional koothu. It is traditionally performed in temple theatres known as ''koothambalams''. It is the only surviving art form that uses drama from ancient Sanskrit theatre. It has a documented history of a thousand years in Kerala, but its origins are not known. Koodiyattam and Chakyar koothu were among the dramatized dance worship services in the temples of ancient India, particularly Kerala. Both koodiyattam and Chakyar koothu originated from the ancient art form koothu, which is mention ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent. The term ''"Hindu"'' traces back to Old Persian which derived these names from the Sanskrit name ''Sindhu'' (सिन्धु ), referring to the river Indus. The Greek cognates of the same terms are "''Indus''" (for the river) and "''India''" (for the land of the river). The term "''Hindu''" also implied a geographic, ethnic or cultural identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent around or beyond the Sindhu (Indus) River. By the 16th century CE, the term began to refer to residents of the subcontinent who were not Turkic or Muslims. Hindoo is an archaic spelling variant, whose use today is considered derogatory. The historical development of Hindu self-identity within the local In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patrilineality
Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritance of property, rights, names, or titles by persons related through male kin. This is sometimes distinguished from cognate kinship, through the mother's lineage, also called the spindle side or the distaff side. A patriline ("father line") is a person's father, and additional ancestors, as traced only through males. Traditionally and historically people would identify the person's ethnicity with the father's heritage and ignore the maternal ancestry in the ethnic factor. In the Bible In the Bible, family and tribal membership appears to be transmitted through the father. For example, a person is considered to be a priest or Levite, if his father is a priest or Levite, and the members of all the Twelve Tribes are called Israelites because ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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