CHAPTER-

II

COLONI
ALANDETHNOGRAPHI
CACCOUNTS

Thest
udi
esont
hemat
ri
li
nealsy
stemshadbeeni
nit
iat
edbyt
hecol
oni
al
et
hnogr
apher
s.Ti
l
lhal
f a cent
ury ago no soci
alsci
ent
ist
s hav
e
at
tempt
ed t
o under
stand t
he or
igi
n and dev
elopment of
Mar
umakkat
hay
am orki
nshi
psy
stem i
nthemat
ri
li
nealsoci
ety
.Because
t
hemaj
ori
tyoft
her
esear
cher
sthoughtt
hatani
nqui
ryi
ntot
hesy
stem
wi
thoutanyaccur
ateev
idenceswasnotf
avour
abl
etoasci
ent
if
icst
udy
.
So,t
heycoul
dnotpr
ovi
desci
ent
if
icst
udi
esofmat
ri
li
ny.Though,t
her
e
ar
ever
yfew not
abl
eet
hnogr
aphi
corant
hropol
ogi
calst
udi
esont
he
mat
ri
li
ny.I
nthi
schapt
er,Ii
ntendedt
oident
if
ythesal
i
entf
eat
uresof
orMar
maj umakkat
hay
eesi
nthesout
h-westofI
ndi
ansub-
cont
inent
.

TheNai
rs,t
heKur
ichy
asofWay
nad,t
heLakshadweepcommuni
tyand
Al
i
yasant
aneesi
nTul
uNaduoccupi
esapecul
i
arposi
ti
onamongt
he
mat
ri
li
nealcommuni
ti
esi
nthewor
ld,
so,
thesear
ethei
nter
est
ingt
opi
cs
ofcont
empor
arysoci
alsci
ent
ist
s.I
mpor
tantr
esear
chesont
hemat
ri
li
ny
f
rom t
heet
hnogr
aphi
corant
hropol
ogi
calpoi
ntofv
iew ar
emadeby
Kat
hleen E Gough,SamuelMat
teer
,and K T Rav
ivar
ma.The mai
n
t
hemesoft
heser
esear
chesar
etheor
igi
n and dev
elopmentoft
he
mat
ri
li
nyaswel
lasmar
ri
ageandki
nshi
pint
hesy
stem.

TheNai
rMat
ri
li
ny

Nai
rswer
ethemi
l
itar
ycast
eoft
hewestcoastofI
ndi
a,whoconst
it
uted
1
t
hemaj
ori
tyofKer
alapopul
ati
on. Mar
umakkat
hay
am sy
stem wasone
oft
hepecul
i
arcust
omst
hatst
rangul
ateNai
rsf
oral
ongt
ime.Somany

1
Fawcet
t,F.Nay
arsofMal
abar
,Asi
anEducat
ional
Ser
vices,
NewDel
hi,
(1985)

18
r
it
ual
sper
for
med byNai
rcommuni
tysuch as Sambandham sy
stem
r
eveal
ed t
hei
r mat
ri
li
neal
i
ty and t
hei
r uni
que soci
alset
up.Many
r
esear
chesar
econduct
edont
heNai
rmat
ri
li
ny.Sal
i
entst
udyamong
t
hem i
sofKat
hleenEGogh.

I
tisv
erydi
ff
icul
ttopr
ovi
deanexactchr
onol
ogyoft
hebegi
nni
ngof
mat
ri
li
ny.But
,asi
nthest
udyofF Fawcet
t,who pr
ovi
ded v
aluabl
e
i
nfor
mat
ion t
hatPl
i
ny,a f
orei
gn t
rav
ell
erv
isi
ted I
ndi
ainf
our
teent
h
cent
uryment
ionst
heNai
rsasNar
ae.But
,hedi
dnotgi
vei
tsmor
edet
ail
s.

