Maniyani

The Maniyani are the Kshatriyas of Kerala, India. Maniyanis are also known as kola- aya(kolayars).They are the Yadavas of Kolathnadu and Thulunad.They are seen in Kannur and Kasargod Districts.Ayar is a common surname for Yadavas through out India.They settled in north Kerala about 3000 years back.Kola is the name of Yadava clan who settled in North Kerala Southern Karnataka. According to legend they are said to be the descendants of the pioneer coloniser Sage Agasthya.

Kolayans and Eruvans are the two clans.They are also known as Ayars, Mayars and Kolayans.Yadavas are also wildely known as Nairs and Oorali Nairs ("Ooru"=Land, "Ali"=Ruler). Kerala Yadava Sabha was oraganised in 1980s by N Somanathan, Advocate, Kannur, Kerala and established oraganizational contact throughout India with through the formation of All India Yadava Sabha .

Legend has it that Yadavas followed Sri Parashurama from the northern part of Bharath (India) through the river banks of Godavari and the first settlement were at Trichambaram, in Taliparamba, Kannur where the SreeKrishna temple is situated.Parashurama at his rage killed most of the Kshatriya Kings and was later confronted by Lord Ram who realized the truth later and ended the rage. He requested Varuna to give land and the ocean receded back. The land was later called Kerala. The land was donated to the Brahmins and Yadavas came along with them.

Maniyani is a title given to Kolayans or Yadavas for their excellence in temple construction by the Kolathiri, a Yadava dynasty who ruled the North Malabar area . Later on they began to be known as Nairs.

Yadavas of Malabar followed the matriarchal lineage. Females inherited most of the property and the male got only a life interest in it. The marriage was known as "Pudavamuri'’, a simple ritual of giving "Pudava" by the bridegroom to the bride, and no "thali" or gold rings were exchanged. The system of inheritance was known as "Marumakkathayam" where in the male child also lives with their family and takes care of their land and extended family members. The oldest male member of the family is known as "Karanavar" and he makes the decisions with the help of the oldest female member of the family. "Marumakkathayam" was abolished in 1970s by state law.

Maniyanis are divided into "Illam" and "Kiriyam" according to their blood lineage. Yadavas accepted the name Varma after performing the ritual known as Hiranya Gharbha. They end up marrying other Nairs and those are known as Kettilamma etc.

It is said that Ayar and Anayar existed in the Hindu caste system. Ayars are the Yadavas or the Kings clan and rest were Anayar (Other Ayar).

Seven Illam and Three Illam were the prominent among Maniyanis of North Malabar.

The group known as Three Illam settled mostly around Cherukunnu area of Kannur in and around Sri Annapoorneswari temple. This temple was constructed by the Kolathiris and the temple construction were undertaken and supervised by Maniyanis around the area. They end up marrying other Nairs who inturn became Samanthans or Samantha Kshatriya.Some of the Three Illam groups were settled around Narath and Kannadiparmbu area of Kannur.

Palamruthan is another sect of Yadavas/Maniyani who are in charge of the milk supply to the temples of Malabar.At Trichambaram (Taliparamba), the community is well settled around the SreeKrishna Temple. There are many stories about this temple, often hard to understand. The deity is Baby SreeKrishna.King Kamsa, Krishna's uncle kept demon-like elephants to guard his palace and to kill Krishna who he believed would end Kamsa’s rule. Krishna killed those elephants to enter in to the palace. Elephants are denied entry to the temple. Elephants are not even transported around the premises of the temple.