കുടക് ജില്ലയിൽ നിന്ന് ഇറങ്ങി വന്ന കുടകുഭട്ടർ എന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മിൺ സമുദായത്തിൽപ്പെട്ട നമ്മുടെ identity വള്ളുവക്കോനാതിരിയുടെയും ഏറനാടൻ പെരുമാക്കളുടെയും out agency ആയ നിലമ്പൂർ കോവിലകത്ത് എത്തപ്പെട്ട നമ്മുടെ പൂർവ്വീകർ കുലത്തൊഴിലായ പൂജക്ക് അപ്പുറത്തുള്ള ഗുരുകുല വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ സമ്പ്രദായം കല്പിച്ചു നൽകിയതിൻ്റെ പേരിൽ കുടകു ഭട്ടന്മാരായ നമ്മൾ എഴുത്ത് ആശാൻ അഥവാ എഴുത്തച്ഛന്മാരായി പരിണമിച്ചതാണ് ചരിത്രം.

Ezhuthachan (caste)

Malayalam literature
Palakkad district
LET’S KEEP IT SHORT BY SIMPLY ANSWERING THESE KEY QUESTIONS:

SHOW ALL QUESTIONS

Ezhuthachan(pronunciation, Malayalam: എഴുത്തച്ഛൻ, Ezhuthachan), also known as Kadupattar(pronunciation, Malayalam: കടുപട്ടr, kaṭupaṭṭan) is a caste native to the Indian state of Kerala. It is classified as an Other Backward Class by the Government of India under its system of positive discrimination.

They mainly belong to the districts of Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram and Kozhikode of Kerala, has also presence outside and other parts of India.
There are more people in the teaching sector in the community. Ezhuthachan is a caste who have teaching as a traditional profession. There is an organization representing the community as Ezhuthachan Samajam.

Genesis
There are two main beliefs about the origin of the Kadupattan people.

1. Pattar(Bhattar) Brahmins who were boycotted from Kadu village of medieval Chola, Pandya region, Due to the introduction of Buddhism. From the Zamorin’s Kovilakam (Ambadi Kovilakam) the elder Thamburatti(Senior princess) asserted the title Ezhuthachan and assigned as village school master.

2. A Jain guild, who was prominent in teaching, came to Kerala and became Village school teachers. With the influence of the Bhakthi movement, they came under Hinduism.

History

The Kaduru (In present Karnataka) of the Western Ganga dynasty was a Jainite settlement; From 8th to 10th centuries Jainism was the prominent religion in the Western Ganga dynasty. From 9th to 13th centuries today’s the Patancheru or Pottalakkare in Telangana was the principal Jain hub in South India. In Jainism, there was a tradition of using the province name once abandoned as clan name. Evidence suggests that Kadupattan was a Jain guild that formed Kaduru and Patancheru which was prominent in the teaching profession.

After the twelfth century, Prominence of Jainism in South India decreased significantly, Many followers of Jainism abandoned their settlements and moved to the south (Today’s Tamil Nadu). Kadupattigal one among thirteenth century rulers of the southern Arcot who were present on the banks of Kaveri River should have been the ancestors of Ezhuthachan(Kadupattan).

Wars that took place during the course of thirteenth and fourteenth centuries (Sadayavarman Sundara Pandyan I and Kakatiya, Delhi Sultanate), Caused Kadupattans came to Kerala through the path which was present from banks of Kaveri through the Nilgiri mountains, and with the influence of the Bhakti movement they were Hinduised as Vaishnava(Ramanuja), Shaiva and Shaktheya; In Occupation Ezhuthachan (Village school master), Teachers who practiced Shakthi worship became known as Gurukkal. Historian K. Balakrishna Kurup concludes history of Ezhuthachan(Kadupattan) caste as this.

It is believed that the Kadupattans reached Malabar by the fifteenth century(c. C.E 1447). Although the Aithihyamala says about a magician(Chembra Makku Ezhuthachan) who belonged to Kadupattan caste a disciple of the Kakkassery Bhattathiri and member of a family who had been a teacher of traditional heritage, his lifespan is unclear. One of the first government records which mentions the Ezhutachan caste is the British India census taken on 17 February 1881.

Kadupattans entered Kerala through Palakkad Gap, Their migration took place as number of groups of families.

First group of eight families(Ettu veettukar) came and settled near Tirunavaya in Malabar region, some of their family names were

Thekkeppattu, Vadakkeppattu, Kizhakkeppattu, Padinjareppattu, Meleppattu, Keezheppattu.

Family of Chembra Ezhuthachan belongs to the tradition of Ettu veettukar. And the second group of thirty two families(Muppaththirandu veettukaar) settled in Thrissur region. Soon after another group of close relatives of Ettu veettukar and Muppaththirandu veettukaar settled in Palakkad region. Gradually they spread to other areas. Clashes between soldiers of Zamorin and Portuguese India Armadas that took place during sixteenth century on coastal areas of Malabar region, caused many Kadupattans who were inhabitants of coastal areas of Kingdom of Tanur to move to Kanniyampuram of Valluvanad (southern Malabar)(In present Ottappalam taluk), Chittur and other parts of Kingdom of Cochin and settle there.

Ezhuthupallis (Traditional village school). They taught wealthy people by staying at their home and this practice was called Ezhuthachan thamasikkuka(pronunciation, Malayalam) എഴുത്തച്ഛൻ താമസിക്കുക, eḻuttacchan tamasikkuka). Traditionally, although caste gave importance to teaching, other tasks such as palanquin bearing, carrying salt, oil, and their marketing, agriculture etc. were also present. Famous Magicians, Physicians, Astrologers and Sanskrit scholars have been emerged from this caste. Panikkar was the title which used by some kadupattans.

After the introduction of modern public education system, traditional teaching methods were less important in the society. Many Ezhuthupallis(Traditional Village school) that ran by Ezhuthachans(Kadupattan) were converted to public school with modern teaching method. In the 19th century when British rule introduced public education in Malabar, Ezhuthachan community made major contributions in the field of public education of Valluvanad.

M.T.Vasudevan Nair is belonging to മാടത്ത് തെക്കേ വീട്ടിൽ എന്ന പേര് ആദ്യം വന്നിറങ്ങിയ എഴുത്തച്ഛൻ 8 വീട്ടുകാരുടെ കാര്യസ്ഥന്മാരായ ശൂദ്രന്മാരായ നായർ തറവാട്ടുകാരാണ് മാടപ്പാട്ട് തെക്കേപ്പാട്ട് എഴുത്തച്ഛൻ വീട്ടുകാരുടെ കാര്യസ്ഥന്മാരായിരുന്നു എന്ന് നമ്മളിൽ എത്രപേർക്ക് അറിയാം??

അപ്പോൾ നമ്മുടെ പാരമ്പര്യം അഥവാ DNA കാത്തുസൂക്ഷിക്കുന്ന ഒരു തലമുറയായി നമ്മുടെ പാരമ്പര്യം കാത്തുസൂക്ഷിക്കുന്ന വിഭാഗമായി നമ്മൾ ഉത്തരവാദിത്വത്തോടെ പെരുമാറണം എന്നാണ് എനിക്ക് അഭ്യർത്ഥിക്കാനുള്ളത്.