Different marriage customs practiced in ancient Kerala

In the pre-British era, marriage customs in Kerala exhibited significant variation across regions and among different communities. Let’s explore these diverse marriage customs which sheds light on the rich cultural tapestry of ancient Kerala.

1. Vaidika Vivaham:

Vaidika Vivaham was a specific type of marriage traditionally reserved for the Namboothiri caste in Kerala. Within this custom, only the eldest Namboothiri sibling or the designated inheritor had the privilege to undergo this marriage ceremony, which involved the performance of Vedic rites.

In the Vaidika Vivaham tradition of the Namboothiri caste in Kerala, the wife was revered as Ghosa, signifying purity and deserving veiling. The marriage ceremony involved a series of sacred rituals:

1. Udakapoorvam: A preliminary rite involving the fetching of water.
2. Paanigrahanam: The groom’s acceptance of the bride, symbolizing the commencement of their union.
3. Mukhadarshanam: The couple’s first exchange of glances.
4. Malarhomam: Offering of flowers into the sacred fire.
5. Kudiveppu: Walking around the sacred fire.
6. Veli Othu: Binding the marital knot.
7. Oupaasanam: The final act of worship.

Upon successful completion of these rituals, the marriage was formally recognized, and the wife attained the status of a ‘Veli’. In this tradition, if the husband passed away, his eldest son would inherit the property, while the wife acted as its custodian. Remarriage of widows was not permitted under this custom.

2. Sambandam:

This marriage system was prevalent among all matrilineal Savarna communities in Kerala, including Ambalavāsis, Dwija-Kshatriyas, and Nayars. Younger Namboothiris also followed a similar custom, albeit in a less formal manner without extensive Vedic rites and rituals.

The Sambandham marriage involved several days of preparation and elaborate rituals attended by numerous guests. Learned Brahmins were traditionally offered free meals during these festivities as an act of charity. On the wedding day, the couple would sit on a slightly elevated platform inside a Kalyana Pandal, where the groom would present the bride with a white silk Mundu/Dhoti known as Pudava on a brass or gold plate.

In a Sambandham marriage, polyandry was not permitted, although divorce could be easily obtained with mutual consent without involving family members. Adultery was strictly prohibited, and women caught in adultery were subject to severe consequences including being shaved bald, divorced, and sent back to their families. Sambandham marriages were particularly rigorously upheld in Malabar. After the termination of a Sambandham relationship due to divorce or the death of the husband, the woman typically had limited or no rights over her husband’s property. However, widow remarriage was permitted within this custom.

3. Pandavavicharam:

This was a mode of marriage followed by Ezhava,Thiyya and Kammalar castes of Kerala. The marriage included fraternal polyandry aka two or more brothers marrying a same wife.

According to oral traditions within these castes, this practice was said to have originated after the Pandavas from the Mahabharata visited and stayed in Kerala during their forest exile (Vanvasa). However, historians argue that this custom was primarily adopted to prevent the extensive division of family property. Among the Kammalars, this marriage practice included specific Tamil folk rituals. For the Ezhavas, all the brothers would marry the same girl in a single compact ceremony. Among the Thiyyas, each brother’s marriage to the same girl was marked by distinct rituals, including a sword-holding ritual, a warrior dance, and a ceremonial involving a seated Nayar (symbolizing the king), followed by the thaalikettu (tying the ceremonial necklace) performed by one brother to the chosen girl. Consequently, separate ceremonies were conducted on different days for each brother to marry the same woman. This tradition underscores a deeply patriarchal system that subjugated women and underscored the unequal power dynamics prevalent within these communities in ancient Kerala.

4.Adhyaratri Avakasham:

Turning to a darker chapter in history, Adhiyrathri Avakasham (also known as Onnaam Ratri Avakasam) exemplifies one of the cruelest practices in Kerala, revealing the deep-seated casteism and misogyny prevalent during that era.

Adhyaratri Avakasham was a custom prevalent in feudal Kerala that translates to “Right to First Night”. This custom represented a form of socio-sexual exploitation imposed on Avarna-Bahujan communities under specific circumstances. In Kerala, where over 90% of the land was owned by Savarnas (upper-caste Hindus). Muslim communities and Avarnas (lower-caste communities) often found themselves landless. To acquire land for building their huts or mud houses, they would approach upper-caste landlords (jenmis) and request land on lease.

Under the conditions set by the jenmis, who held significant power and influence, these Avarna tenants (often Ezhavas) were subjected to the Adhyaratri Avakasham custom upon their marriage. According to this practice, on the night of their marriage, the newlywed wife of the tenant would be sent to the jenmi’s guesthouse, where the jenmi would claim her “right” to her first night of marriage. The jenmi would then return her before the next morning. This act was accompanied by purification rituals aimed at removing the perceived “defilement” from the woman, owing to her lower caste status compared to the jenmi. Despite the deeply exploitative nature of this practice, children born from such unions were not necessarily discriminated against by society. Notable figures like Unniyyarcha, a renowned Ezhava warrior (whose biological father was a jenmi named Chindhan Nambiar), rose above their circumstances to become celebrated Kalaripayattu warriors in Kerala’s history. However, for many others, this practice brought shame and further exploitation. In some instances, upper-caste jenmis would forcibly enter Ezhava tenants’ homes, seize their produce (such as toddy), and exploit their women.

By the last century however, this practice waned because of many inter-community movements, British influences, and revolutions made by bahujans.

5. Meringu Koodal:

This type of marriage was practiced by Pulayans and Mukkuvas, which was inaccurately described as prostitution by European travelers in the past. In this custom, a woman would engage in intercourse with a chosen number of men from any caste and then select one of them as her partner. However, Savarna men refrained from engaging in sexual unions with them and generally avoided forming relationships with these communities.

Conclusion

In reflecting on marriages in ancient Kerala, we find a blend of beautiful traditions alongside exploitative practices that oppressed certain classes. While some customs celebrated culture and union, others perpetuated caste-based discrimination and misogyny. Fortunately, many of these outdated customs have faded into history, paving the way for more equitable and inclusive relationships in our society today.

Sources

1. “Pracheena Kerala Charitram” by Sivasankaran.N
2. Book of Duarto Barbosa, Volume 2, Page number 59–60
3. “Matrilinear Kinship” by Kathleen Gough
4. The Voyage by Fraçis Pyrard de Laval, Page number 386
5. Aaswalaayana Grihya Manthra” by Porakudinjam Published by P.G.N.Bhattathiripad, First Edition-1987
6. “Punyaham” by Chekrakal Krishnan Namboodiri, 1997 edition
7. “The Nayars Today” by C.J.Fuller
8. “Marriage and the Family in Kerala: With Special Reference to Matrilineal Castes” by Joseph Puthenkulam
9. “Some Aspects of Nayar Life” by K.M.Panikker
10. “Malabar Manual” by William Logan
11. “Jativyavasthayude Rashtriya Bhoomika” by Rajagopal.V
12. Social Mobility in Kerala by Filippo Osella
13. Kadathanadan Nombarangal by Bhaskaran Manantheri (who is a living blood-relative of Unniyarcha)