Themar
ri
agesy
stem oft
hemat
ri
li
nealNai
rshasgotsi
gni
fi
cantpl
acei
n
t
hest
udi
esofsoci
alsci
ent
ist
s.Thecont
rov
ersi
alt
opi
cwaswhet
hert
he
Nai
rsmar
ri
agewasr
eal
orwecal
lthei om oft
rcust ali
ket
tukal
yanam asa
r
ealmar
ri
age.Gough,basedonherf
iel
dwor
kamongt
hemat
ri
li
neal
Nai
rsi
n cent
ralKer
ala,obser
ved t
hatt
he Nai
rmar
ri
age as a r
eal
mar
ri
age,becausef
ir
stl
y,i
tisconduct
edi
ncust
omar
ymannerandt
he
member
shi
poft
hechi
l
dinhi
sli
neageandcast
easwel
last
heconcept
ofpat
erni
tyhad been l
egalv
ali
dit
y.Wi
fe ofa Nai
rman obser
ved
mour
ningandpol
l
uti
onatt
hedeat
hoft
her
it
ualbr
idei
.e.t
hemanwho
t
iedt
aliatt
het
ali
ket
tukal
yanam.Thewomanwasal
sor
esponsi
blet
o
makeof
fer
ingst
othedepar
tedspi
ri
t.Theser
ight
scanbeseeni
nthe
cont
empor
aryNai
rmar
ri
ager
elat
ionshi
p.

Asv
iewedbyKTRav
ivar
ma,t
heNai
rshast
her
ealmar
ri
ageal
l
iance
ed Pudamur
cal
l i(i
ntheNor
th)orSambandham (
int
heSout
h).Thei
r
mar
ri
agehad been t
aken pl
aceatauspi
ci
oust
imeaccompani
ed by
r
it
ual
s,pr
ayer
sandi
twoul
dbenecessi
tat
edt
heconsentandbl
essi
ngs
ofpar
ent
sandot
herseni
ormember
sinTar
avad.Theal
l
iancebet
ween
t
hemember
soft neageorI
hesamel
i ll
om wasabst
ained.Thest
ri
ct
obser
vat
ionofpol
l
uti
onbywi
featt
hedeat
hofherhusbandi
sanot
her
i
ndi
cat
orf
oranact
ual
mar
ri
agesy
stem.
19
The obser
vat
ion ofSamuelMat
teraboutt
he Nai
rmar
ri
age i
sjust
opposi
teofGough’
svi
ew.Accor
dingt
ohi
m,t
heNai
rsdi
dnothav
e
act
ualmar
ri
age sy
stem as t
hey had notbeen conduct
ed i
twi
th
sacr
edness and t
he man-
woman r
elat
ionshi
p was f
ree ofr
ight
s or
mut
ualr
esponsi
bil
i
ties.Theal
l
iancecoul
dbedi
ssol
veatt
hewi
l
lofany
oneoft
hepar
tyi
nthewedl
ock.Heal
sov
iewedt
hati
nar
ealmar
ri
age
al
l
iancet
her
ewi
l
lbest
rongmut
ualaf
fect
ionandobl
i
gat
ionsbet
ween
t
hecoupl
es.

Fawcet
tconsi
der
edNai
rsSambandham orPudav
’ akodaast
heact
ual
mar
ri
agecer
emony
,asi
thasbeenper
for
medi
nadi
vi
neat
mospher
e.He
opi
ned t
hatmar
ri
age sy
stem oft
he Nai
rsi
n Mal
abarhas i
ncl
uded
v
ari
ouspecul
i
arcer
emoni keTal
esl
i i
ket
tukal
yanam whi
chusedt
obe
conduct
edatbet
weent
enandt
wel
vey
ear
sofagebef
oresheat
tai
ning
puber
ty.Anot om Pudav
hercust akoda orSambandham i
stheact
ual
mar
ri
agecer
emony
,whenamanhasbeenal
l
owedt
ocohabi
twi
tha
woman.Ther
e ar
e many cer
emoni
es bef
ore bet
rot
hal
:fi
rst
ly,t
he
hor
oscopeofbr
ideandbr
idegr
oom hasbeenexami
nedbyanast
rol
oger
,
t
hen he not
es t
he auspi
cious day and t
ime f
ort
he cohabi
tat
ion.
Pudav
akodacust
om hadbeenof
tent
akenf
ourday
s.

