Ettara Yogam
Encyclopedia
The Ettara Yogam or the Council of Eight and a Half was a body of Trustees of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
which is the richest and most well endowed temples in the world now (wealth estimation is going on as of yesterday, 1st Aug 2011),situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore
and religiously most important to the Maharajahs of Travancore
.
or Munchira Madhom to this day. In Malayali Brahmins, Potty families -south of changanassery in travancore are designated as pottis and they in north of changanassery (pottis-malayala Brahmins)are designated as namboothiries usually. Seven potti families and a representative from a Nair
family initially who assumed the role of the Temple protector. Besides these trustees, who had one vote each in deciding the matters of the Temple management, the Maharajah of Venad
as it was known then had a half vote, rendering the ruler of the land thereby almost powerless in deciding the affairs of the Devaswom of Padmanabhapuram
. The Head of the nair family is known as Karanavar. The Karanavar of the nair palliyadi family is a member of Ettara Yogam of Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple (only Nair representative). The present Karanavar or nair member is Srikarnam Palliyadi A.E. Ramakrishna Kurup of Azhakath Bungalow, Adoor. The fact that the Maharajah was powerless in the Temple affairs was very important because the temple possessed vast landed areas and wealth, which owing to his nominal position, gave immense power to the eight members and their confederates. It is also because the sovereign had only half a vote that the council came be known as that of "Eight and a Half".
Members
The trusteeship of the Ettara Yogam was passed hereditarily and the member families were represented by the oldest male member therein. These Potty
families and the sole Nair
noble family were:
Still the thanthri dakshina is given to tharananallur by these pottifamilies after the festival twice every year( still it is not the thiruvithankur raja but the ettarayogam potties give thanthridakshina to tharananelloor in a ritual after the aarattu.)
Ettuveetil Pillamar
The Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
possessed vast landed areas over which the ruler of Travancore
had no control whatsoever. These lands were divided into eight adhikarems or districts and over each of these districts as a governor was placed a Nair
noble family, all with the title of Pillai
. Hence they came to be known as the Ettuveetil Pillamar
or the Lords of the Eight Houses. The confederacy of these Pillamar was eventually destroyed in the 18th century by Maharajah Marthanda Varma
after they were found guilty of murder and conspiracy against the Royal house. The Pillamar were organised into a confederacy in the 15th century.
End
Owing to the large amount of power vested in their hands, the Ettara Yogam and their associates the Ettuveetil Pillamar became highly arrogant towards the Royal family. When Maharajah Aditya Varma wished to build himself a palace at Trivandrum, even outside the jurisdiction of the Ettuveetil Pillamar or the Ettara Yogam, he was not permitted to do so. The Yogam and Pillamar conspired against the royal house and several murders and other acts of atrocity were committed owing to the powerlessness of the sovereign. Eventually Maharajah Marthanda Varma
decided to put an end to their power and destroyed the Pillamar. Two families of the Yogam were banished from Travancore
while the rest were permitted nominal rights in the Temple. After Marthanda Varma
the temple came under the control of the Maharajahs of Travancore
and the power of the Yogam was ended.
See also
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the royal family of Travancore. The temple is one of 108 Divya Desams – principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism...
which is the richest and most well endowed temples in the world now (wealth estimation is going on as of yesterday, 1st Aug 2011),situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
and religiously most important to the Maharajahs of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
.
Origin
The Ettara Yogam was formed in the year 15th century. and it is presided over by the Swamiyars of Naduvil MadhomNaduvil Madhom
Naduvil Madhom is one of the ancient South Indian madhoms that propagate Adwaita or Non dualism. It is located at Thrissur in Kerala. The history of the Madhom can be traced to 9th century AD. The Hindu spiritual leader Adi Shankara is said to died at the famous Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur....
or Munchira Madhom to this day. In Malayali Brahmins, Potty families -south of changanassery in travancore are designated as pottis and they in north of changanassery (pottis-malayala Brahmins)are designated as namboothiries usually. Seven potti families and a representative from a 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...
family initially who assumed the role of the Temple protector. Besides these trustees, who had one vote each in deciding the matters of the Temple management, the Maharajah of Venad
Venad
Venad Swarupam was one of the three prominent late medieval Hindu feudal kingdoms on Malabar Coast, south India, along with Kingdom of Calicut and Kingdom of Cannanore. In the early 14th century, Venad ruler Ravi Varma Kulasekhara had established a short-lived supremacy over southern India...
as it was known then had a half vote, rendering the ruler of the land thereby almost powerless in deciding the affairs of the Devaswom of Padmanabhapuram
Padmanabhapuram
Padmanabhapuram a city and a municipality near Thuckalay in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-History:Padmanabhapuram was the old capital of the princely state of Travancore in India...
. The Head of the nair family is known as Karanavar. The Karanavar of the nair palliyadi family is a member of Ettara Yogam of Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple (only Nair representative). The present Karanavar or nair member is Srikarnam Palliyadi A.E. Ramakrishna Kurup of Azhakath Bungalow, Adoor. The fact that the Maharajah was powerless in the Temple affairs was very important because the temple possessed vast landed areas and wealth, which owing to his nominal position, gave immense power to the eight members and their confederates. It is also because the sovereign had only half a vote that the council came be known as that of "Eight and a Half".
