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Historians date it way back to the warring days between the Cholas and the Cheras. But for some matriarchy just seems the natural way,




How it all got started

Views differ. Historians date it way back to the warring days between the Cholas and the Cheras. But for some matriarchy just seems the natural way, that the children take after their mother's name. Some dates it to 1299ce, when King Sangramadheera Ravi Varma, having no successors from his mother's side, adopted two princesses to continue the lineage. From then on, matriliny came to be followed by the kshatriyas and then spread to other communities, they believe

Whatever or however the genesis, over time it came to be that Nair men were prohibited from marrying.
"This strange law was established to prevent them from fixing their love and attachment on their wife and children. Being free from all family cares, they might be more willing to devote themselves to warlike services," wrote Wingram in 1900 in his book Malabar Law and Custom.


Eventually the British came with their ethical concepts regarding marriage and introduced a series of legal enactments that required monagamous marriage arrangements.

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Last Updated: December 11, 1998