Ambalavasi
Ambalavasi is a generic name for a group of castes among Hindus in Kerala, India, who render temple services. Some Ambalavasi castes are patrilineal, while the others are matrilineal. Those that practise matrilineality share many cultural similarities with the Nair caste. Their ritual rank in Hinduism lies somewhere between the Brahmin castes and the Nairs.
Castes
The Ambalavasis are broadly divided into two groups, being those who wear the sacred thread and those who do not.Sacred thread wearers
Pushpaka Brahmins
- Pushpaka, who bring flowers to the temples
- Theeyatt Unni
- Nambeesan
- Kurukkal
- Puppalli
- Nambidi
Others
- Chakyar, who stages dramas called Kooth and Koodiyattam
- Nambiar
Threadless Ambalavasis
- Pisharody
- Marar, who act as temple musicians
- Warrier
- Poduval, who works as temple watchman
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. Chakyar stages drama. Marar serves as temple musician. Variar and Poduval did managerial and executive functions of temple committees and served as storekeepersKazhakams
Kazhakams or Ambalakkazhakams refer to associations of ambalavasi peoples in a temple to perform specific duties in the temple.Temple arts
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.| Temple Art | Associated Ambalavasi castes |
| Koodiyattam | Chakyar, Pushpakan Unni |
| Kooth | Chakyar, Nangyar |
| Certain roles of Krishnanattam | Nambeesan or Pushpaka Unni |
| Mizhavu | Nambiar |
| Kuzhithalam | Nangyar |
| Thullal | Nambiar |
| Theeyattu | Theeyatt Unni, Thiyyadi Nambiar |
| Pathakam | Nambiar |
| Vadyams like Chenda, Idakka, Udukku etc. | Marar |
| Panchavadyam | Marar |
| Sopanasangeetham | Marar, Pothuval |
| Brahmanippattu | Brahmani |
Temple types
They lived in villages either where the land was owned solely by one Nambudiri Brahmin family or where the land was owned by a temple, the running of which was in the control of a group of Nambudiri families. The latter villages were called sanketams.The temples in which they worked comprised four basic types:
- Those in sanketams were large and were dedicated to deities which were worshipped throughout India, such as Shiva and Vishnu.
- Private temples, owned by Nambudiri families, which were the smaller versions of those found in the sanketams.
- The private temples of the royal lines, feudatory chiefs and vassal chiefs of what is now Kerala, which were dedicated to Bhagavati