344 THE NAIRS. Chap. XXI. 



foojah or worship for the other Hindus, but never enter the 

 public service. 



The most important portion of the population is included 

 in the eleven classes of Nairs,^ a face of pure Sudra caste. 

 They pretend to be bom soldiers, and formed the armies 

 of tlie Zamorin and Cochin Rajahs, the lower castes not 

 being allowed to bear arms. The Nairs now hold most of 

 the land in I\[alabar, and are frequently very rich. Both 

 the Zamorin of Cahcut and the Rajah of Cochin are Nairs ; 

 and the origin of their rule is said to have been as follows. 

 About a thousand years ago, a Viceroy of the Sholum Rajah 

 ruled over Malabar, named Cheruman Permal, who made 

 himself independent, and divided the country among his 

 nobles, of whom five were of the Kshatri caste, and seven 

 were Nairs. After the division it Avas found that one of his 

 bravest officers, the ancestor ofthe present Zamorin or Tamori 

 Rajah, had been left out ; Cheruman Permal, therefore, 

 gave him his sword, and all the territory in which a cock 

 crowing at a certain small temple could be heard. Hence 

 Calicut, from Colicodu, a cock-crowing.^ Down to the time 

 of Tijjpoo tlie whole of Malabar was governed by the de- 

 scendants of the sisters of these thirteen Nair chiefs. The 

 Zamorin of Calicut has some influence, though he is much 

 reduced in wealth and importance since the days of Vasco 

 de Gam a. 



Tlie Nairs live under the remarkable institution called 

 murroo-muka-tayum. Sisters never leave their homes, but 



' These 1 1 classes are : — 1. TlieJCt- cutras, or barbers. 8. The Wallate- 



riim Nairs, who are agriculturists, 

 flerk>s, and accountants, and do the 

 cooking on all puljlic occasions, a sure 



ratas, or washermen. 9. The Tunars, 

 or tailors. 10. The Ajidoras, or pot- 

 inakers. 11. The Taragons, or weav- 



sign of transcendent rank. 2. The j ers, who are very low in the scale, 

 Sudra Nairs. 3. The Charnadus. 4. for even a potter must purify himself 

 The ViUinms, wlio are palkee-bearers , if he chances to touch a weaver. — 

 to Namburis and Kajahs. 5. The Wat- j Buchanan, ii. p. 408. 

 tacotdx, (ir oil-makers. H. The Atfi- - Buchanan. 

 'W(/r7(/s, or cultivators. 7. Tlie Wtdhi- 



