Insight: An International Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed Vol: 1; Issue: 3 ISSN: 2582-8002 Cultural Practices of Samantha Kshatriyas in Kolattunadu Aishwarya V T Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi University ABSTRACT This paper aims to understand various forms of cultural practices that are carried out by Samantha Kshatriyas of Kolattunadu. Most of these cultural practices are more or less similar to all other Hindu practice but the slight variations make them distinct. The shodasa samskara kriyas that are practiced among this caste are given much importance in their living structure. The women in this matrilineal patriarchal setup are given much importance as compared to the bhramanical setup. The belief system, food pattern, dressing styles makes them distinct from other castes. But most of these practices are disintegrating due to changing social structure. Better testimonial reports need to be kept for deep understanding of this extincting cultures. Keyword: Samantha Kshatriya, Kolatunadu, Samskaras, cultural practices Samantha’s in northern Malabar region are mostly seen as a vagrant society. The customary practices and the livelihood pattern have its own importance. This paper mainly try to find the cultural practices followed by Samantha Kshatriya families of Kannur and Kasaragod district. Naduvil, Chedicheri, Chooliyadu, Padappengadu, Poongodu, Pattuvam, Paayam, Pattanam, Kovoor, Pilathara, Mathamangalam, Kayitaparam, Peroor, Vellora, Kandakazi, Cherupalasheri, Cherutazam, Karivellur of Kannur district and Cheruvattur and Ambalathara of Kasaragod district.1 Samantha Nambiyar,Unuthiri,Thirumulpadu are some of the sub groups in Samantha Kshatriya. With in Samantha Kshatriya there are divisions of nalidakkar, aridakar (groups). Chuzali and Someshwari swaroopams are of great significance.2 1 K.P Sunil Kumar,Cultural Background of Samantha Kshatriya in Northern Malabar.pp.1 2 ibid Page | 64 Insight: An International Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed Vol: 1; Issue: 3 ISSN: 2582-8002 Samantha Kshatriya was seen as one of the uppermost castes in Kolattunatu. They are shown as the head of other castes and believed that the remaining caste formed as per the needs of Samantha Kshatriya. They had practiced some of the samskara kriyas which include formal ceremonies with chanting of mantras and some were private. They are seen as the governors in Kolattunatu which are mainly hereditary in nature3.Twenty governors of Kolattunatu are mentioned in the Mushaka Varsha Kavya of 11th century.4 Believes, household, dressing style all do have some specific differences. They are faithful believers of the goddess (Chuzali Bhagavathi,Kakkkara Bhagavathi). They are also given much importance to Shaivism. They maintained a matrilineal setup. Two major groups Chuzali Swaroopam and Someshwari Swaroopam under this group , from them number of families were formed. They lived in houses named Edam that is mainly in three major forms Nalukettu,Padinjattapura,Ottakettu. The clothing pattern was the major indicator of casteism that existed during this period. Men wear white cloth called kachattam from fourteen years of age. Till that they use Kumbhala konakam. Women are given clothes after their first menstruation the clothes are named as Onnaraum Mundum. Before their first mensturation they used to wear konakam. The major festivals that was popular among them was Akkamma pattu. Akkammas will sing songs and dances by clapping their hands and Komban Nada,Atiyandhara Pattu are some of the other festivals formed among this group5.They did this during Chatham, Pooram, wedding day (special occasions). They are mainly vegetarian as they had maintained the practice of marring to brahmin.6 Two major wedding samskaras (marriage practices) existed. They are known as sambandam and podamuri. Both these manifested the matrilineal inheritance. Sambandam happens among Brahmins and Akkaamma. Podamuri among Nayanar and Nairgirls. Women had complete liberty to marry anyone who belongs to her status with the permission of the head of the family. Divorce was not a legal practice existed among them.7 3 K.P Ammukutty, Origin of Samantha caste in Kerala, India n History Congress, 1980,Vol.41, pp 87 4 Mushya Vamshi Kavya Sarga 7-15 5 ibid 6 Balakrishnan Nambiar, K. N(2020) interview on beliefs, household, dressing style,29 July 7 Dr Rajendu(2020) interview on wedding practice,15 September. Page | 65 Insight: An International Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed Vol: 1; Issue: 3 ISSN: 2582-8002 Sambandam was just seen as the mode for attaining a heir for the household. The head of the family (father and/or brother) will ask a brahmin to marry his sister and consummate the marriage. The brahmin will