Hinduism is the indigenous religion of Kerala and Hindus make up about 57% population of the state according to the 2001 census. Hindus in Kerala usually have a lower birth rate and a higher death rate compared to the general population.[1]
Kerala is home to Hindu saints and swamis of all castes. Vaikunda Swami, who was the first among the saints of Kerala[2] was a Nadar. Narayana Guru, Sant Enadinatha, Sant Ilakkulaccanrar, Sant Tiruppana were all Sudra, Cheraman Nayanar was a Kothayar, Chattampi Swamikal,Brahmasree Neelakanta Gurupadar,Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi & Swami Chinmayananda were of the Nair caste, and Adi Shankara was a Nambuthiri Brahmin. The Harijan Parayas of Kerala claim to descend from Sant Vasistha.[3] Kollengode has a structure near Thirthala-Koottanad Road, in memory of a Harijan saint, Sant Paakkanar.[4] In the Rapayan Tujjal, the narrator (dancer-reciter) is a Harijan and a descendant of Sant Pakkanar.[5] The Periya Puranam, possibly written by a Paraya, describes the Parayas. Further, the Vishvakarma Purana was written by a sonar (goldsmith).
Chenkottukonam Madathipathi Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi is popularly regarded as the father of contemporary Hindu renaissance in Kerala for the victorious movements he led for temple rights and the establishment of Hindu Aikya Vedi for integrating hindus of all classes.He is reckoned as the greatest karmayogi to uphold Sanatana Dharma since Swami Vivekananda internationally.
The official festivals of Sree Narayana Jayanti (Narayana Guru's birthday) and Sree Narayana Samadhi Day (Narayana Gurus passing away) are celebrated by the Keralites in memory of a great Shudra reformer of their society.
The modern Hindu Karma yogi saint Amma Mata Amritanandamayi was selected to represent Hindu Dharma in the World Parliament of Religions in September 1991.[6] Bhagawan Nityananda is another important Hindu saint reognized worldwide.
Several Hindu movements important to Hindu history took place in Kerala. These were Shankara's Advaita, Vaishnava Alwar, and Shaiva Nayanar.
Kerala has several ancient Hindu temples. In the medieval Alwar Divya Desam text, out of 108 Vaishnava temples all over India adored by the Alwars, eleven of those are in Kerala.[7] The Karppillikkavu Sree Mahadeva Temple, (one of the most ancient in India) dedicated to the Kirata Avatar of Lord Shiva still exists in Kerala.
Contents |
1) Ambalavasi
2) Pattarunni
3) Plappilli
4) Pisharadi (Lati)
5) Potuval
6) Pushpaka
7) Varyar
8) Marar
9) Teyyapadi Kuruppu
10) Karopanikkar
2) Paradesa Kshatriya
3) Brahmana Kshatriya
1) Koyikkal Tampuran
2) Tirumalpadu
a) Scheduled Caste (Dalit)
(As amended by the Scheduled Castes and Sceduled Tribes Order (Amendment Act) 1976 and as amended by the Constitution (Sceduled castes) Orders (Second Amendment) Act, 2002 (Act 61 of 2002) vide Part VIII- Kerala- Schedule I notified in the Gazette of India, dated 18 December, 2002) and (As amended by the Scheduled Castes and Sceduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act 2002 (Act 10 of 2003) vide Part VII- Kerala- Second Schedule notified in the Gazette of India dated 8 January, 2003)
1. Adi Andhra 2. Adi Dravida 3. Adi Karnataka 4. Ajila 5. Arunthathiyar 6. Ayyanavar 7. Baira 8. Bakuda 9. Bathada 10. Bharathar (Other than Parathar),Paravan 11. Chakkiliyan 12. Chamar,Muchi 13. Chandala 14. Cheruman 15. Domban 16. Gosangi 17. Hasla 18. Holeya 19. Kadaiyan 20. Kakkalan, Kakkan 21. Kalladi 22. Kanakkan, Padanna, Padannan 23. Kavara (Other than Telugu speaking or Tamil speaking Balija, Kavarai, Gavara, Gavari, Gavarai Naidu, Balija Naidu, Gajalu Balija or Valai Chetty) 24. Koosa 25. Kootan, Koodan 26. Kudumban 27. Kuruvan, Sidhanar, Kuravar, Kuruva, Sidhana 28. Maila 29. Malayan (In the areas comprising the Malabar District as specified by sub section (2) of section 5 of the State Re-organisation Act, 1956 (37 of 1956) 30. Mannan, Pathiyan, Perumannan, Vannan, Velan 31. Moger (Other than Mogeyar) 32. Mundala 33. Nalakeyava 34. Nalkadaya 35. Nayadi 36. Pallan 37. Pulluvan 38. Pambada 39. Panan 40. Paraiyan, Parayan, Sambavar, Sambavan, Sambava, Paraya, Paraiya, Parayar 41. Pulayan, Cheramar, Pulaya, Pulayar, Cherama, Cheraman, Wayanad Pulayan, Wayanadan Pulayan, Matha, Matha Pulayan 42. Puthirai Vannan 43. Reneyar 44. Samagara 45. Samban 46. Semman, Chemman, Chemmar 47. Thandan 48. Thotti 49. Vallon 50. Valluvan 51. Vedan 52. Vettuvan, Pulaya Vettuvan (In the areas of erstwhile Cochin States only) 53. Nerian b) Scheduled Tribe
