Eshmanan corruption of Yajamaana (Sanskrit

Sanskrit

Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...

) is a term used in Kerala

Kerala

or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

 (south India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

) to refer to an individual of high social standing. The term means "lord" in Old Malayalam and referred to Chemb azhi nambi or (Chengazhi nambiar) Nambiar

Nambiar (Nair subcaste)

Nambiār, alternatively spelled Nambiyār -the royal family - is a honorific title dignifying certain endogamous royal clans in the North Malabar region, defined as north of the Korapuzha river, of Kerala...

s, Unnithan

Unnithan

Unnithan is the modern form of the older title of Thankal . Unnithans were among the highest of the Nair aristocracy in the Travancore region of the Indian state of Kerala. Unnithan ladies of the Edassery Pattaveettil family were often married by the Rajahs or princes of the royal families such...

s and other Samanthan

Samanthan

Samantan Nair or more commonly Samantan was a generic term applied to dignify a collection of Kshatriya sub-clans among the ruling elite and feudal estate owners of Kerala belonging to the Nayar race.-Historical background:Kerala was under the second Chera Empire approximately during 800...

 Nair

Nair

Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...

 caste members who occupied the position of rulers and chieftains. Some of the Nambiar

Nambiar (Nair subcaste)

Nambiār, alternatively spelled Nambiyār -the royal family - is a honorific title dignifying certain endogamous royal clans in the North Malabar region, defined as north of the Korapuzha river, of Kerala...

 landlords, such as Chengazhi nambiar(Chengazinad Eshmanan) Kalliat Eshmanan and Koodali Eshmanan were among the largest landowners in pre-independence Kerala.

See also

• Mannadiar
  Mannadiar
  Mannadiar is one of the subclan of the Nair community among Keralites. The title "Mannadiar" was awarded by the Maharajah of Cochin to those Nairs who excelled in warrior skills. They are mostly found in the Central Kerala region...
  
  
• Madampi
  Madampi (Nair title)
  Madampi is an aristocratic title given to the uppermost subdivisions of Nairs in Kerala, by the Maharajahs of Travancore and Cochin. Usually, it was given in addition to the Pillai title. Madampis served as Jenmis or landlords during the pre-independence era...
  
  
• Nair
  Nair
  Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
  
  
• Pillai
• Nayanar
  Nayanar (Nair subcaste)
  Nayanar is an honorific title used among certain clans of Nairs in the North Malabar region of Kerala. Men of these clans were mainly chiefs of fiefdoms, and formed the aristocracy and landed gentry of the area.-Etymology:...
  
  
• Nambiar
  Nambiar (Nair subcaste)
  Nambiār, alternatively spelled Nambiyār -the royal family - is a honorific title dignifying certain endogamous royal clans in the North Malabar region, defined as north of the Korapuzha river, of Kerala...