| The world has become a 'tiny village' these days | | | | process, I have to explain something about the |
| because of the modern scientific developments and | | | | words like 'Kerala', 'Valluvanad', and 'Nair'. You know, |
| the globalization that is happening throughout the | | | | India is a vast country; in fact it is just like a |
| world. Everywhere we are watching fast changes in | | | | continent by itself not just a country with its |
| almost all arenas of life. But certain things like the | | | | diversified customs, manners and way of behaving! |
| customs and manners are not changing as fast as | | | | 'Kerala' is one among its different 'States' and |
| the other outward things! It is usually seen that we | | | | 'Valluvanad area' is a small part of 'Kerala' and is |
| have got a tendency to cling to the 'old' ones, which | | | | located in the southeastern part of Kerala and the |
| we term as the 'traditional', when we come to the | | | | word 'Nair' is already explained above. You can see |
| socio-cultural aspects of the society in which we live. | | | | that even within this little state of 'Kerala', we have |
| Here let me narrate to you about a 'cremation | | | | got very many different ways of looking at life and |
| ceremony' within the 'Valluvanad Nair Community', to | | | | different ways of living and each one differs from |
| which I belong. The essence of this article is taken | | | | the other! We, the nair population of 'Valluvanad' |
| from my own personal experiences. When I | | | | area, is very serious about life and for each and |
| completed the writing, it became a little bit lengthy | | | | every minute happenings of 'life', we strictly adhere |
| and so finally I decided to divide it into six parts. I | | | | to the good old traditions! About other things I will |
| hope that you will get a basic idea of the 'cremation | | | | explain later, if time and my mind agree to it! Now let |
| process' within the 'Valluvanad Nair Community', by | | | | us come to the details regarding the cremation of a |
| going through these 6 parts and sincerely wish that | | | | dead man or woman and see how that is being |
| somebody within this community may happen to | | | | conducted within the community. |
| read this, so that if there are any corrections or | | | | An important point to be noted regarding 'cremation' |
| additions, they can add them! | | | | within this community is that the 'burning' process is |
| These articles will describe to you the 'cremation | | | | done only if the deceased is an adult. If the dead |
| ceremony' of a typical 'Valluvanad Nair community | | | | happens to be a child, then instead of the cremation, |
| member'. What I wanted to convey is the general | | | | the method will be converted into 'burial'. One of the |
| way of cremating a 'dead body' of a 'Valluvanadan | | | | main things regarding the cremation is that 'women' |
| Nair community' member, without going into the | | | | are not allowed to participate in the proceedings. |
| minute details. The 'Kerala Nair community' is a | | | | They are left freely for 'weeping' and 'crying'! They |
| sub-division of the 'Hindu religion'. (In fact it is wrong | | | | can later join the proceedings of the 14th and 15th |
| to say 'Hindu religion'. There is no such thing as a | | | | day rituals which are termed as 'Kriyas' colloquially. |
| 'Hindu religion'; it is just a 'philosophy' and not a | | | | The whole family is said to have a 'defilement by |
| structured 'religion'. You can say 'Hindu Philosophy' | | | | death in the family' which is described as the 'Pula' in |
| instead of 'Hindu religion'.) 'Nair community' is one | | | | the vernacular and this 'Pula' is considered to be there |
| among the various divisions and sub-divisions of the | | | | till the 15th day 'Kriyas' are over. During these 15 days |
| 'Hindu' cult. What I am trying to narrate to the | | | | the concerned people will not go inside the temples |
| readers is just an outline and the general ways of the | | | | or attend any auspicious functions. These are all old |
| cremation of a 'Valluvanadan Nair Community | | | | customs and during these modern times, because of |
| member'. | | | | the total changes all over the world, these customs |
| Here, before going to the details of cremation | | | | are not adhered to very strictly. |