Members
The trusteeship of the Ettara Yogam was passed hereditarily and the member families were represented by the oldest male member therein. These Potty
Malayali Brahmins
The term "Malayali Brahmins" or "Malayala Brahmananmar" applies to two main groups of Brahmins from the Indian state of Kerala. They were the Swadeshi or native Brahmins of Kerala while all other Brahmins were considered Paradesi or foreign Brahmins....
families and the sole 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...
noble family were:
- Koopakkara Potty
- Attiyara Potty of Vanchiyoor
- Attiyara Potty of Kollur
- Muttavila Potty
- Neytasseri Potty
- Karuva Potty
- Srikaryattu Potty
- palliyadi Karanatta KurupKurupKurup is an occupational title among the Nairs of Kerala, India. They served as warriors, generals and warlords to kings. It was also a honorific hereditary title dignifying certain Kshatriya clans of Kiryathil Nairs in the Malabar regions...
or Azhakath Kurup, the NairNairNair , 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...
nobleman - "'ara-1/2 sthaneeyan is the maharaja of travancore-thrippappur mooppan"" total ettera i.e. eigt and halfwrong wrong wrong wrong - .according to the book of smt aswathi thirunal i.e. 'the history of sri padmanabha swamy temple' the ettarayogam is still existing in princilple.For the last hundreds of years seven ettarayogam potti families are receiving request from padmanabha swamy temple authoritie to give permission to conduct festivals.For the forthcoming festival in 2011 also all the ettarayogam members received the same.When the karuva potty family was not having heir (the karumadom colony land and nearby areas like kuriathy belong to these karuva potty family) the muttala potty got the title of karuva potty also by sarwaswadana dattu.The request for giving permission to conduct rituals like arattu to the karuva potty is still given to muttalapottyin addition to the one due to muttavila potty.
Still the thanthri dakshina is given to tharananallur by these pottifamilies after the festival twice every year( still it is not the thiruvithankur raja but the ettarayogam potties give thanthridakshina to tharananelloor in a ritual after the aarattu.)
Ettuveetil Pillamar
The Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the royal family of Travancore. The temple is one of 108 Divya Desams – principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism...
possessed vast landed areas over which the ruler of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
had no control whatsoever. These lands were divided into eight adhikarems or districts and over each of these districts as a governor was placed a 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...
noble family, all with the title of Pillai
Pillai (Nair title)
Pillai is a title among the Nair community of Kerala. There is also a caste called Vellalar or Pillai in Tamil Nadu, which is different from the Nair community....
. Hence they came to be known as the Ettuveetil Pillamar
Ettuveetil Pillamar
The Ettuveetil Pillamar were a group of nobles from eight Nair Houses in erstwhile Venad in present day Kerala state, South India. They were associated with the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram and the Ettara Yogam. They were known by the villages in which they resided and all of them...
or the Lords of the Eight Houses. The confederacy of these Pillamar was eventually destroyed in the 18th century by Maharajah Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
after they were found guilty of murder and conspiracy against the Royal house. The Pillamar were organised into a confederacy in the 15th century.
End
Owing to the large amount of power vested in their hands, the Ettara Yogam and their associates the Ettuveetil Pillamar became highly arrogant towards the Royal family. When Maharajah Aditya Varma wished to build himself a palace at Trivandrum, even outside the jurisdiction of the Ettuveetil Pillamar or the Ettara Yogam, he was not permitted to do so. The Yogam and Pillamar conspired against the royal house and several murders and other acts of atrocity were committed owing to the powerlessness of the sovereign. Eventually Maharajah Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
decided to put an end to their power and destroyed the Pillamar. Two families of the Yogam were banished from Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
while the rest were permitted nominal rights in the Temple. After Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
the temple came under the control of the Maharajahs of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
and the power of the Yogam was ended.
See also
- NairNairNair , 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...
- Malayali BrahminsMalayali BrahminsThe term "Malayali Brahmins" or "Malayala Brahmananmar" applies to two main groups of Brahmins from the Indian state of Kerala. They were the Swadeshi or native Brahmins of Kerala while all other Brahmins were considered Paradesi or foreign Brahmins....
- Marthanda VarmaMarthanda VarmaMarthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
- Ettuveetil PillamarEttuveetil PillamarThe Ettuveetil Pillamar were a group of nobles from eight Nair Houses in erstwhile Venad in present day Kerala state, South India. They were associated with the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram and the Ettara Yogam. They were known by the villages in which they resided and all of them...
- PadmanabhapuramPadmanabhapuramPadmanabhapuram a city and a municipality near Thuckalay in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-History:Padmanabhapuram was the old capital of the princely state of Travancore in India...
- BrahminBrahminBrahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
s - TravancoreTravancoreKingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
- VenadVenadVenad Swarupam was one of the three prominent late medieval Hindu feudal kingdoms on Malabar Coast, south India, along with Kingdom of Calicut and Kingdom of Cannanore. In the early 14th century, Venad ruler Ravi Varma Kulasekhara had established a short-lived supremacy over southern India...