Or
gani
zat
ion,ki
nshi
pandi
nher
it
ancewer
eot
heri
nter
est
ingt
opi
csf
or
t
he ant
hropol
ogi
sts as wel
las et
hnogr
apher
s.The Nai
rcast
e was
or zedbyI
gani ll
om,l
neage,Tar
i avad and Tav
azhi
.Il
l
om i
sthel
argest
or
gani
zat
ionwhi
chconsi
stedofagr
oupofl
i
neages.I
tisconsi
der
sthat
t
hel
i nanI
neagesi ll
om ofuppercl
assNai
rswi
thacommonancest
ress.
But
,thesel
i
neageshadnotbeenobser
vedpol
l
uti
on.I
f,eachl
i
neagehas
beenani
dent
if
iedcommonancest
ress,t
her
ewasnocommonpr
oper
ty
hehead.TheTar
ort avadi
sthebr
anchofal
i
neagesi
tuat
ingonaTar
aor
f
loor
.IthasbeenaKar
anav
an,seni
ormal heTar
ememberoft avad,who
20
cont
rol
s and manage t
he f
ami
l
ymember
s as wel
las t
he common
pr
oper
ty.Hewoul
dber
esponsi
blet
oensur
ethewel
lbei
ngofal
lfami
l
y
member
sandt
oconductmar
ragesofTar
i avadmember
s.Themember
s
he same Tar
oft avad ar
ethe descended f
rom a common f
emal
e
ancest
or.Each Tar
avad consi
sts si
xto sev
en gener
ati
ons and al
l
member
sst
ri
ctl
yobser
vedbi
rt
hordeat
hpol
l
uti
on.I
nher
it
anceoft
he
f
ami
l
ypr
oper
tyand successi
on wer
etr
aced f
r he Kar
om t anav
an t
o
si
ster
’s chi
l
dren.Each Tar
avad has a br ed Tav
anch cal
l azhiwhi
ch
consi
stt
hree gener
ati
ons,such as,gr
andmot
her
,herchi
l
dren,and
daught
er’
schi
l
dren.I
tist
hel
owestuni
t.Besi
dest
heTar
avadpr
oper
ty,
heTav
t azhimayhav
ethei
rownpr
oper
tyt
hatconst
it
utedbyt
hepr
ivat
e
pr
oper
tyofmal
esandt
hegi
ft
soft
hei
rwi
ves.Usual
l
y,t
heseTav
azhi
s
her Tar
may be anot avad,cal
l Tav
ed ‘ azhi
tar
avad’
.Then t
he act
ual
Tar
avadwi
l
lbeal
i
neage.

TheKar
anav
anwasnotal
l
owedt
odi
vi
deort
akedeci
si heTar
onont avad
pr
oper
tywi
thoutt
he consentofal
lfami
l
ymember
s.The i
ndi
vi
dual
i
ncomeofeachandev
erymemberwoul
dbemi
ngl
edwi
tht
hecommon
pr
oper
tyandnoneoft
hem cancl
aim t
hei
rpor
ti
on.I
f,i
ntheor
ythe
womenhadr
ightt
opr
oper
ty,r
eal
l
yi heKar
twasmanagedbyt anav
an.
But
,hewoul
dgi
veapor
ti
onoft
hepr
oper
tyt
othei
rindi
vi
dualneeds.The
seni
orf
emal ed Kar
emembercal
l anav
athiorTar
avat
tamma wast
he
manageroff
ami
l
y ki
tchen.She woul
d be of
ten t
he si
steroft
he
Kar
anav
an,t
hough,onl
yinherabsence,t
heposi
tonofKar
i anav
athiwas
per
for
medbyt
hewi
f heKar
eoft anav
an.Thus,t
heNai
rsoccupi
esan
i
mpor
tantposi
ti
oni
nKer
alasoci
etybecauseoft
hei
rpecul
i
arsy
stem of
mar
ri
ageandi
nher
it
ance.

