About
Moothan
Moothans,
the Vaishyas (Third in the chaste hierarchy of Brahman, Kshetriya,
Vaishya, Sudra), very unique in their practising customs and one of the
widely distributed community of palakkad district of kerala state.
Moothans
are Socially Forward Class and popularly known in Palakkad under
caste names like Moothan ( The Base Caste ) and Sub caste like Guptan
and similar castes like Mannadiar and Tharakan.
NAME
MEANINGS
Moothan
-
Malayalam
Traces - Moothon – “The Elder One”, “The First One” - Moothan
-
Tamil
Traces - Moothor,Moothorkal, Muthalvan – Means
“The First One” – Moothar- Moothan
Guptan
-
Acquired
Social Title later addressed as caste(Guptan,Gupta) (Eg. Amsam
Adikaari,Kannaku pillai, Menavan, Menon, paniker is an Acquired Title based on
profession later addressed as caste. )
Mannadiar
Tharakan
-
Tharakan -
Tharaku (a term for giving orders -generally used by Kings of Kerala) In
our case it is placing or acquiring a business order - Generally those
who conduct tharaku business(trading) is later addressed as
Tharakans(Hindu)
-
-
Few Christian
families were also found to be using this titles in the other districts
of kerala. Many articles related with this points that this title is
given as a reward by the then kings to those who conducted good and
fair business...
- Bestowed
titles or other honorifics (titles bestowed by kings, rajas, nawabs and
other nobles before the British Raj (Wali, Rai, Rao, Tharakan,
Panicker, Vallikappen, Moocken, etc.)
- Please refer link http://wapedia.mobi/en/Family_name?t=4.7.
Social Status - Forward Caste
Social
Titles
The
Mannadiar title is also used by Moothans of palakkad and Koduvayoor . To
address tharakans also the mannadiar title is used. In palakkad,
moothans
are respectably called Mannattappan, Aandaar for males ,Mannattamma,
Andaramma for females.
The usage of the Title Aandar is a mute
pointer and relationship of moothans communities deep rooted faith
towards Lord Muruga (called Aandavan, Aandar). Moothans kavadi
pooja is the one of the unique festival celebrated in palakkad
connected with Lord Muruga.
House - Mannattu
"MANNATTU" is the
name generally used for calling houses of Moothans just like "ILLAMS"
and "MANAS" of Nampoothiris.
The Kethappa
Mannatil tharavad of Koduvayoor is one of such example" where kethappa
is the tharavad name and Mannatil is the representation of House.
MANNAPATTIL,MANNATHAMKULANGARA, MANNATTIL, MANNAZHYIL were few other
tharavads that refer to this style of house name usage directly or
indirectly.
Mother
Tongue - Malayalam.
Basic
Settlements
Basic
settlements as family groups and tharavads are spread
across in the areas like Moothanthara – palakkad – kavilpad - olavakkode
town circle,kalpathy,nelliserry,pallipuram,noorani agraharams,
koduvayoor,mannathukavu, ethanoor,thenkurissi, kongad,pulapatta,
katampazhipuram,alangad, punchapadam,mannampatta, mangalamkunnu,
sreekrishnapuram, thiruvayzhiyode,vellinezhy, maangod, chethaloor,
mannarkkad and very few families were found to be settled in
Vyanad District
Modern Settlements
Indian States, Arabian Countries and far east and
European Countries
Moothan Majority Areas
-
Palakkad , Moothanthara,
chakkanthara,vadakkanthara circle and agraharams,
thamarakulam,Jainmedu, kavilpad, kalpathy,nelliserry,pallipuram,noorani
agraharams,
koduvayoor,mannathukavu, ethanoor,thenkurissi, kongad and
so on
Guptan
Majority Areas of palakkad
Pulapatta,
katampazhipuram,alangad,
punchapadam,mannampatta, mangalamkunnu, sreekrishnapuram,
thiruvayzhiyode,vellinezhy, maangod, chethaloor, mannarkkad and very few
families were found to be settled in Vyanad District
Tharakan
Majority Areas of palakkad
Palakkad Town,
Akathethara, Kollengode,Karipode,Nenmaara, Thiruvazhiyode,Mangod
Mannadiar Majority Areas of Palakkad
Pallasena,
Kollengode, Koduvayur, Chittoor
Occupation
Palakkad Town & Koduvayoor Region
Modern
markets throws open stiff and tough competitions. Moothans, still pocket
the majority of business avenues spanning from vegetable– groceries -
clothes– other hardwares-computers - traditional gold and silver jewelry
shops, finance and trading business.
Palakkad
vegetable market at valiya angadi, melamuri is one of the major
attractions of moothan’s business circle. They also run many small scale
industry units that produce food items and snacks. The very famous
snacks varieties like palakkad bananna chips, jackfruit chips and
Sweetened Banana chips are those tasty and nostalgic items that all
palakkad peoples always carry as gift, to their friends and relatives
spread across nation, while they move back away from their home town.
Peoples of other states are well fond of these special items and a good
part of it is exported.
Moothan’s
business profession is transmitted in the form of inheritance and it is
carried out in a well socially knitted pattern. This is one of the
reasons for their success in the business arena. Needless to say,
changes in the business scenarios has really challenged the traditional
localized business setups of moothan’s. Educating the children to its
highest level is the modern trend of the society. It is a very
heartening sign that every year more and more professionals are born out
from the community. Few were taking up the task of finding out new
business setups or the revival of the existing ones. Rest of them is
migrating to the areas of profession, widely traveling in India and far
abroad. Even today few sticks to their traditional business with passion
and pride – “The Vaishya pride”
Modern day
bring the period of turmoil and fresh challenges ahead in the path of
moothan, as a Vaishya, who follow the traditional local rules of
business. Most of them are pushing themselves to meet the challenges to
survive and betterment. It is a proud feeling that majority are
capturing back their lost glamour in many modern employed professions.
Occupation
Palakkad
– valluvanad Region
When it
comes to land and agriculture Guptans of Valluvanad region
bags the most. From the historical times guptans are well known for
their passion in Agricultural. Their product range includes vegetables -
majority of rice cultivation, coconut, plantain, cattle farming ,
rubber plantations, pepper and so on.
Education is one the
strongest assest of guptan(gupta) community that carried
forward strongly from the past. From olden days well know in the areas
of art, culture and even many are well versed in the language of
Sanskrit. Guptans prefer the employed profession when compared to
moothans of palakkad and koduvayur who mostly favor business as their
profession. Majority of Guptans are employed in major govt. and private
sectors. Community has a wide list of well known Doctors , Engineers
,Software professionals, Technicians, MBA ‘s, Teachers professors
and so on
Propagation of
agricultural and its support from government remain in papers as far as
entire kerala is concerned. This is the reason why acres of guptan paddy
fields are now lying barren and uncultivated. New generation are least
interested in agriculture since social setups of kerala is fast
changing. It is now a well known fact that lack of workmen to work in
the paddy fields and high labor rates has almost killed the kerala
agricultural sectors through out the state. It has to be noted here with
proud, that this social trend has never pushed the guptan community
down, rather more and more peoples are continuously moving into better
education and employment avenues in India and abroad
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for more updated information
Moothan.Com