Kurup of Travancore is a title given to Nairs who held the status of "Naaduvaazhi"- the lord of small kingdoms.
Kurup of Travancore (alternatively Guyrip, Kuruppu or Kuruppanmar) was a title used by
Nairs in the
Kingdom of Travancore,
many among them were experts in
Kalaripayattu
Kalaripayattu (; also known simply as Kalari) is an Indian martial art that originated in modern-day Kerala, a state on the southwestern coast of India. Kalaripayattu is known for its long-standing history within Indian martial arts, and is ...
, serving as
warriors and
army generals. Additionally, a segment of the Nair Kurup belonged to the
landlord class in
South Kerala until the 18th century and they mostly belongs to the
Illam and other subcastes in
Travancore Nair caste. The
Nair Kurup caste is unrelated to other Kurups. It is important not to confuse them with the
Kurup Caste, Kalari Kurup, etc., as they have distinct identities.
Etymology
"Kurup" is a title of nobility among Nair subcastes, other higher titles of nairs such as
Pillai,
Nambiar, Unnithan, Thampi, Panicker, etc.
Well-known Kurups of Travancore include
Azhakath Kurup, a
Nair noble man who represented Nairs in the
Ettara Yogam or the King and Council of Eight, the longstanding administrative setup of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple for centuries.
Notable people
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O. N. V. Kurup
Ottaplakkal Neelakandan Velu Kurup (known as O. N. V. Kurup; 27 May 1931 – 13 February 2016) was a Malayalam poet and lyricist from Kerala, India, who won the Jnanpith Award, the highest literary award in India for the year 2007. He receive ...
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K. N. P. Kurup
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K. Narayana Kurup
K. Narayana Kurup (23 October 1927 – 26 June 2013) was an Indian senior leader of Kerala Congress (Mani), a splinter faction of Kerala Congress. He was a former Minister and Deputy Speaker in Kerala, India and a former MLA from Vazhoor in Kott ...
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Guru Kunchu Kurup
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M. R. Kurup
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P. Narayana Kurup
P. Narayana Kurup (born 5 September 1934) is a Malayalam–language poet and literary critic from Kerala state, South India.
Life
He was brought up in an ethos of music and temple art in his native village Haripad, Kerala. He took his degree i ...
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Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup
References
Kingdom of Travancore
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