TheKur
ichy
asofWay
nad

Kur
ichy
asofWay
nadar
ethemosti
mpor
tantMar
umakkat
hay
eest
oday
.
21
Thei
rinher
it
ancesy
stem hasbeenst
udi
edi
ndet
ailbyAAy
yappanandK
Mahadev
ant
oget
herandKTRav
ivar
ma. Ast
hest
ri
ctobser
vanceof
pol
l
uti
on and pur
it
ythe Kur
ichy
asar
e known as‘
the Nambut
ir
isof
Way
nad’
.Wecan seet
hem i
n Manant
hav
ady
,Vel
l
amunda,Edav
aka,
Per
iya, Kani
yambat
ta, Kot
tat
har
a, Padi
njar
athar
a, Nar
iyodu and
Kar
yachadi
,Thav
inj
alandVengapul
l
imoot
ti
li
nWay
anaddi
str
ict
.

I
nherar
ti
cleMat
ri
li
ny,pat
ri
li
nyandt
hepost
-moder
ncondi
ti
on,Vi
neet
ha
Menon obser
ved t
hatt
he t
radi
ti
onalKur
ichy
ajoi
ntf
ami
l
yis cal
l
ed
Mi
tt
om,al
argecour
tyar
dinf
rontofabui
l
dingscompl
exf
ordwel
l
ings
andot
herpur
poses.Al
lfami
l
ycer
emoni
esar
etakespl nMi
acei tt
om.
EachMi
tt
om hasi
tsownKul
am (
agr
oupofpeopl
edescendedf
rom a
commonancest
ress)whi
chf
urt
herdi
vi
dedi
ntot bandhuandpant
wo: hi.

Al
lmal
emember
sinsameMi
tt
om hav
ebeeni
dent
if
iedt
oacommon
ancest
ress.Aat
har
aorer
upur
aist
het
ermt
or ert
ef avazhi
.TheKur
ichy
a
Tar
avadi
scol
l
ect
ionofaat
har
ashav
ingst
ri
ctobser
vanceofpol
l
uti
on.
Aat
har
asoft
hesameTar
avad ar
esi
tuat
ingi
ndi
ff
erentpl
aces.Each
Aat
har
as wi
l
lhav
eal ed Pi
ocalhead cal
l tt
an.Att
he t
ime ofany
cel
ebr
ati
onsorot
herspeci
alt
imest
heywi
l
lbemeet
ingt
oget
her
.The
heTar
headoft avadi edKar
scal
l anav
anorPi
tt
anwhocont
rol
stheday
-
t
o-day act
ivi
ti
es. Most of t
he f
unct
ions such as i
nit
iat
ing and
commenci
ngsowi
ng,har
vest
inget
c.ar
esuper
vi heKar
sedbyt anav
an.
Hehast
hef
ulll
egalandadmi
nist
rat
ivepowerov heaat
ert har
as.The
Kur
ichy
aswor
shi
pthei
rancest
ralsacr
edspi
ri
tsandt
heyhav
eacl
an
dei
ty.

