Kiryathil Nair
Kiryathil Nair or Kiriyathil Nair is an upper subcaste of the Nair community, who have traditionally lived in the regions of Malabar and Cochin in present-day Kerala, India.The Kiryathil Nairs are one of the highest classes of Nairs. In the caste hierarchy, they were considered superior to Illathu Nairs, but inferior to Samanthan Nairs. The caste boundary between Kiryathil Nair and Samanthan Nair is very vague and therefore some families among the Kiryathils in the course of time may be recognised as Samanthan and vice versa.
Kiryathil Nairs were feudal lords, known as Naduvazhi, and controlled a limited number of militiamen known as Charnavars under their command. These soldiers usually belonged to the Purattu Charna Nair subcaste.
