Swaroopathil Nairs or Charna Nairs were one of the subcastes belonging to the 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...

 community 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....

. They were warriors of Samanta Kshatriya Royal Households known as Swaroopams. This subcaste is found only in 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...

. In Malabar, two related subcastes, Akathu Charna Nairs and Purathu Charna Nairs are treated as equivalent to Swaroopathil Nairs in caste hierarchy.

Demographics

According to the 1891 Census, Swaroopathil Nairs composed around 9.2% of the total Nair population, while Akathu Cherna and Purathu Cherna Nairs accounted for 3.3% and 11.1% respectively.

Subdivisions

The highest of Swaroopathil Nairs were those included in the Paroor Swaroopam, who being originally Illathu Nairs have their purificatory rites performed by Maaran

Maaran

Maaran is the name given to the temple musicians of Travancore, Cochin and Malabar in the state of Kerala, India whose primary duty was to provide the traditional temple Sopanam music. Their position in the caste system varies from place to place in Kerala...

s. It is believed that the Paroor Swaroopakkar once belonged to the Illam

Illathu Nair

Illathu Nair is one of the subcastes of the Nair community among Keralites. They are mostly found in the Travancore and Cochin areas. Illathu Nairs were considered highest in the Nair hierarchy in Travancore. Purification rites by the Maarans and priestly service from the Elayatus distinguished the...

 subdivision and were attached to the Karāttetattu Nampoothiri. After the fall of the Namboothiri, these Nāyars attached themselves to the Paroor Swaroopam, which succeeded the Namboothiri.

The Ponnara Nairs, a smaller subsection among the Nairs of Chirayinkeezh

Chirayinkeezhu

Chirayinkeezhu is a village in Thiruvananthapuram district situated in the Indian state of Kerala.This is the birth place of the Malayalam actors Shri. Prem Nazir and Bharath Gopi.-Places:The Sarkara Devi Temple is situated at Chirayinkeezhu...

 (associated with the Sharkara temple) is usually grouped together with Swaroopakkar. Ponnara Nairs some times officiate as temple priests and therefore holds a higher position in caste system compared to the other subdivisions.

Paricha Menons, a subdivision of Purattu Charna Nayar constituted the bulk of Zamorin's elite armed units. They form one of the top most divisions of Menon after the Menon Panicker subdivision of Kiryathil Nair

Kiryathil Nair

Kiryathil Nair or Kiriyathil Nair is a subcaste of the Nair community who traditionally lived in the region now known as Kerala, India. The 17th century Keralolpathi states them to be descendants of warrior Nāga tribes who came to Kerala from the north along the western coast...

.

Other notable subdivisions of Swaroopakkār in Travancore includes the Kaippizha, Pattāzhi and the Vempanāt clans.