Parakkat

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Parakkat is the name of a Nair Tharavad of the state of Kerala in south India. It is also the surname of the family belonging to the Tharavad.

1 Origins
2 Division
3 Modern developments
4 External links

[edit] Origins

Though there is no authentic evidence available with regard to the origin of the family, there are some references to show three major tharavads from the neighbouring places from the British Malabar area merged with Tattamangalam Parakkat. They are Moorkanat from Peruvemba, Tottassery from Palathuly and odunghat from Polpully. The tharavad was headed by a Karnavar who was regarded as an uncrowned King. The genesis of the family can be traced back to 700 years or even more and like all other Nair families this family also practised joint family system and marumakkathayam.

[edit] Division

With the passage of time the joint family system came to an end and partition took place in the family. This led to the creation of five thaivazhis. The landed properties and assets were divided among five thaivazhis setting apart a portion of the landed properties as common, purely to meet the expenditure towards the performance of periodical poojas to the family deity Kanji Kamakshi Amma and also for the functions like thiruvathira ootu and poojas at the local temples and adima kavu. The management of this common property was entrusted with five eldest female members, one each from the five thaivazhis by rotation. This counsel of five grandmas did a splendid job and everything went on smoothly until the implementation of the Land Reform Acts in Kerala, when the family lost most of its landed properties. This situation led to the need for having higher education on the part of members and seeking employment outside Kerala and even to go abroad in search of jobs. Some of the family members who went to Malaysia and Singapore long back seeking employment settled there, and took citizenship in the respective countries.

[edit] Modern developments

With the advent of the Land Reform Act, a situation prevailed in the family where it was not possible to arrange for all tharavattu poojas in accordance with the traditional customs and practices. The common properties whose income was ear-marked for meeting the expenses of the temple were lost after the implementation of the land-tenancy Act. This adversely affected the performance of periodical poojas in the Kanji Kamakshi Amma Temple. It was at this juncture that the late Parakkat Chandrasekhara Menon took upadesam from the Kanchi Kamakshi mutt, Kanchipuram and poojas were restarted by him. Later, on January 21, 1993, a trust named the Parakkat Kanji Kamakshiamma Trust came into force.