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Kuttams in Medieval Keralaheaded by the Nair community prevented the rulers from becoming tyrannical. These national assemblies occupied a prominent place in the political organisation of Kerala. There were three types of Kuttams. For smooth military functioning the kingdom was divided into several nadus and each nadu was sub divided into desams. For proper civil administration each nadu was subdivided into taras or villges that was presided over by Karanavars.
As per historical evidences three different kinds of Kuttams existed. The three types of kuttams were: the kuttam of the tara, the kuttam of the nadu and the kuttam of all Kerala. The Keralanational assembly met under normal circumstances once in twelve years at Tirunavaya on the occasion of the Mamankam festival. Entire state was expected to be represented in this assembly. It had immense powers and it is also believed that it even had the power to remove the reigning monarch and establish a new one. The kuttam of the tara division met to discuss important local matters. The nadu had its own assembly.
These assemblies played an important part in the administration of the kingdom. The origin of these village communities could be traced to Parasurama as per tradition. According to tradition Parasurama handed over the Government to the Namboodiris who spread themselves in sixty four villages and established village communities. The village communities of the Brahmans were called gramams and those of the Nairs were known as the taras. The Brahmans introduced a republican form of government that comprised of four kalakams or councils. It consisted of representatives of the sixty four gramams that was presided over by an officer called Rakshapurusha who was their elected executive officer for three years. However after partition of Kerala the Kalakams became non existent and their position was taken by the kuttams of the Nadu. Kuttams occupied a central position in medieval Kerala as it was an effective safeguard against the oppression of the ruler.
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(Last Updated on : 04-11-2011)
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