Kolayan caste is surname of many people in southern India. Kolayan caste meaning is It is recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, that the caste is found chiefly in the Kasaragod taluk of South Canara, and in the northern part of Malabar. In South Malabar, it is called Urali. Its traditional occupation is herding cows, and it claims the privilege of supplying milk and ghee to certain Hindu temples, but at present most of its members are [300]masons. It has two endogamous sections, Ayan or Kol-Ayan, and Mariyan or Eruman (Eruma, a cow-buffalo). It is further noted, in the same report under the heading Eruman, that the people of the caste were originally buffalo drivers and keepers, and still follow their traditional occupation in the Kasaragod taluk of South Canara. In North Malabar, they are masons and bricklayers. The masonry work of temples is done by Kolayans.
The name Kolayan has been said to be derived from Golla and Ayan, meaning cowherd. Golla is, however, a Telugu word not used in the Malayalam country.
Members of the two sections, Kolayan and Eruman (or Eruvan), are said not to intermarry. Women of both sections may affect sambandham (alliance) with Nayars. Children born of such unions are regarded as somewhat inferior to those born of Kolayan parents, and are not allowed to worship at the temples. The priests of the Kolayans are called Muthavan or Poduvan, and are usually elected by Rajas.
Kolayan girls go through the mangalam or tali-kettu ceremony before they reach puberty. On an auspicious day fixed by the Kanisan (astrologer), the girl sits on a plank in the middle room of the house, and four lamps are placed near her. Her father throws rice and flowers over her head, and ties the tali (marriage emblem) on her neck. The girl, four women, and four girls, are fed in the middle room. On the following day, a priest (Vathiyan) places rice, paddy (unhusked rice), tender cocoanut, betel leaves and areca nuts, before the girl. Men and women of the priests family wave rice, cocoanuts, etc, in front of her both in the morning and afternoon. Finally, towards evening, a Vathiyan woman waves the rice and other articles thrice, calling out [301]Kolachi, Kolachi, Kolachi. The girl may then leave the middle room.
At the first menstrual period, a girl is under pollution for three days. On the first day, a cloth (mattu) is given to her by a washerwoman, and on the fourth day she receives one from a Malayan woman.
The dead are usually cremated. Daily, until the twelfth day of the death ceremonies, food is offered to the spirit of the deceased, on a dais set up outside the house, by the relatives. On the fifth day, all the agnates are purified by the Vathiyan sprinkling water over them. On the twelfth day, the Vathiyan draws the image of a man with vibuthi (sacred ashes) on the spot where the deceased breathed his last. Near the figure, cooked rice, vegetables, etc, are placed. The chief mourner offers these to the dead person, and makes a bundle of them in his cloth. Going outside the house, he kicks the dais already referred to with his foot, while the Vathiyan holds one hand, and his relations the other hand or arm. He then bathes in a tank (pond) or river, while his hands are held in like manner.
Kolayan caste is one of the many castes subcastes of India.
India has thousands of castes and subcastes, they are in existence and practice since the Vedic times. They were created to solve the problem of division of labor. Kolayan caste name could indicate the type of work people belonging to the Kolayan caste do or did in earlier times. Many last names in India indicate the place the person originally belongs to. All castes sub castes are primarily divided into 4 categories:
1.Brahmins – The learned or priestly class
2.Khastriyas – The warrior class or those with governing functions
3.Vaishyas – The trader, agriculturalists or cattle rearers class
4.Shudra – The class that serves other three categories
Kolayan caste belongs to one of the above 4 categories. Indian caste system is the best system to solve the problem of division of labor. In earlier times there was no rigidity in caste system. Indian caste system is still the best solution for the problem of division of labor, the only change that is needed as per changed times is that rather than having a vertical hierarchical system with Brahmins on top and Shudras at bottom, it would be good to have a horizontal socialist system with Brahmins, Khastriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras all at same level.
The caste system of India is in ruins at present. It is also cause of bloody quarrels in certain parts of the rural India. People of backward castes have reservations in government jobs, this facility is widely misused in India. Many of the backward caste people have become rich and still use the facility for their benefit. Many in India believe reservation in jobs should be given on the basis of poverty rather than caste because there are many poors in upper castes as well.
Many criticize the Indian caste system because of bad material condition of lower castes but if they observe in an unbiased way they would find that there are many in upper castes with bad material conditions. The problem lies in power not in castes, power can corrupt anyone be it from upper caste or lower caste.
All cultures, all countries, all religions have caste system in one form or the other. Christians have different churches depending on the region or language or skin color of people. Muslims have a priestly class that tries to control everything. Arab Muslims before the oil boom were so much divided among tribes that if you drank water from a well of a different tribe you could be shot dead. Tribal divisions still exists among Muslims. You can also see the caste system in a different form in your corporate companies. I had seen different food and drinking facilities for people at different levels.
Kolayan caste is also known as Kolayan Gotra.
Caste situation is quiet different in urban India, people in urban areas especially youngsters don?t bother about castes. Inter caste, inter religious, inter lingual marriages are quiet common in urban India. Inter caste, inter religious and inter lingual marriages in rural areas attract severe criticism and many times people are expelled from community for not marrying as per religious and caste rules.