Talk:Meenachil Kartha

1. Why did a few Rajputs of Mewar transport themselves to the Tamil heartland of Madurai in the 14th Century? Allaudeen Khilji sent his valiant General-and possibly a lover-, the eunuch Malik Kafur a few years earlier. Islam came to Madurai, then. Is it possible that the Rajputs of Madurai could trace their origins to the invading Armies of Kafur? Did Allauddin employ Rajput Soldiers to a large extent like his Mughal Successors?

2. It is surprising that the Rajputs who migrated to Kerala could not find allies among the Royal clans, and was assimilated by the Nairs. I do not find it plausible.

3.As far as I know, Marthanda Varma had enmity with the Ettuveedans alone.The Nairs from regions forming North/Middle Travancore fought for the various principalities annexed subsequently by Marthanda Varma.

4. I would like to have more information on Damodara Simhar and other rulers from among the Meenachal Karthas. I guess the whole thing can be summarised as another example of Feudal rule in the Medieval period and their self glorification.Poovachal Khader (talk) 16:27, 4 June 2010 (UTC)


 * You can find information in Sreedhara Menon's District Gazetteer for Meenachil area. He does not speak of the Rajput descent but says that two ladies from Kumbhakonam were married to two Kerala Rajahs and brought to Meenachil. The Rajput descent is supposed to be evinced in the title of 'Simhar' used, although an inscription in a Perunnai Temple names an ancestor of the family as Njavakkatu Etiran Kaviren. Also if you read KM Panikker and PKS Raja's works you will see how Marthanda Varma destroyed Nairs not only in the Trivandrum area, but all the way till Cochin, and inspired Komi Acham of Paliyam to do the same in Cochin also. As for the Nair assimilation, this appears recent. In the 1871 Travancore Census the Karthavu was classed broadly as a Kshatriya and more specifically as a Samantha. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 149.5.64.141 (talk) 13:36, 12 August 2011 (UTC)