Ilayathu are also known as Elayadu. Female members of the community are known as Kunjamma or Ilayamma.  They consider themselves as Brahmins.  They are the priests to Nairs during the death rites are performed.  According to a tale, one of the members of the family of Azhvancheri Thambrakkal promised to act as the priest on the occasion of his nair servant’s mother’s death anniversary while they were on tour.  While the new known to his family, the Azhvanchery Thambrakkal expelled him from the family. He was the ancestor of Ilayathu community. The community is seen in almost all districts of Kerala.  They speak Malayalam.  They are divided into gotras. In the past, Ilayathu of Cochin is divided into two groups viz., Onnamparisha and Randamparisha. Like Namboodiris, only the eldest son of Ilayathu marries within the community and others had Sambandham from other communities like Nair and Ambalavasis. However, this practice was given up long ago. Traditionally, they are the priests to the Nairs at their funeral rites.  Agriculture is another sources of their income. They follow Hinduism.

They follow almost all life-cycle rituals as that of Namboodiris.  Ilayathu also follows all the Shodashacharangal (life cycle rituals) of Namboodiries.  They observe Pumsavanam and Seemantham during the period of pregnancy. Birth pollution lasts for ten days.  Jathakarma ceremony is held within 36 hours of birth. Namakaranam is held on the 12th day. Annaprasanam is performed in the sixth month after birth of a child.  Upnayanam is performed after the fourth year, but before 16 year of age. Vayasariyakkal (puberty rite) is celebrated when a girl attains puberty.  Marriage (veli) is held at the bride’s residence. In the past it was celebrated for four days. On reaching the bride’s residence, the bridegroom is seated in a specially made platform (mandapam) and girl’s father performs nandimukham and punyaham poojas.  Then the bride sits by the side of her father and he ties the thali on her neck.  Then he leads her to the side of bridegroom and puts flower, rice and paddy in her hands and pours water to the hands of the couple. The couple then walks around the homakund (sacred fire pit) holding their hands together and the bridegroom holds the right leg of the girl and presses her foot against the grinding store place on the side of fire. Then they take malar (fried paddy) and throw it into the fire. This is repeated for three times.  Then the bride is taken to bridegroom’s residence. Ilayathu cremates their dead. The sanchayanam is performed on the fourth day. Death pollution is observed for 10 days.  On the 11th day, udakakriya (funeral ceremonies) end with bali.

IRUPATHINALU MANA TELUGU CHETTY

Irupathinalu Mana Telugu Chetty are also known as Telugu Chetty and Chettiyar. They were migrated to Kerala many years ago.  Telugu is their language and Chetty is the community’s name. They are residing in Wayanad, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Thrissur and Kottayam districts.  Their language is Telugu. They are categorised under Other Backward Classes. They have two social divisions – one with 16 gotras and the other with eight. They belong to Hindu religion.  They have their own Mariamman temple and Mariamman temple festival is celebrated in a grand manner.  Men perform Karakattam, a unique dance form carrying pots with flowers on head, during temple festivals. They observe pre delivery ritual in the seventh or ninth month of pregnancy. Birth pollution is for 11 days.  Noolukettu is held on th 28th day of birth. Choroonu and naming ceremonies are performed in the sixth month. Puberty rites are performed when girl attains first menstruation known as therendukalyanam. Marriage is performed at the bride’s house. Marriage rituals are simple.  The bridegroom ties thali around the neck of the girl. Thali and toe-rings are the signs of marriage. They bury the dead.  Death pollution lasts for 11 days.

Izhava/Illava/Ezhava are also known as Thiyya in Malabar area. The word Izhava or Ezhava means one who belongs to Ezhathunadu or Izham, one of the ancient names of Sri Lanka (erstwhile Ceylon).  Thiyya is the distort name of Dweepan which means one who belongs to a dweep (island).  They are also known as Chovan, which originated from the word Sevakan (means servant).  Many anthropologists are of opinion that they are migrants from Ezhathunadu.  Some of them quoted stories telling that their origin was from Lord Siva.  Toddy tapping and coconut cultivation were the monopoly of this community, according to almost all stories or legends. The community is comprised of many groups and later comprised of two major divisions termed Izhava and Thiyya. Izhava spread throughout Kerala and contribute a major proportion in population. Malayalam is their mother tongue.  They are categorised under Other Backward Classes by the Government. Izhavas are mainly located in the earstwhile Travancore-Cochin area

