Chakkala Nair
Intermediate Nair sub-caste
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chakkala Nair, also known as Vattakkat Nair,[1] and Vaniya Nair[2][3][4] one of the intermediate subcastes[5][6][7] of the Nair community. They are distributed throughout Kerala. In Travancore, they are known as Chakkala, while in Cochin and Malabar they are Vattakattu[8] and In the extreme north of Malabar they are called Vaniya.[9][3]
The Chakkala Nairs traditionally engaged in the hereditary occupations of oil trading, oil mongers for temples and illoms[10] and village teaching.[11][12] In addition to these roles, they were also trained as soldiers, and when conflict arose, they were duty-bound to abandon their usual occupations, arm themselves, and serve their respective kings in battle.[13]
Vattakattu Nairs[7] is a Forward caste and are now part of the mainstream Nair caste,[14][15][7] while vaniya nairs and chakkala nairs were recently added to the central OBC category and get a minimal reservation of 3% sharing with 70 other castes on a rotational basis.
It was the duty of Peru Vaniyan Nambiar[16][17] section among Vaniya nairs in Kurumbranad to present the Kurumbranad Raja with oil on the occasion of his formal installation.[18] Vaniya Nairs also held Achan title For example, Kunjikannan Ezhuthachan, a Vaniya Nair, was conferred the title "Nambrath Achan," by the kolathiri where Nambram refers to a place.[19]
Vattakkat Nairs were the hereditary Velichappadu of traditional Nambudiri-led Bhagavathi Temples in Kerala[20] and even held priesthood roles in some temples, such as the famous Kadakkal Devi Temple, where a Chakkala Nair with the title Nettur Kurup serves as the head priest.[21]
Muchilot Bhagavthi is the patron deity of Vaniya Nairs and the community serve as the Uralars (custodian) of 108 Muchilot Bhagavathi temples[22] spread across North Malabar from Tulu Nadu to Kozhikode resembling the 108 Shiva Temples mentioned in the Shivalaya Stothram. It is believed that Bhagavathi first manifested herself to Muchilot PadaNair, a chieftain of Mushika dynasty from the Vaniya nair sect.[23][24]
According to eminent scholars Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan was born in a Chakkala Nair family of Thrikkandiyoor Amsam in Vettathunadu.[25] The Nair family descendants of Ezhuthachan continue to reside in Amakavu, situated in the Palakkad district.[26]
Historically, the Chakkala Nair community fostered inter-religious harmony by engaging with various groups, including the Jacobite Syrian Church. A notable example of this is during the Saint Baselios Yeldo festival day, when a Chakkala Nair youth would carry the church's traditional lamp, leading the 'Rassa'—the customary church procession—to the church, symbolizing unity and mutual respect.[27][28]