Indian Social Structure

The nadus were the places where the people established their agricultural settlement and consisted of numerous kudis and Urs. The Kudis were the families of occupational groups engaged in agriculture. The chief of Kudi was Kudipathi.

Owners of devaswam land were called Ooralar . The rulers, Brahmins or the people of the temple did not directly cultivate in this land. They used to give the land for cultivation to middle men called, Karalar.

During the medieval period, communities engaged in various occupations and these occupations were eventually categorized into castes. Some people engaged in agriculture and the making of agricultural equipments. Some were involved in handicrafts and making of metal equipments while some were involved in weaving and oil production.

Anjuvannam and Manigramam are the trade guilds existed in medieval Kerala till the 14th century. They were active in both sea and land trade.

The Adiyalars who used to farm during the medieval times occupied the lowest rung in the caste hierarchy whereas the Brahmins were at the top.

The present Kodungallur and the surrounding areas were known as Mahodayapuram in those days. The Perumals were also known as Cheras and Cheramans. Some of these rulers adopted the title Kulasekara. Most regions in present Kerala were under the rule of the Perumals.
The socio-economic features of the region during the reign of the Perumals were as follows:

• Agriculture flourished in areas close to water resources.
• Brahmins established their power in agricultural villages.
• Temples developed as centres of power.
• The ownership of farmlands was vested with the Brahmins.
• Aaladiyars were the people who toiled in the soil.

The reign of the Perumals came to an end by the 12th century. Consequently, the chieftains, who were the local rulers under the Perumals, began to rule their respective Nadus independently.
The region under the control of a chieftain was known as Swaroopam. The joint family of the chieftain was also known as Swaroopam. The eldest member of the family became the ruler. There were disparities in wealth and military power among the Nadus and the chieftains fought among themselves for power.

The present Kodungallur and the surrounding areas were known as Mahodayapuram in those days. The Perumals were also known as Cheras and Cheramans. Some of these rulers adopted the title Kulasekara. Most regions in present Kerala were under the rule of the Perumals.

The socio-economic features of the region during the reign of the Perumals were as follows:

• Agriculture flourished in areas close to water resources.
• Brahmins established their power in agricultural villages.
• Temples developed as centres of power.
• The ownership of farmlands was vested with the Brahmins.
• Aaladiyars were the people who toiled in the soil.

The present Kodungallur and the surrounding areas were known as Mahodayapuram in those days. The Perumals were also known as Cheras and Cheramans. Some of these rulers adopted the title Kulasekara. Most regions in present Kerala were under the rule of the Perumals.

The socio-economic features of the region during the reign of the Perumals were as follows:

• Agriculture flourished in areas close to water resources.
• Brahmins established their power in agricultural villages.
• Temples developed as centres of power.
• The ownership of farmlands was vested with the Brahmins.
• Aaladiyars were the people who toiled in the soil.

Anjuvannam was a  Jewish community/colony (corporation/guild) in southern India and a Manigramam is a large, influential guild of South Indian merchants. They were the trade groups that existed in Kerala from 9th century to 13th century CE.

The Jenmi, consisting mainly of the Nambudiri Brahmins and Nambiar chieftains, were the highest level of the hierarchy, and a class of people given hereditary land grants by the Naduvazhis or rulers'. The rights conveyed by this janmam were not a freehold in the European sense, but an office of dignity. Owing to their ritual status as priests ( Nambudris ), the jenmis could neither cultivate nor supervise the land but would instead provide a grant of kanam to an individual from the Kanikkaran ethnic group in return for a fixed share of the crops produced. Typically, a jenmi would have a large number of kanikkaran under him.

The Panayapattam system which was also known as Kanam and Otti became prevalent after the period of the Perumals. According to this, the person who took the land on lease known as Kanakudiyan used to give an amount as security to the landlord when he leased the land for cultivation. The Kanakudiyan did not have the right to sell or transfer this land. He just had the right to cultivate in this land.

Rationalism, as championed by various social reformers, challenged the traditional and irrational justifications for the caste system, serving as a primary intellectual driver for its elimination.

The Nayanars and Alvars movement began in South India between the 7th and 10th centuries AD. Nayanars and Alvars of South India believed in Bhakti i.e. devotion to the God with concepts like love and compassion in religion. People joined this newly created movement irrespective of the caste they belonged to and even women participated in the movements. They were against extreme practices and hence, did not accept the concept of austerities. 

Bhakti movement became popular in Indian history from AD 7^th Century. Bhakti believed in the idea of devotion to the God which could be practiced by any individual through simple means without extra-ordinary rituals and sacrifices. Hence, it also rejected the division of Caste system as saints of Bhakti movement believed in treating everyone equally with compassion.