Nambidi is a
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. The form a part of the
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (gur ...
community.
They are considered to be Malayali Brahmins and to have originated when a section of the
Nambudiri
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 el ...
s was degraded.
They also have the same rights and rituals of nambudiri's. The nambidi ladies are usually called Mandals / Atholammas used to wear the cheruthalis and are similar to Antharjanams (Namboothiri Ladies). The nambidi's also had great economic and Societic importance and have the same grade of Nambudiris in the Society. They have no right to do Poojas in temples.
Nambidis are divided into two: the ones who wear the sacred thread and perform the
Upanayanam
''Upanayana'' ( sa, उपनयनम्, lit=initiation, translit=Upanāyanam) is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' ...
and the ones who do not. The former are Nambudiris who were degraded to the
Brahmins
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...
status since their ancestors had committed a heinous act by murdering a ruler of Kerala. On their return the other Nambudiris welcomed them but they refused to seat themselves with the other Brahmins owing to the sin they committed and instead sat on the steps of the hall. They came to be known as ''Nom Padimels'' or those on the steps and this term was later corrupted into ''Nambidi''. The latter are Nairs who were assigned the Nambidi title.
Namboodiris will Join with nambidi's in all their functions and rituals.
See also
*
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 ...
*
Pushpaka Brahmin
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 assi ...
*
Nambiar (Ambalavasi caste)
The Nambiar (also written as Nambyar) is a Hindu Ambalavasi caste of Kerala.
Ambalavasi Nambiars wear sacred thread like Brahmins and is traditionally considered as a higher caste to Nairs including same name bearing Nair-Nambiar caste which ...
References
{{reflist
Nair
Malayali Brahmins
Social groups of Kerala
Hindu communities