Tag: study of kerala

The Kudis were the families of occupational groups engaged in agriculture. The chief of Kudi was Kudipathi.

The northernmost Nadu in medieval Kerala was Kolathunadu. The Nadus were under the Perumals who ruled Kerala with their capital at Mahodayapuram. All the 14 nadus from Kolathunadu in the north to the Venad in the south accepted the rule of the Perumals.

Owners of devaswam land were called Ooralar . The rulers, Brahmins or the people of the temple did not directly cultivate in this land. They used to give the land for cultivation to middle men called, Karalar.

Trade continued through the land route as well as the sea route during the medieval period. Chanthas and Angadies were the major regional trade centers and commodities like paddy, rice, vegetables, betal nut, salt, fish, etc were exchanged. Long distance trade was mainly with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and constituted rice, chilli, cotton, other cloth materials, silk, and horses. The Arabs, Chinese, Europeans, etc. were the main foreign traders. Black pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, other spices, coconut, etc. were taken from Kerala while Gold, copper, silver, china clay pottery, silk, etc. were brought to Kerala.

During the medieval period, communities engaged in various occupations and these occupations were eventually categorized into castes. Some people engaged in agriculture and the making of agricultural equipments. Some were involved in handicrafts and making of metal equipments while some were involved in weaving and oil production.

There were three broad types of land based on the ownership right during the Medieval period in Kerala. They were Cherikkal, Brahmaswam and Devaswam. The land under the control of the Brahmins was called Brahmaswam.

Farming and agriculture in the medieval times in Kerala was dependent on the south-west monsoon and the north-east monsoon. The south-west monsoon was called Edavapathy and the north-east monsoon was called Thulavarsham.

There were three broad types of land based on the ownership right during the Medieval period in Kerala. They were Cherikkal, Brahmaswam and Devaswam. The land under the control of the temples was called Devaswam.

Chanthas and Angadies were the major regional trade centers of Kerala during the medieval period. Commodities used daily such as paddy, rice, vegetables, betal nut, salt, fish, etc, were the major items exchanged in these centers.

Anjuvannam and Manigramam are the trade guilds existed in medieval Kerala till the 14th century. They were active in both sea and land trade.