Kur
ichy
asf
oll
owed mat
ri
li
nealf
ami
l
ysy
stem ov
ergener
ati
ons.Thei
r
member
shi
pinl
i
neageswentonmot
her
’ssi
de.Thechi
l
drenwi
l
lbe
spendi
ngt
hei
rchi
l
dhoodi
nthei
rfat
her
’shouse.Despi
te,
thechi
l
drenar
e
nott
hemember
sint
hei
rfat
her
’sTar
avad.Af
tert
hechi
l
dhood,t
heyl
i
ve
22
i
nmot
her
’sMi
tt
om,whoar
eguar
dedbyt
hei
runcl
es.Sonsl
i
vei
nthei
r
mot
her
’sMi
tt
om f
orev
er;t
hegi
rl
swi
l
lgot
othei
rhusband’
shouseaf
ter
mar
ri
age.Yet
,nowi
fehasmember
shi
pinherhusband’
sfami
l
y.Wi
dows
mustber
etur
nedt
ot rownMi
hei tt
om.Ther
euncl
e-nephew r
elat
ioni
s
v
eryst
rongandt
hesuccessi
onwi
l
lbeexchangesf
r heKar
om t anav
ant
o
hi
snepheworbr
other
.

Kur
ichy
a’spr
oper
tyi
ncl
udesf
iel
ds,
plant
ati
onsandhouseswhi
char
ethe
i
ntegr
atedpr
oper
tyofMi
tt
om.Ther
ewi
l
lhav
enot
hei
ndi
vi
dualpr
oper
ty.
Tr
adi
ti
onali
nher
it
ance oft
hei
rpr
oper
tycont
inues on mot
her
’sl
i
ne.
Pr
oper
tyi
sjoi
ntl
yownedbyaf
ami
l
yandal
lmember
sar
ebenef
it
edf
rom
t
hepr
oper
ty.TheTar
avadpr
oper
tyi
sdi
vi
dedamongi
tsaat
har
as.For
exchangi
ngormor
tgagi
ngort
aki
ngdeci
si
onont
hepr
oper
ty hePi
,t tt
an
neededt
heconsentofal
lmember
sinaat
har
a.Thei
ndi
vi
dualr
ight
sov
er
t
hei
ntegr
atedpr
oper
tyoft
heTar
avadar
ever
yli
mit
ed.Themember
sar
e
notal
l
owedt
ocl
aim ov
ert
hei
rpor
ti
on.Thepr
oper
tyoft
hel
i
neagei
s
gonet
othenephewsandt
her
esti
stoal
lfami
l
ymember
s.

TheAl
i
yasant
anam Sy
stem i
nTul
uNadu

Besi
dest
he Kur
i as,Al
chy i
yasant
anam ofTul
u Nadu (
the ar
ea f
rom
Kasar
godi
nthesout
htoBay
indur
-Kat
turi
nthenor
th)i
sal
somer
it
edan
i
mpor
tant posi
ti
on among t
he mat
ri
li
neal communi
ty. Ter
m
Al
i
yasant
anam means Mar
umakkat
hay
am.The wor
d‘Al
i
ya’means
nephew andSant
anameansDay
am ori
nher
iance.TheAl
t i
yasant
anam
sy
stem has been st
udi
ed byK T Rav
ivar
ma i
n a det
ail
ed manner
.
I
nher
it
ance ofpr
oper
ty,mat
ri
li
neage,mar
it
alr
elat
ion bet
ween t
he
chi
l
dren ofbr
otherand si
steret
c ar
ever
y si
mil
art
othatoft
he
Mar
umakkat
hay
eesi
nNor
ther
nMal
abar
.Bandus,
Bil
l
avaandMoger
aar
e
nAl
mai i
yasant
anees.

23
Oneoft
hei
mpor
tantf
eat
uresoft
hei
rpr
act
ice(
Ali
yasant
anam)pr
esence
ofbal
i
,si
mil
art
othe I
ll
oms oft
he Ti
yyas.Ther
eis bal
iin ev
ery
communi
tyi
n Tul
u Nadu exceptt
her
e Br
ahmi
ns.Each communi
ty
consi
statl
eastt ybal
went i
s.I
tisgoest
hroughmot
her
’ssi
de.The
mar
ri
ageoft
hemember hesamebal
soft iisnotal
l
owed.Mar
ri
agehas
necessi
tat
edt
heconsentoft
heseni
ormal
es. Theyusedt
het
erm
Kudumbam orKav
arut
oref he Tar
ert avad.Common r
esi
dence of
Kudumbam i ed Ai
scal
l nmanaorGut
hthu(
meansl
arger
esi
dence)or
Beedu.

