Nassuvan

The Nassuvan are a caste of Tamil barbers,^[1] who also serve as village doctors, and assist in death rituals.^[2]

A sub-caste, also Tamil, Nasavan-Vetta was noted in the 1981 Indian census.^[3]

Other synonyms for this caste include Navidan, Nasuvan, Nasavan, Nosivan, Maruttuvar and Ambattan

Etymology

The term Nassuvan may come from the words "unholy", "one who should not be touched", or "one sprung from the nose."^[1]

Ambattan derives from the Sanskrit amba (to be near) and stha (to stand); thus "one who stands near his patients to treat them." The term Maruttuvar derives from maruntu (medicine), in reference to their status as village doctors.^[2]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Edgar Thurston; K. Rangachari (15 November 2001). Castes and tribes of Southern India. Asian Educational Services. pp. 248–. ISBN 9788120602885. http://books.google.com/books?id=FnB3k8fx5oEC&pg=PA248. Retrieved 26 May 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Kumar Suresh Singh; B. V. Bhanu; Anthropological Survey of India (2004). People of India: Maharashtra. Popular Prakashan. pp. 1169–. ISBN 9788179911013. http://books.google.com/books?id=BsBEgVa804IC&pg=PA1169. Retrieved 26 May 2011. 
3. ^ Kumar Suresh Singh (1996). Communities, segments, synonyms, surnames and titles. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 722. ISBN 9780195633573. http://books.google.com/books?id=bfAMAQAAMAAJ. Retrieved 26 May 2011.