while Thiya in the erstwhile Malabar. The Izhava are again subdivided such as Kollakkar or Channar Izhava (coconut cultivators and agriculturists), Malayalam Izhava (those who belong to Kerala from the beginning itself), Pandi Izhava (migrants from Tamil Nadu), Nadi Izhava (toddy tapper), Pachili Izhava (those who married from fishermen community), and Puzhakkar Izhava (menial servants of Malayalam Izhava).  Channar Izhava claims superiority over other subdivisions.  The Thiyya sub divisions are: Thiyya, Vaisya Thiyya, and Koduval Thiyya.  The Thiyya who are at the top are agriculturists. The Vaisya Thiyya are those engaged in business.   The Kodula Thiyaa are coconut puckers and toddy tappers.   Izhavas termed their lineage as Kudumbam or Tharavad while the Thiyya termed as Kuttam, Kulam or Illom.  In the social ladder Izhavas/Thiyyas placed themselves below the Nair community. Traditionally they were the tenants who engaged in coconut cultivation and toddy tapping.  They were also engaged in coir manufacturing. After the Land Reform Act, many became landowners. Now Izhava / Thiyya can be seen in almost all professions and different walk of life. In the erstwhile Travancore there were many famous traditional physicians belonging to the community. The Izhava / Thiyya had great masters of Kalarippayattu, the famous martial art of Kerala, right from ancient times.Izhava / Thiyya follow Hinduism. Bhadrakali is their deity. Kodungallur Bhadrakali temple, Sabarimala Sastha temple, Parassanikkadavu Muthappan temple are some of the important temples of the community.  In north Malabar, they have the role of kavutheendal, a ritual starting the festivals of temples and sacred groves.  Previously there exist caste councils.  Consequent on the formation of SNDP Yogam (Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam) in 1904, it became an All-Kerala association for the community. It was Sree Narayana Guru, a saint and social reformer who undertook the efforts to unify different groups of the community and formed the SNDP Yogam and all Izhava / Thiyya accepted the Guru’s doctrine “One caste, one religion and one god for all humans”. In the past, pre-puberty marriage (thalikettu kalyanam - a mock marriage) was one of the unavoidable rituals among the Izhavas.  The machunan (cross cousin) ties thali around the neck of the girl before she attains puberty.  At the time of real marriage the bridegroom chosen by the girl or her parents ties the thali. Thalikettu kalyananam was given up long ago and now marriages are held after attaining adulthood. On the day of the marriage, the bride has to offer prayers to the God Soorya (Sun) at the early morning.   They followed both patrilineal and matrilineal (joint family) systems. Conflicts and confrontation on property matters make way to the disintegration of joint family system. Now nuclear families exist. In the past they observed pre-delivery ritual known as pulikudy. Another pre-delivery rite that they follow is vayattu ponkala or vayaru kanal in which the relatives visit the pregnant woman with sweets and feed her. Next day she is taken back to her mother’s home for delivery. Birth pollution continues for 28 days. Naming of child and waistband tying ceremony (irupathyettu kettu) are also held on that day.  Choroonu is held at the sixth month of the newborn baby.  Thiyya called this rite as Palukudy. They observe puberty ceremony. Until recently, marriage customs were different from place to place.  Consequent on the formation of SNDP Yogam, a unified marriage rule was prescribed and now everywhere they follow these rules.  Tying thali, exchange of rings and garlands are the rituals of the marriage ceremony. After the bride went to bridegroom’s house, there is a function called adukkala kanal when the parents of bride visit her. Izhava / Thiyya follow both burial and cremation of the dead.  Cremation is also done in two types.  One method using mango firewood and the other using cow dung cakes and coconut shells. Sanchayanam is held on 5th or 7th day of death. Pollution (pula) continues for 15 days and on 16th day kuli is performed to remove pollution. The Thiyya of Malabar make an idol of the dead with rice and bury in sea or river.

Izhavathy is known in general as Vathy, which means one who cuts hairs and shaves. The name Izhavathy originated with their relation with Izhava community.  It is believed that they are the descendants of one of the Simhala diplomats who had relation with a woman belonging to barber community. They are located in the southern districts of Kerala from Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam. In Kerala, they are classified under Other Backward Classes. They follow Hinduism.  Izavathy are the priests who perform after death rituals. Traditionally, they are engaged in the depilatory operation and both men and women are efficient in the field. Men serve adult males and women serve the females and children.

They observe pre-delivery ritual known as vayarukanal during seventh month of pregnancy. Birth pollution continues for 11 days.  On the 28th day irupathietuukettu rite and naming ceremony are performed. They also celebrate puberty ceremony (therandukalyanam / therandukuli). Marriage is performed athe bride’s residence or at public auditoriums. Before marriage, betrothal (nichayam) is held.  On the marriage day the bridegroom is welcomed by the bride’s party and followed the thali tying ceremony. With the exchange of garlands, marriage functions are over. They cremate or bury their dead. Death pollution is observed for 16 days. On the 16th day close relatives take pacificator bath to end the pollution.