The position of Nairs in the caste and ruling structures of
medieval Kerala is a very peculiar one, and this resulted in so many
anthropological studies into it. Volumes have been written by people who
understood it in parts, for decoding the structure and its peculiarities is not
easy. I don’t claim to know even parts of it, but I thought I will cover a
little bit of my gatherings on the specific aspects of Kiriyam and Kiriyathil
nairs here and in particular, as related to Malabar, not Travancore.
The author of The Malabar Manual and a friend of Malabar
There are many Scotsmen, Irish and Englishmen who have spent
long tenures in India, and some have spent their entire adult lifetimes in India
but have done little. Logan Sayipp as he was known in Calicut spent only a few
years but left a huge mark, for unlike many others who followed, he loved the
land (and the people) which he was sent to administer. This man of Scottish
farming stock went on to write what we still consider as source book on Malabar
and his history, the Malabar manual. Let’s now try to get to know the man
behind it all, his life and times.
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