OF MALABAR. 



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account of the same story is thus given in the Keralotpatti : 

 " The ceremony of changing the top-knot or Kuduma took 

 place at Grokarnam before the Brahmans were brought to 

 Malabar a second time. The object of Parasurama in 

 changing the Kuduma was to prevent these Brahmins from 

 returning to their native country. It was considered by the 

 inhabitants of Paradesa a disgraceful thing to change the 

 top-knot, and so these people fearing the ridicule which they 

 would be subjected to, never went back. Parasurama now 

 conciliated the serpents, ordered the Brahmins to consider 

 them as deities and offer them Pujas." 8 



After having thus peopled the country Parasurama gave it 

 to the Brahmins to be kept exclusively for the support of 

 temples and other religious establishments. To this very 

 day Malabar is distinguished as the Karma-Bhumi or the 

 land of good works for the expiation of sin. 



These Brahmins were to be henceforward known as Num- 

 buthiris. Besides this change Parasurama introduced new 

 laws and regulations, new manners and customs. These last 

 mentioned Acharas are called Andchdrds; for these Achdrds are 

 not found to exist among any other nation or people. 



Among the many new rules introduced now there was one 

 which said that only the eldest male member of a Namburi 

 family should marry. On account of this rule it was found 

 necessary to provide the others with partners. For this 

 purpose Parasurama brought from Svarga (Heaven) females 

 of three classes to Malabar — (1) Deva Stris, (2) Grandharva 

 Stris, and (3) Eakshasa Stris. 



For the government of the land Parasurama appointed 

 certain Brahmins as rulers. This system was called Alicha- 



(8) I think this accounts for the fact of having a Sarpakkavu (a place 

 filled with trees for the serpents to live in) in every compound in Malabar. 

 In certain seasons of the year pujas are done in these places. If these pujas 

 are neglected the belief is that the serpents will get angry and thus cause 

 trouble to the family. 



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