Guest guest Report post Posted October 9, 2005 It is often said that namboodiris were fisherfolk who got converted to brahminism by some sage who migrated south..as a north indian brahmin iv heard this often..especially from older folk...there was a namboodiri servant at our place though he claimed to be a brahmin..he wasnt allowed inside the kitchen or pooja room... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narayanadasa 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2005 Jai Sriman Narayan: I also heard that the Namboodri Brahmins are very very strict that they dont allow even some Brahmins to enter the temples. I think they did not allow even the former PM Indira Gandhi to enter the Guravayur temple inspite of full political pressure. I too am interested to know more about the Namboodris. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted October 10, 2005 namboodris...trace their descent from Brahmins in the north. Apparently they followed Parasurama to the south. They are very well known for jyotish sastra, especially in the horary field, known as Prasna Marga Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted October 13, 2005 Parasurama represents a Vaishnavite incursion into South India. Perhaps from around 600 AD. Is there any Parasurama temples or sculptures from before that time. I know during the early half of the first milennium after Christ there were a couple of incursions into south india of north indian kingdoms. Vamana avatar also represents north indian vaishnavites gaining power, politically and culturally, in mostly shaivite south india. Both were later deified by Vaishnavites for support of their position in south india. Remember that the avatars represent aspects of history in which God (in the form of Vishnu for Vaishnavites) helped preserve society and dharma. Parasurama and Vamana were seen as two events that helped secure a foothold for Vaishnavites (which happened ot be north indian) in south india,, thereby preserving their right to be there and bringing dharma to a Shaivite people who were viewed by Vaishnavs as having erred from the path of dharma. Therfore, they took postiion among Vishnu's avatars. Perhaps the namboothiris did come with one of them. It is said that Parasurama killed all the kshatriyas 21 times and established kingdoms in the name of the brahmins. Did this refer only to Kerala? or were the 21 all around south india? This would explain how the namboothiris gaind power in kerala over the kshatriyas there, who may have been defeated by a force led by the person who came to be called "Parasurama." All the myths, especially the avatars, have "down to earth" modern explanations. Thatdoesnt make them wrong or unbelieveable. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted October 13, 2005 Yes Brahmins basically didnt allow any non brahmin into temples so later everyone opposed and got stronger and then they changed the whole concept of Brahminism as its a character rather than a birth rite to be brahmin and created Bhagavad Geetha and proclaimed Krishna as superior..originally it was different.. Brahmins i think are aryans they are not even Hindus.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted August 2, 2006 Namboodiris are Indias foremost astrologers and vedic scholars...infact their astrology is considered the best.....they are also rigid in terms of caste.....excepting the nairs, who were the martial people, nobody else was allowed in their houses...they didnot touch even other high brahmins like Kokanasthas, Iyers etc. Evn i have heard the theory of namboodiris being fishermen converted....see one has to note that although aryans did come to kerala, all namboodiris are not descended from aryans...it is natural, like in the case of the whole of south india, that native people were also converted.... namboodiris have a website and it says that there are 64 practices that set them apart from other brahmins....they observe untouchability with other brahmins also - ramesh varma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted August 3, 2006 It is often said that namboodiris were fisherfolk who got converted to brahminism by some sage who migrated south..as a north indian brahmin iv heard this often..especially from older folk... Well the upholders of the caste system on this board say caste or varna is by birthright and you can never change your caste? So going by that rationale, how can a community of low-caste fisherfolk become Brahmins all of a sudden? Wasn't Adi Shankara a namboodiri? there was a namboodiri servant at our place though he claimed to be a brahmin..he wasnt allowed inside the kitchen or pooja room... Oh dear what a poor Brahmin! Treated like a shudra! You have Brahmins discriminating against other Brahmins, what will they think of next? Brahmin sons against fathers? males against females? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted August 4, 2006 Parasurama represents a Vaishnavite incursion into South India. Perhaps from around 600 AD. Is there any Parasurama temples or sculptures from before that time. I know during the early half of the first milennium after Christ there were a couple of incursions into south india of north indian kingdoms. Vamana avatar also represents north indian vaishnavites gaining power, politically and culturally, in mostly shaivite south india. Both were later deified by Vaishnavites for support of their position in south india. Remember that the avatars represent aspects of history in which God (in the form of Vishnu for Vaishnavites) helped preserve society and dharma. Parasurama and Vamana were seen as two events that helped secure a foothold for Vaishnavites (which happened ot be north indian) in south india,, thereby preserving their right to be there and bringing dharma to a Shaivite people who were viewed by Vaishnavs as having erred from the path of dharma. Therfore, they took postiion among Vishnu's avatars. Perhaps the namboothiris did come with one of them. It is said that Parasurama killed all the kshatriyas 21 times and established kingdoms in the name of the brahmins. Did this refer only to Kerala? or were the 21 all around south india? This would explain how the namboothiris gaind power in kerala over the kshatriyas there, who may have been defeated by a force led by the person who came to be called "Parasurama." All the myths, especially the avatars, have "down to earth" modern explanations. Thatdoesnt make them wrong or unbelieveable. First off, it's because those people who find those myths unbelievable or wrong, they propose these down to earth explanations. THAT doesn't make them right, but that's their idea of what these myths represent. In any case, what are you basing this is off of? Where's your proof that the avatars represent periods of Vaishnav perpetuation? Personally, I think you're way off base. It's easy to distort these myths to mean something materialistic in nature in an effort to debunk and strip these myths of their spirituality. I've heard a number of theories pertaining to the avatars, but this one is brand new to me. Also, where did you even learn this? And are you an atheist by any chance? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
