Women
empowerment and emancipation of women are ideals and future goals for many
sections in the society but for Nairs it is a reality from ancient times and
Nair women are one of the few groups in the world who enjoyed equality with men
in almost all walks of life.
Ancient Nairs
followed a system known as Marumakkathayam which provided security and freedom
to Nair women at those times. This was unknowingly translated as matriarchy by
some western educated scholars. Though women commanded respect among Nairs,
Nairs cannot be called a matriarchal society in the real sense. Let us bear in
mind the complexities of Nair society and family when we speak of empowered
Nair women.
Ancient Nair
women were free and it was almost impossible for erring men to exploit sexually
or otherwise the proud and brave Nair women. But Nair women never dominated men
as some academics have tried to portray and Nair women never headed Nair
families or had an upper hand in social set up compared to men as written by
some half baked intellectuals. This equality among men and women gave security
to Nair women and Nair women did not consider men as opponents.
Actually, in
ancient times Nair joint families were headed by Old maternal uncles instead of
fathers. Maternal uncles and elders commanded immense respect of nephews. Their
views were normally obeyed. This was the general norm. But in the case of rich
there was freedom to differ within the system. Rich husbands often gave
separate gifts to their wives and clearly had a special say in the upbringing
of children. Like other Hindus, Nair women also respected husbands and
conducted many religious rights for the well being of husbands. The social set
up ensured freedom as well as security to Nair women.
Though old males
headed who headed joint families guided Nair women, she enjoyed a fair degree
of freedom economically and socially. Ancient Nair women had the right to
choose their husbands and divorce if she found it was impossible to maintain healthy
relationship. Dowry system was not prevalent among Nairs before 1940s. Nair
women were also allowed to learn martial arts (Kalari) and had the right to
education.
Nair women
enjoyed sexual freedom also but there were checks and balances to prevent it
from becoming anarchy. Sexual crimes were less and Males would think twice
before trying to attack armed Nair ladies.
When heads
called Karanavars took decisions, they took into consideration views of women
folk also. Autocracy of Uncles was not tolerated.
Many western
trained academics did not understand this complex system and they simply termed
Nairs Matriarchal like some tribal communities. But it is far from truth. Such
wrong conclusions are the result of trying to define position of Nair women
using parameters fixed by Western sociologists. Many of such conclusions are
only partial truths and do not really reflect the social system that existed
among Nairs.
Such complex
family systems came into place as young Nair males were mainly warriors by
profession and could not concentrate on the day to day affairs of the family.
Old males were into agricultural activities and looked after families.
Nairs owned
vast tracts of land in Kerala and their women had the right over crop yields of
certain portions. This gave them economic freedom to a certain extent. Of
course, the main income had to be distributed by uncles. Normally married girls
continued to live with her parents and husbands came to her family. It meant
there was little chance for women to face harassment from in laws.
(Marumakkathayam
has been abolished by law in Kochi in 1920, Travancore in 1925 and Malabar in
around 1933. Nairs now have nuclear families consisting of father, mother and
children and sometimes grandfather and grandmother)
