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Ambalavasi
Group of Hindu castes in Kerala, India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ambalavasi, more properly Ampalavasi, (IAST: Ampalavāsi; lit. 'temple-dwelling') is the generic name for a group of castes among Hindus in Kerala, India, who have traditionally rendered temple services.[1]
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Castes
The Ambalavasis are broadly divided into two groups, being those who wear the sacred thread and those who do not.
Sacred thread wearers
Pushpakan
- Pushpaka (Pushpakan Unni)[1]
- Theeyatt Unni[citation needed]
- Puppalli[citation needed]
- Plappalli (Pilappalli)[citation needed]
- Nambidi[citation needed]
- Nambeesan[citation needed]
Threadless Ambalavasis
Others
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Temple services
Though all Ampalavāsis have to do service in temples, they have sufficiently distinct functions to perform. Pushpakans and Nambeesans are teachers in the Pathasalas or Mutts and suppliers of flowers to temple.[1] Chakyar stages dramas called Kooth and Koodiyattam.[4] Marars are temple musicians. Variar and Poduval performed managerial and executive functions of temple committees and served as storekeepers and watchmen.[5]
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Social status
Their ritual rank in Hinduism lies between that of a Brahmin and Nair.[6][7][8][9] Ambalavasis who wear the sacred thread are Brahmins, while others, the ones who do not wear the thread, are not considered Brahmins in temple rituals. Ambalavasis were known as Antharala Jathikal.
Kazhakams
Kazhakams or Ambalakkazhakams refer to associations of Ambalavasi peoples in a temple to perform specific duties in the temple.[10]
Temple arts
Sri. Chendamangalam Unnikrishna Maarar in action - In the middle.
Traditionally, Ambalavasis are associated with various types of temple arts. Earlier, each of these temple arts were performed only by specific Ambalavasi castes. Now there is no community or caste barrier.[citation needed]
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References
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