varna and jati

[N. Ganesan]

>  I would safely rule out any argument of inter caste marriages, as
>the Namboodiris are amongst the most casteist brahmins in BhArath.

  Pl. check Kathleen Gough's writings: Eg., The definition of
Nayar marriage, etc.,


[...] Thevars in Tamil Nadu, the present land owning classes in Bihar
etc. Early Tamil texts also speak of the division of the society into
four castes, even before the advent of the brahmin into the Southern
lands. [...]

FYI, Thevars are not among the rich castes; In general,
their land, Ramnad dist. is perennially dry; On maRavar,
see CilappatikAram. Thevar vs. Untouchables fights are
on the rise because today, some sections of Dalits are richer than
upper castes.

Want to which early Tamil texts "divide society into
four castes"?

Regards,
N. Ganesan


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