Swaroopathil Nair

Swaroopathil Nairs were one of the high ranking subcastes belonging to the Nair community in Kerala. This subcaste is found only in Travancore, where they are mostly warriors, major military castes of kerala, also involved in administrative duties in the Travancore Kingdom.^[1]

In Malabar, two related subcastes, Akathu Charna Nairs and Purathu Charna Nairs are treated as equivalent to Swaroopathil Nairs in caste hierarchy, they are popularly known as Charna Nairs. They were known by different subgroups, including Parisha Menon (Akathu-Charna Menon), Akathu-Charna Nair, Purathu-Charna Nair, and Pattola Menon (scribes), Menoky, etc.^[2][3] Charna Nairs constitute the largest Nair population in the Malabar. They were mostly engaged in administrative duties in Malabar, and also a section of them were landlords.^[3][1][4][5] The Menon surname is also associated with other Nair subcastes, such as the Kiriyathil Nair.^[6]

See also

• Illathu Nair
• Demographics of Nair community
• Kiryathil Nair
• Nair Brigade
• Nayanar (Nair subcaste)
• Menon (title)