Fami
l
ypr
oper
tyi
smanagedbyt
heseni nAi
ormostmemberi nmana;
thi
s
per
sonmaybemal
eorf
emal
ewhoi edYaj
scal
l amananorYaj
amanat
hi.
Yaj
amanat
hihav
eleav
edherhusband’
shomeandr
etur
ntoherown
r dence.The Al
esi i
yasant
aneesconsi
dert
hatt
heowneroft
hef
ami
l
y
pr
oper
tyi
stobewomen;y
et,t
headmi
nist
rat
ionoft
hecl
ani
shol
dsby
mal
es.

Anot
herdi
sti
ngui
shedf
eat
ur heAl
eoft i
yasant
aneesi
sthatt
hecoupl
e
l
i
vesi
nhusband’
sresi
dence.Thewi
fewor
ksi
nherhusband’
shouse.
Anul
omasy
stem ofmar
ri
agesi
snotcommonamongt
hem.Successi
on
goes t
o t
he el
dest son of t
he el
dest si
ster
.Iti
s known as
Mar
umakav
azhcha.Thi
ski
ndofsuccessi
onhasbeenf
oll
owedbyt
he
Samant
hady
nast
y,an Al
i
yasant
anam communi
tyi
n Tul
u Nadu.The
Mar
umakav
azhchai
stheonl
ylegal
i
zedsy
stem ofsuccessi
on.I
nthe
absenceoft
hesonoft
heel
dersi
ster
,successi
oni
shel
dbyot
her
member
s.Ther
ightt
oancest
ralpr
oper
tyr
emai
nsi
nthehandsoft
he
women.I
tissucceedi
ngonl
ythr
ought
hedaught
ers.Mal
eshav
ethe
r
ightt
o bower
.Thef
atherwi
l
lbegi
vi
ng a por
ti
on ofhi
sindi
vi
dual
pr
oper
tyt
othesons.Thus,f
ather
-sonr
elat
i nAl
oni i
yasant
anam sy
stem
i
sver
yst
rong.Wi
dowsshoul
dappr
oacht
oherpar
ent
s,nott
ouncl
e.The
24
i
ndi
vi
dualpr
oper
tymaybet
ransf
err
edt
owi
feandchi
l
dren,sot
heyal
so
r
ecei
vet
osel
f-
acqui
redpr
oper
ty.TheKar
anav
anwi
l
lal
way
sgov
ernt
he
f
ami
l
y pr
oper
ty wi
th cooper
ati he Kar
on oft anav
athi
.Itmeans t
he
Kar
anav
ani
nAl
i
yasant
anam sy
stem wi
l
lnotbeanaut
ocr
atr
uler
.

Al
i
yasant
anam sy
stem i
nTul
uNadui
sthebestexampl
efort
hatt
he
Mar
umakkat
hay
am wasnotr
est
ri
ctedi
nKer
alaonl
y.Themat
ri
li
neal
sy
stem ofNor
thMal
abari
sver
ysi
mil
art
othatoft
heTul
uar
eas.But
,the
mar
it omsofAl
alcust i
yasant
aneesi
smor
eof
fi
ci
alt
hant
hatofMal
abar
andt
her
efat
her
-chi
l
drenr
elat
ionbecamev
eryst
rong.

Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep has t
he l
argest communi
ty t
hat f
oll
ows
Mar
umakkat
hay
am sy
stem of i
nher
it
ance.Rav
ivar
ma i
n hi
s book
pr
ovi
desmor
eemphasi
zeont
hemat
ri
li
nealf
eat
uresofLakshadweep.
Ther
ejoi
ntf
ami
l ed Tar
ycal
l avad has a Kar
anav
an and t
he f
ami
l
y
member
shol
dspr
oper
tyi
ncommon.Fami
l
ypr
oper
tyi
smanagedbyt
he
Kar
anav
an.Hei
sresponsi
blet
othewel
lbei
ngofal
lTar
avadmember
s.
I
neachi
sl
andst
her eanumberofTar
ear avad.Eachoft
hem consi
sted
oft
hreet
osi
xgener
ati
ons.Duet
othei
ncr
easeofmember
sint
hef
ami
l
y,
he Tar
t avad wi
l
lbe di
ssol
ved i
ntot
avazhi
s orUpat
avazhi
s cal
l
ed
Koot
takkar
.