stay with her for one night and will leave. Brahmin never makes any financial relationship with his wife or family. The children who were born in this relation will grow under their uncle in maternal houses. Podamuri/ Mangalya was another form were the nayanar will give podava (a long white cloth) to Nairgirl and ask her to be his wife. If she accepts this then she will become his wife. The Nair girl has no claim on his property. She will be taken to his house for the first time she was made to submit betel leaves to the head of the family ( karanavar). This particular practice was called 'Vettila Ketu'. In Pre-natal samskaras the women will undergo several rituals and are given much care. Kulinikkukuka is seen as the first sign of pregnancy were the menstruation stops. She undergoes four phases with specific ritual ceremonies. In the third and fourth month, she will be provided with extra care and rest. In the fifth month, served with 'pungan'(a dish made with rice and tamarind). The seventh month she was made to pray in paradevata temple chuzali bhagavati (family goddess) this particular practice is named Thozuvikkal. The same month she was made to have 'Neyseva'(Ayurvedic medicine made with Panchagavyam. She was also provided with this for one week. For Eight months the spouse's family will bring oil, clothes, money to see her. This was called as 'Eeta kodukal'. Delivery happens in a special room called 'Kooram'. The midwives are called 'Meri'(Malaya woman). After delivery she was made to stay in a room for twelve days, this period was termed as 'Balayama'.8 In post-natal samskaras both the mother and infant are provided with extra care in the first month. The mother was made to have particular Ayurvedic medicines for fourteen days. She was made to eat food with extra protein and nutrition. She will be made to bath in hot water, wash her hair with gooseberry powder and shampoo. Then she was made to wear 'Tattu'(long cloth tiered on underbelly). The twenty-eighth day was celebrated by inviting relatives. The infant for the first time is given sweet (payasam) by the uncle. The same day the infant is made to wear Kajal it's called' kannezuttu '. 8 Samantha Samajam organisation head(2020) interview Samskaras,10 September. Page | 66 Insight: An International Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed Vol: 1; Issue: 3 ISSN: 2582-8002 Sixth month Annaprasanam were the child for the first time provided with solid food on the same day child was made to wear gold ornaments like chain (pulinakhakoya), anklets, waist chain. Some of the childhood samskaras starts from two years of age, the child gets named and was made to wear pattukonakam. The name-giving ceremony happens in kutumba kshetram. The child was made to sit in the lap of the uncle and he will call out the child's name three times in child's ear. Three years of age, the child starts to attain scholastic growth. As a start for this new venture, the uncle makes the child write in the grains with the pavitramotiram on Navarathri day. Education are seen as important part in one’s life thus educational samskaras starts from four years by the child was senting to Balapadashala(school). The scholar (Ezutuashan)in that locality will teach the students. Boys went to school till fourteen years of age. Girls had enough liberty to do their schooling. But they usually attended class till the age of four or five. In some exceptional cases they study for some more years. Adulthood samskaras starts from fourteen years of age the boy for the first time given a long cloth to wear (mundu) this ceremony is called Munduduppu. By ten years of age, the girl was made to marry an old Brahmin before she has her first periods. But this was not essentially the real marriage, this was done to make sure that she won't have any sexual attraction to someone else. By fourteen fifteen years of age, the girls get her first periods. She is seen as impure for the first three days of her periods. She was made to spend all these three days in a room. All the clothes she use during this three days are washed by Vannatadichi(alderwomen).On the third day, she was made to bath in a lagoon. She carries vaalkannadi with her while bathing. Then she was given onnara (a long cloth) by her mother. In Samantha Kshatriya as all other caste practiced funeral samskaras are seen as important. It starts from the last moments of one's death. A large number of grants are given to Brahmins at the end of one's life. The person who see his death give grants like a cow, cloth, lamp, coat, etc to brahmin. Just after ones death, the body was kept on the floor(Erakikidattuka). Then the dead body was washed, made to wear new clothes. The body then will be laid in an east-west direction. The corpse was kept only for half an hour.