Valan
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Valans are a Malayali caste based in Kerala, India. They are mostly based in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Valans are a Malayali caste based in Kerala, India. They are mostly based in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Variations
There are no subdivisions in the caste, but the members are said to belong to four exogamous Illam called "Nalillacaran" (Illom is the clan name not the name of brahmin household), namely, Alayakkad, Ennalu, Vaisyagiram and Vazhapally. These correspond to the gotras of the Brahmins, or to four clans, the members of each of which are perhaps descended from a common ancestor. According to a tradition current among them, they were once attached to the four Namboothiri illam above mentioned for service of some kind, and were even the descendants of the members of the illams, but were doomed to the present state of degradation on account of some misconduct. Their homes are called "Agam". Even now, these Brahmin families are held in great respect by Valans, who when afflicted with family calamities, visit the respective illams with present of a few packets of betel leaves and few annas, to receive the blessing of Brahman masters, which, according to their belief, may tend to avert them. They were men engaged in boat service or farmers and some practiced medicine and ayurveda, vishachikitsa and in some places were affluent and were landlords.
References
Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1375526426 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.