Moothan is a socially forward class Hindu Vaishya caste from the state of Kerala. The subdivisions of this community spread across Palakkad district are widely known as Moothan, Guptan/Gupta Community. Other culturally similar communities are address under the titles Tharakan and Mannadiar.
The History of Migration
Moothan community is generally believed to be migrated to kerala from other southern states of India like Tamilnadu and Andhrapradesh. Though there are various stories floating about the community migration to Kerala, no concreate historical or recorded evidences related to the actual migration of the community is available.
Few legends related with the migration goes like this
One section of the community believes that they are the followers of the Goddess Kannaki and migrated to the Kerala region from Madurai along with her. The story of Kannaki burning Madurai and her travel to the present day Kerala region is a popular story of the southern India. Interestingly, still Goddess kannaki is worshipped as the prime deity by the community members and have a popular temple Kannaki Bhagavathi Temple at Moothanthara, Palakkad. The influence of the Kannaki is still very powerfully ongoing in the Palakkad town region as there are many temples associated with her name.
While the story of kannaki had its firm roots in the palakkad moothan community, their counterparts from the valluvanad regions of Palakkad had a different story associated to them. They also believe that they are migrated from the Cholamandalam regions ( Mandalam (Circle)) of the present day Tamilnadu (Tanjore, Chennai) or from some regions of Andhrapradesh.
Story in short goes like this, that the king being from a lower community wished to marry the daughter of an influential official of his court, who hailed from the much higher social status had denied this, as social caste system didn't allowed it or may be for some other valid reasons to avoid this marriage. Perhaps this created a major rupture in the ties with the king and eventually their influence enjoyed under the king. Major after effects of this critical situation might had forced the entire community migrated entirely to a safer place to get away from the wrath of the king and save the community from destruction.
Another reason could be the decline of the legendary Cholas around 13-14 AD to Pandyas. The change in the political situations, professional and socio-cultural changes might have also caused a mass migration of the community members.
Various other reasons could be like natural calamities like flood, drought, or any unfavorable social situations, troubles or civil calamities like religious or caste related calamities that had happened in the original dwelling grounds that affected the peaceful social life or the sustaining of the living standards of life and so on.
"Astonishingly, no cultural or social relationship ties or later exchanges were observed or found in the other southern states related to the mass migration facts of the Moothan community. It was more like a complete migration from one place to another, leaving no traces of the past for some valid reasons and settling in a peaceful, fertile new found land with a new social identity. This is one of the rarest and interesting fact in the social scenes of mass community migration which has gone unnoticed or reported in the social history. "
"Perhaps, time has routed them safely to a land of paddy fields and palm trees called Palakkad" - Palakkad being their main area of settlement, here, they are welcomed with due respect and dignity being the only Vaishyas available from the Hindu systems in the circles of kerala. Eventually, they bought agricultural land from the kings of Palakkad and Calicut, worked as their zamindars, supervisors or karyastars. They had their regional social titles and social privilege's, had enjoyed the dignified social positions in the society with their discipline, brilliance, trustworthiness, innate skill and hard working nature.
Culture
Interestingly, this is the only migrated community that has totally merged and adopted the Kerala culture to their core when compared to the other migrated communities of Kerala. Moothan community had accepted their language as Malayalam and merged with the culture of Kerala in majority of their social aspects while other migrated communities continued to follow Tamil as their mother tongue and followed their own customs and traditions in Kerala. In cultural aspects, community adopted majority of Kerala rituals while retained some of the best features that was carried down from their otherwise obscure past. Their adaptability and merging with the Kerala culture while retaining their own specialties made them very unique, diversified and standout from the rest of the communities.
As per the available recorded history, they are found settled in the Palakkad district of Kerala from the 14-15 AD during the reign of the zamorins (samoothiris) and from their associations with the Palakkad Raja Vamsham for their professional and business reasons.
Over centuries, Moothans and its various sub groups emerged as the strongest, unique culturally and professionally contributing Hindu community of the Palakkad district of Kerala.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More information on Moothan and its similar community groups
Malayalam Traces - Moothon – “The Elder One”, “The First One” - Moothan
Probable Tamil traces ( As they are believed to be migrated from Tamilnadu, Andhrapradesh -
The Moothan identifier - (Moothor, Moothorkal, Muthalvan – Means “The First One” – Moothar- Moothan)
Guptan/Gupta
It is a well known fact that Gupta is a general business community title connected with Vaishyas of India. The Guptan (Gupta) title worked as an identifier that distinguished moothans of valluvanadu region in its uniqueness from other social groups.
It has to be noted that old land documents of Guptan's and their names are titled and recorded as Moothans. In olden days, it is a general say in palakkad that those who live in palakkad town are called palakkad moothans and for those who settled towards the west (Katampazhipuram) regions in general are called Padinjaattu moothans ( Moothans of the west).
The transition of moothans into guptans can be related to the cultural merging towards the locality, occupational and geographical differences once existed between its communities.
(Eg. It is a general practice seen from the history of Kerala that awarded or socially acquired titles were later carried forward as a caste identifier by the successive generations eg. Amsam Adikaari, Kannaku pillai into pillai caste, Nairs honored with title Menavan and Menon emerged into Menon caste, Few non-nairs are also addressed with the title Menon, Panicker, Pillai based on the professions practiced. )
Mannadiar
Malayalam – Mannu – represents the earth” udayars – means the owners - The land Lords.
(Few Nair families also use the title Mannadiars and they have annexed the identifier as Mannadi Nairs. )
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 ( Mannattappan & Aandar)
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.
More references with the usage of the title Andaars
The hereditary trustee members of Vayilliam Kunnu Bagawathy Temple are recorded as from the below Tharavads.
1. MaanikaAndathu 2. AriyaAndathu 3. NambiyAndathu 4. KoothaAndathu
5. Ambalaathu and 6. Palappathu (Tharakans) (Thiruvazhiyode Region).
The blending of the title "Aandar," with the tharavad names are evident from the tharavadu names of katampazhipuram region.
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,paarassery, vadassery, 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
Occupation
Palakkad Town & Koduvayur Region
Modern markets throws open stiff and tough competitions. Moothans, still pockets 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 are traveling back 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. 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.
Modern day brings a climate turmoil, fresh challenges and fresh opportunities ahead in the path of moothans, who followed the traditional local rules of business. In the new business atmosphere they are pushing themselves to meet the challenges to survive , grow and betterment. It is a proud feeling that majority of them are highly educated and find themselves placed in the
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 assets of guptan (gupta) community that carried forward strongly from the past. They are wellknown in the areas of art, cultural activities even many are well versed in the language of Sanskrit and astrology. 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
Research, Collection and Compilation : by Gopakumar Radhakrishnan