Ther
eisanupperuni
tofev
eryTar
avadknownasKudumbam.I
tincl
udes
ext
ensi
vel
i oupofTar
neagesofagr avads.Eachoft
hem i
ncl
udest
wot
o
f
ourTar
avads.TheTar
avadsi
nthesameKudumbam ar
edescended
f
rom acommonancest
ress,t
hemar
it
alr
elat
ionsbet
weent
hem ar
enot
al
l
owed.Ther
esoci
alandr
eli
giouscer
emoni
eshav
ebeencel
ebr
ated
j
oint
ly.Tav
azhi
sandpi
rasar
ethel
owestuni
t heTar
soft avad.

Kar
anav
ani
sthenameofheadsi
ntheTar
avad,t
avazhiandPi
ra.The
25
Kar
anav
an i
sthesuper
visoroft
heday
-to-
dayadmi
nist
rat
ion oft
he
Tar
avadaswel
laspr
oper
ty.Ri
tual
sandcel
ebr
ati
onsi
nthet
avazhi
sor
pi
rasnecessi
tat
edt
heof
fi
ci heTar
alconsentoft avadKar
anav
an.The
el
destwomeni
nthef
ami
l
y heKar
,t anav
athial
sohasaspeci
alposi
ti
on.
Thehousehol
dri
tual
swoul
dnotbeconduct
edwi
thoutt
heconsentof
heKar
t anav
athi
.

AMot
her
-sonaswel
lasmot
her
-daught
err
elat
ionsi
nLakshadweepar
e
v
eryst
rong.Soni
sresponsi
blet
oful
fi
ltheneedsofhi
smot
her
.The
mot
heral
sohassomedut
iesandr
esponsi
bil
i
tiest
ohersonsuchast
o
pr
omot
ether
elat
ionofhersonwi
thhi
swi
fe,t
osendsweet
stot
he
houseofson’
swi
feandt
oassi
sti
nthecer
emonyofgi
vi
ngnamet
oher
gr
andchi
l
dren.

The peopl
ein Lakshadweep f
oll
ow mar
it
alr
elat
ions wi
tht
he same
communi
ti
es;Anul
omamar
ri
agesar
enotcommon.Mar
ri
agebet
ween
t
hemember hesameKudumbam i
soft snotper
mit
ted.Ther
ear
etwo
cust
omsf
ormar
ri
age;t
hef
ir sNi
stonei kkahorKaanat
hu(
anI
slami
c
mar
it
alcust
om)andt sMankal
henexti am.Mal
esi
nKoy
acommuni
ty
hav
ebeenengagedi
nanul
omamar
ri
ageswi
tht
hef
emal
esi
nMal
miand
Mel
acher
ycommuni
ti
es.Thei
rchi
l
drenwi
l
lbet
hemember
sofmot
her
’s
Tar
avad.

