Tamburan caste is surname of many people in southern India. Tamburan caste meaning is For the following note on the Rajahs or Tamburans, I am indebted to the Travancore Census Report, 1901. They form an endogamous community of Kshatriyas, and live as seven families in Travancore. They are distinguished by the localities in which they reside, viz, Mavelikkara, Ennaikkat, Kartikapalli, Mariappalli, Tiruvalla, Praikkara, and Aranmula. They are all related by blood, the connection between some of [7]them being very close. Like the Koiltampurans, all the members of their community observe birth and death pollution with reference to each other. Their original home is Kolattunat in North Malabar, and their immigration into Travancore, where the reigning family is of the Kolattunat stock, was contemporaneous, in the main, with the invasion of Malabar by Tippu Sultan. The first family that came into the country from Kolattunat was the Putuppalli Kovilakam in the 5th century M.E. (Malabar era). The Travancore royal family then stood in need of adoption. The then Rajah arranged through a Koiltampuran of Tattarikkovilakam to bring from Kolattunat two princesses for adoption, as his negotiations with the then Kolattiri were fruitless. The Puttuppali Kovilakam members thus settled themselves at Kartikapalli, the last of whom died in 1030 M.E. The next family that migrated was Cheriyakovilakam, between 920 and 930 M.E. They also came for adoption. But their right was disputed by another house, Pallikkovilakam. They then settled themselves at Aranmula. The third series of migrations were during the invasion of Malabar by Tippu in 964 M.E. All the Rajahs living there at the time came over to Travancore, of whom, however, many returned home after a time.
The Rajahs, like the Koiltampurans, belong to the Yajurveda section of Dvijas, but follow the sutra laid down by Baudhayana. Their gotra is that of Bhargava, i.e, Parasurama, indicating in a manner that these are Kshatriyas who were accepted by Parasurama, the uncompromising Brahmin of the Hindu Puranas. They have all the Brahminical Samskaras, only the Brahmin priest does most of them on their behalf. Chaulam, or tuft ceremony, is performed along with Upanayanam. The Samavartanam, or termination of the pupil stage, [8]is celebrated on the fourth day of the thread investiture. Instruction in arms is then given to the Kshatriya boy, and is supposed to be kept up until the requisite skill has been obtained. The tali-tying (mangalya dharanam or pallikkettu of a Raja lady) is done by a Koiltampuran, who thereafter lives with her as her married husband. The Kanyakadanam, or giving away of the bride, is performed by the priest who attends also to the other Sastraic rites. The males take Sudra consorts. If the first husband leaves by death or otherwise, another Koiltampuran may be accepted. This is not called marriage, but kuttirikkuka (living together).
At Sradhas (memorial services), the Karta, or performer of the ceremony, throws a flower as a mark of spiritual homage at the feet of the Brahmins who are invited to represent the manes, and greets them in the conventional form (namaskara). The priest does the other ceremonies. After the invited Brahmins have been duly entertained, oblations of cooked rice are offered to the ancestors by the Karta himself.
They are to repeat the Gayatri ten times at each Sandhya prayer, together with the Panchakshara and the Ashtakshara mantras.
Their caste government is in the hands of the Nambutiri Vaidikas. Their family priests belong to the class of Malayala Pottis, known as Tiruveli Pottis.
Besides the ordinary names prevalent among Koiltampurans, names such as Martanda Varma, Aditya Varma, and Udaya Varma are also met with. Pet names, such as Kungaru, Kungappan, Kungoman, Kungunni, Unni and Ampu are common. In the Travancore Royal House, the first female member always takes the name of Lakshmi and the second that of Parvati.[9]
Tamburan 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. Tamburan caste name could indicate the type of work people belonging to the Tamburan 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
Tamburan 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.
Tamburan caste is also known as Tamburan 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.