Samantan (meaning "equal to" or "deemed to be"), was a generic term applied to dignify a group of sub-clans among the ruling elites and feudal lords of the Nair community in Kerala.[1]
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Kerala | |
| Languages | |
| Malayalam , Sanskrit | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Illathu Nairs, Kiryathil Nairs, Nambiar, Eradi, Swaroopathil Nair |
Robin Jeffrey, an anthropologist, described the Samantans as, "A matrilineal caste ranking between Nayars and Kshatriyas" [2]
References edit
- ^ Mencher, Joan (1963). "The Nayars of South Malabar". Cornell University Press.
- ^ Jeffrey, Robin (1976). The Decline of Nayar Dominance: Society and Politics in Travancore, 1847–1908. Sussex University Press. ISBN 0-85621-054-4.