Boat
s,t
reesanddwel
l
ingsar
ethei
rmaj
orpr
oper
ti
es.Theyar
ebeowned
heTar
byt avadori
ndi
vi
dual
s.Thei
nher
it heTar
anceoft avadpr
oper
tyi
s
accor
ding t
othe mat
ri
li
nealsy
stem and t
he pr
oper
tyofi
ndi
vi
dual
s
f
olowsShar
l iatl
aws.Al
lmember
sincl
udi heKar
ngt anav
anhav
eequal
r
ight
stoTar
avadpr
oper
tyi
.e.t
her
ight
stoenj
oybenef
it
sfr
om i
t,nott
o
.The Kar
exchange orsel
l anav
an di
str
ibut
ed t
he benef
itf
rom t
his
pr
oper
t heTar
yamongt avadmember
s.But
,thet
avazhi
sandaper
son
whoat
tai
nei
ght
eeny
ear
sofagecanr
equestt
hei
rpor
ti
onoft
heTar
avad
26
pr
oper
ty.I
fthi
sper
soni
samal
e,t
hispor
ti
onwi
l
lmi
ngl
ewi
tht
hef
ami
l
y
pr
oper
ty;
int
hecaseofwoman,
itwi
l
lnotmi
ngl
ebut
,herchi
l
drenoccupy
i
t.

Ther
eis no a name f
ort
he mat
ri
li
nealsy
stem i
n Lakshadweep.
Rav
ivar
maconsi
der
sthati
tsnameMar
umakkat
hay
am i
sgi
venbyt
he
Makkat
hay
ees who i
mmi
grat
ed f
rom Ker
alai
n ear
lyt
imes.But
,the
aut
horoft
heLakshadweepGazet
teeropi
nedt
hatt
hei
mmi
grant
sint
he
i
sl eMar
andswer umakkat
hay
ees.I
fthi
svi
ewi
str
ue,wecanensur
ethe
f
actt
hatt
hemat
ri
li
nealsy
stem i
nKer
alahasemer
gedbef
oreni
net
hor
t
ent
hcent
ury
.

Thr
ough t
he st
udy oft
he v
ari
ous mat
ri
li
nealcommuni
ti
es,Icoul
d
under
standt
hef
actt
hatt
heat
tempt
stor
efor
mthi
ssy
stem hav
enot
beenaf
fect heMar
edt umakkat
hay
eesout
sideKer
ala.Because,unl
i
kei
n
Ker
ala’
smat
ri
li
ny,t
her
eisnoaut
ocr
atr
ul heKar
ebyt anav
an i
nTul
u
Nadu,Lakshadweepandoft
heKur
ichy eKar
as.Ther anav
arsr
ulest
he
Tar
avad,i
nwhi
chheal
way
sconsi
der
sthel
i
kesandopi
nionsofot
her
f
ami
l
ymember
s.So,
ther
epeopl
edi
dnotneedr
efor
m oft
hemat
ri
li
ny.I
n
t
he case ofLakshadweep,t
her
e wer
e many ef
for
tst
oref
orm t
he
i
nher
it
ance sy
stem by t
he gov
ernment
,but
,ther
e peopl
e st
rongl
y
r
esi
st es.Thus,Mar
edsuchmor umakkat
hay
am hasbeenf
oll
owst
oday
i
nLakshadweep,
Tul
uar
easandal
soi
nWay
nadbyt
heKur
ichy
as.

The et
hnogr
apher
s wer
e most
lyi
nter
est
ed i
nthe ant
hropol
ogi
cal
aspect
s oft
he mat
ri
li
nealsy
stem.I
nthei
rwr
it
ings t
her
e ar
elar
ge
si
mil
ari
ti
esbet
weent
hemat
ri
li
nealsy
stemsofcommuni
ti
eswi
thmuch
l
ess di
ff
erences. Ant
hropol
ogi
sts bel
i
eve t
hat t
he sour
ce of
Mar
umakkat
hay
am i
s Mal
abar
,though i
thas a st
rong r
ooti
nthe
nor
ther
nKer
ala.

27
Besi
dest
heet
hnogr
apher
sandant
hropol
ogi
stst
hehi
stor
iansal
sohav
e
beenmuchi
nter
est
edi
nthest heMar
udyoft umakkat
hay
am sy
stem.
Maj
orhi
stor
icalt
heor
iesont
her
easonsofi
tsor
igi
nandanal
ysi
sof
mar
it
alcust
omsar
eexami
nedi
nthenextchapt
er.

28