Guptan

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[edit] Guptans of Palakkad

Guptan ( Malayalam:ഗുപ്തന്‍ )is a Hindu caste , peculiar to Palakkad district of Kerala , South India. Their major population is spread across the erstwhile Walluvanad region especially katampazhippuram, sreekrishnapuram and mannarkkad areas besides the present Palakkad taluk. Agriculture & Business were their traditional ways of earning livelyhood in olden days. Their major strengths were sanskrit and astrology and many sanskrit scholars and popular astrologers came up from this community in the past.

There are no such authentic and specific records available about the origin of this community. One of the popular versions points to the era around 10th century which says about the asylum of a minister, in a local kingdom of then Cholamandalam to the King of Calicut (Kozhikkode)and the Calicut king gave them land and 'nagarams' called Puthanangadi, Thiruvazhiyode and Vayillyamkunnu ( current names Chethallur, Thiruvazhiyode / sreekrishnapuram and Katampazhippuram respectively )for cultivation and trade. Later Samoothiri gave them the title Guptan and they became part of the history of valluvanadan area. Another version points towards Guptas from northern provinces of India - similar to the MUNDA connection of malayalees. According to DESAYANAM published by samabhavini books - which says the history of Vayillyamkunnu desam of pre-idependence era - pointing the community's connection to old Tanjore area. This book also says about a Krishna Guptan (a sanskrit scholar & astrologer, popularly known as Kutty Ezhssan was a beloved disciple of then sanskrit pandit Sri Punnassery Namby Neelakanta Sharma ).

They worshipped Bhagavathi as their kuladevatha and a story related to Samoothiri about the power of panamkurussy bhagavathy is still popular in those area. Many Bhagavathi temples - Vayillyamkunnu Bhagavathy Temple, Thirupuraykkal Bhagavathy Temple, Panamkurussi Bhagavathy Temple, etc came up in that region in those days.

Some Prominent Guptans