(As amended by the Scheduled Castes and Sceduled Tribes Order (Amendment Act) 1976 and as amended by the Constitution (Sceduled castes) Orders (Second Amendment) Act, 2002 (Act 61 of 2002) vide Part VIII- Kerala- Schedule I notified in the Gazette of India, dated 18 December, 2002) and (As amended by the Scheduled Castes and Sceduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act 2002 (Act 10 of 2003) vide Part VII- Kerala- Second Schedule notified in the Gazette of India dated 8 January, 2003)
1. Adiyan 2. Aranda (Arandan) 3. Eravallan 4. Hill Pulaya(Mala Pulayan, Kurumba Pulayan, Karavazhi Pulayan, Pamba Pulayan) 5. Irular,Irulan 6. Kadar (Wayanad Kadar) 7. Kanikkaran,Kanikar 8. Karimpalan 9. Kattunayakan 10. Kochuvelan 11. Koraga 12. Kudiya,Melakudi 13. Kurichchan (Kurichiyan) 14. Kurumans (Mullu Kuruman, Mulla Kuruman, Mala Kuruman) 15. Kurumbas (Kurumbar, Kurumban) 16. Mahamalasar 17. Malai Arayan (Mala Arayan) 18. Malai Pandaran 19. Malai Vedan (Mala Vedan) 20. Malakkuravan 21. Malasar 22. Malayan, Nattu Malayan, Konga Malayan (Excluding the areas comprising the Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode Districts) 23. Mavilan 24. Malayarayar 25. Mannan (to be spelt in Malayalam script in parenthisis) 26. Muthuvan,Mudugar,Muduvan 27. Palleyan, Palliyan, Paliyar, Palliya 28. Paniyan 29. Ulladan, Ullatan 30. Uraly 31. Mala Vettuvan (in Kasaragod and Kannur Districts) 32. Ten Kurumban, Jenu Kurumban 33. Thachenadan, Thachenadan, Moopan 34. Cholanaickan 35. Malapanickar 36. Vettakuruman c) Other Backward Class
I Through out the State
1. Agasa 2. Ambalakkaran 3. Anglo Indian 4. Aremahrati 5. Arya 6. Bandari 7. Billava 8. Chakkala 9. Chavalakkaran 10. Chetties (Kottar Chetties,Parakka Chetties,Elur Chetties,Attingal Chetties,Pudukkada Chetties,Iraniel Chetties, Sri Pandara Chetties, Telugu Chetties, Udiyankulangara Chetties, Peroorkada Chetties, Sadhu Chetties, 24 Mana Chetties, Wayanadan Chetties, Kalavara Chetties and 24 Mana Telugu Chetties) 11. Devadiga 12. Devanga 13. Dheevara (Arayan,Valan, Nulayan,Mukkuvan,Arayavathi,Valinjiar,Paniakkal,Mukaya,Bovi ,Mukayar and Mukaveeran) 14. Ezhava and Thiyya 15. Ezhavathi 16. Ezhuthachan 17. Ganika 18. Gatti 19. Gowda 20. Hegde 21. Jogi 22. Kadupattan 23. Kaikolan 24. Kolasari, Kalasi Panicker 25. Kalari Kurup or Kalari Panicker 26. Viswakaramas including Asari Chaptegra, Kallassary,Kalthachan,Kammala,Kamsala, Kannan,Karuvan,Kitaran,Kollan,Malayala Kammala, Moosari,Pandikammala,Pandithattan,Perumkolllan,Thachan,Thattan, Vilkurup,Villasan,Viswabrahmanan or Viswabrahmanar and Viswakarmala 27. Kannadiyans 28. Kanisu or Kaniyar Panicker ,Kani or Kaniyan (Ganaka) or Kanisan or Kamnan 29. Kavuthiyan 30. Kavudiyaru 31. Koteyar 32. Krishnanvaka 33. Kerala Mudali 34. Kudumbis 35. Kusavan(Kulala,Kulala Nair,Andhra Nair or Anthuru Nair) 36. Kumbarans 37. Kuruba 38. Latin Catholics 39. Madivalas 40. Maravans 41. Maruthuvar 42. Muslim or Mappila 43. Nadar (Hindu) 44. Naikkans 45. Odans 46. Scheduled Castes Converted to Christianity 47. Pandithars 48. Panniyar 49. Pattariyas 50. Peruvannan (Varanavar) 51. Pulluvan 52. Rajapur 53. Chakravar,Sakravar(Kavathi) 54. Sourashtras 55. Saliya, Chaliya (Chaliyan) 56. Senai Thalavan (Elavaniar) 57. S.I.U.C 58. Thachar 59. Tholkollans 60. Vaduvans,Vadugans,Vadukkars and Vaduka (Vadukans) 61. Velaans (Velaan, Velaar) 62. Vanian (Vanika,Vanika Vaisya,Vanibha Chetty,Vaniya Chettty,Ayiravar, Nagarathar and Vaniyan) 63. Vaniar 64. Vakkaliga 65. Veerasaivas (Yogis and Yogeeswara, Poopandaram/ Malapandaram and Jangam) 66. Veluthedathu Nair (Veluthedan and Vannathan) 67. Vilakkithala Nair (Vilakithalavan)
68. Yadavas (Kolaya, Ayar, Mayar, Maniyani and Iruman)
69. Kongu Navithan, Vettuva Navithan and Aduthon
70. Moopar or Kallan Mooppan or Kallan Mooppar.
II In Malabar District
1. Boyan 2. Ganjan Reddis 3. Visanavan
III.Throughout the State except Malabar District
1.Kammara 2.Malayan 3.Malayekandi 4.Reddiars IV Throuth out the State except Kasaragod Taluk Malabar District
1.Marati
Explanation :- Malabar District shall mean the Malabar District referred to in sub-section (2) of section 5 of the State Reorganisation Act,1956.