Thandan
Encyclopedia
Thandan was the surname used by the Ezhava
Ezhava
The Ezhavas are a community with origins in the region presently known as Kerala. They are also known as Ilhava, Irava, Izhava and Erava in the south of the region; as Chovas, Chokons and Chogons in Central Travancore; and as Tiyyas, Thiyas and Theeyas in Malabar...

 caste in north Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

 mainly in Calicut, Malappuram
Malappuram
Malappuram is a municipality in the South Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 33.61 km2. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. As per the 2011 census Malappuram urban agglomeration is the fourth largest UA in kerala with a total population of...

, Trichur and Palghat districts. In Kannur
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...

, Thandiyar or Thandar was being used by the same community. Thandar was the surname used by this caste in Thiru-Kochi area, especially in Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...

, Kochi and Trichur and neighbouring areas.

Late Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...

 (CPI (M)) leader Susheela Gopalan
Susheela Gopalan
Susheela Gopalan was an Indian Communist leader and one of the founding members of the Communist Party of India...

 born as the youngest daughter of Thrissur
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...

 Pazhavil Kannolil Veettil Velukkutty Thandar and Muhamma
Muhamma
Muhamma is a census town in Cherthala Taluk in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala.It is home to the famous Cheerappanchira kalari, where Ayyappan had his training in the martial arts; the Communist Party of India leader, Mrs. Susheela Gopalan Muhamma is a census town in Cherthala...

 Cheerappanchira
Cheerappanchira
Cheerappanchira is an Ezhava tharavadu renowned for its Kalari in Muhamma, Alappuzha District. Cheerappanchira family, Mukkal Vettom Ayyappa Temple of the family and their Kalari, are as old as the mythology of Lord Ayyappan and his abode at Sabarimala. It is believed that Ayyappan was trained in...

yil Madhaviyamma channaatti. MLA of Thiru-Kochi Legislative assembly 1951, Karunakara Thandar, was political leader from Ezhava caste. So was the case of N. Prabhakara Thandar from Sherthalai who was MLA of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

 state from 1967 to 1970. Both the surnames were not used by the Thandan or thandar caste.

Ilaneerveppu at Kottiyur Shiva Temple

An important pilgrim centre of north Kerala, the Kottiyur Temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...

 dedicated to Lord
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...

 Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

 is often describe as the ‘Varanasi of the South’. The ritual Ilaneerveppu is an important part of the visakha festival and witnesses a surge of devotees. It is the responsibility of the thandiyar section of the thiyya community to bring coconuts for performing this ritual. The thiyya community members who bring coconuts take a month long Noyamb before start of the festival.

Parappuparambil Thandan

Sree Parappukavu Bhagavathy Temple is situated in Parappukavu Desam of Eranellur
Eranellur
Eranellur is a village in Thrissur district in the state of Kerala, India.-Demographics: India census, Eranellur had a population of 9103 with 4395 males and 4708 females....

 Village, Kechery, Thrissur
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...

 District. The famous Pooram
Pooram
Pooram is an annual temple festival held in central Kerala after the summer harvest. Most pooram festivals have at least one ornately decorated elephant being paraded in the procession taken out of the temple precincts...

 of this temple is celebrated every year in Meenam as a local festival.In ancient times, near the river Karuvannur in Irinjalakkuda, a famous and very pious Ezhava Thandan worshipped Devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...

 Bhagavathy for a very long time. The king at that time has given him a Kalari
Kalari
The word Kalari means battle ground in Tamil and translates as "threshing floor" or "battlefield" in Malayalam. Training for Kalarippayattu, a martial art of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is traditionally done inside the Kalari....

 and a place of worship with due respect. He is respectfully called Muthappan as he protected that place as his own Thattakam. From Karuvannur as per the invitation of the local ruler, Sri Muthappan reached Parappukavu. The real Devi Bhagavathy was pleased with the piousness of Muthappan and came here under his umbrella’s shelter worshipped with earnest belief in Kaali Devi and established a Kalari Sangham. Thus he became Parappuparambil Thandan.

Thandan Caste is different from Thandan of Thiyya or Ezhava caste

They are coconut and Palmyra tree climbers from south/central Kerala and considered Scheduled caste by the Government of Kerala. The anthropological studies conducted by the Kerala Institute of Research, Training and Development Studies (KIRTADS), revealed that majority of them were Kudikidappukar (tenants) in the past. They form a class of landless and were once labourers attached to the landed gentry. Tree climbing and coconut plucking are their traditional occupation. Their women folk engage in coconut palm leaf platting, rope making and also work as agricultural labourer. However in some places in calicut, Ezhava/thiyya community performs these responsibilities of a thandan, if the temple is owned the community and a thandan caste member is not present in the area. Thandan Caste is mainly concentrated in Travancore districts.

Thandan (OBC) and Ezhava

The Thandan (OBC) were coconut tree climbers and landworkers only whereas the Ezhavas belong to 'OBC' category (Other Backward Castes) prepared toddy (an alcoholic drink much like wine from coconut sap), the ezhava or the thiyya(as referred to those of the north districts) as is stated in the "Kerala Entrance Exam Catalouge" and also it clearly states that using the name thandan(by thiyya/ezhava) to obtain the reservation in exams or other such benefits laid down by the constitution to be benefited by the Thandan (OBC) is a criminal offence.
Thandan caste is derived from the new version of Ezhavas. Thandan caste will asosiated on Kerala Thandan Mahasabha Head Office of Oachira.All kerala thandan assosiation is Duplicate registration of Thandan Mahasabha.

Shastam Pattu

This is cultural artform of Thandan (SC) in which they sing songs praising Lord Ayyappa of Sabarimala at temples and the whole thing lasts for a week or so.

Thattikoothu

This is a folk dance presented by the members of Thandan (Ezhava-OBC) caste during pooram
Pooram
Pooram is an annual temple festival held in central Kerala after the summer harvest. Most pooram festivals have at least one ornately decorated elephant being paraded in the procession taken out of the temple precincts...

 festival in Thrissur
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...

.

Achaarakallyanam (Betrothal)

Achaarakallyanam is the betrothal marriage of Thandan community. The relatives of bridegroom visit the bride’s residence for fixing the auspicious date and time of marriage is the function.

See also

  • Channar
    Channar
    Channar or Channan was a surname used in Kerala till early 20th century. It was used by members of the Ezhava community and concentrated around Kollam and Allappuzha Districts.Tharisapalli plates issued by the king Ayyanadikal Thiruvadikal of Ay kingdom at 849 AD promised Mar Sapir Iso the Persian...

    : An Ezhava warrior sect from kerala
  • Chekavar
    Chekavar
    The Chekavar are a caste with origins in southern India, including Sri Lanka, Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu...

    : Another Ezhava warrior sect from kerala
  • Kuruppanmar: An Ezhava sect from kerala associated with Bhadrakali
    Bhadrakali
    Bhadrakāli , is one of the forms of the Great Goddess mentioned in the Devi Mahatmyam. In Sanskrit, the word Bhadra means "blessed", "auspicious", "fair", "beautiful", "good", "fortunate", "prosperous"....

     temples
  • Vaidyar
    Vaidyar
    Vaidyar or Vaidyan in Malayalam means physician, who used ayurvedic medicines. They are mostly ayurvedic physicians by profession which was also hereditary...

    : Surname used by kerala communities mainly ezhava caste
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