Pillai (Kerala title)
From the early modern period, the title also came to be bestowed upon Savarna subjects by the Kings for services military or political, most of whom were of Nair origin.
[5][6] According to epigraphic records, it is an ancient title that goes back to the Sangam Era, given to junior members of the royal family.
[7] Originally a title meaning "royal child", it came to be given to administrators of temples; often holding large estates on behalf of the latter.
The most well known are the Pillais of the Eight Nair Noble Houses, the Ettuveettil Pillamar of Travancore, were extremely influential in the past, often had greater power and influence than the Raja.
The Pillais of Kerala held authority over their own regions and had the right to pass judgment in provincial disputes, even more so than the kings and collected taxes.
Marthanda Varma also awarded the forfeited estates to new owners, as in the case of Kilimanoor, and also went on to create new titles to reward his friends and allies for military or political service rendered.
[16] In 1891, the Malayali Memorial, a memorandum signed by more than 10,000 people including Muslims and Christians, was submitted to the Maharaja Sree Moolam Thirunal by a qualified barrister, Parameswaran Pillai of Pallipuram on behalf of the people of Kerala, demanding administrative reforms, primarily better representation of the former ruling castes of Kerala in the new administrative machinery of the state.
One of the first modifications they made to the erstwhile Government House and Secretariat was to install a statue of Velu Thampi Dalawa son of Kunjumayitti Pillai of Kalkulam in the forecourt.
[18] Despite the changes in political power, a loose connection between Pillais and desoms remained for a long time after authority had moved over to the peishcars (those who assumed responsibility for the collector/magistrate/police superintendent) and proverticars (village officers).
An official defining characteristic of a Pillai still consisted of the receipt of the revenues of justice of a desom, which later became a fixed sum.
Naluvitan - Rulers of small regions under the Madampi The Padmanabhapuram Palace was constructed by a king named Iravi Pillai Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal in A.D. 1601[21] Kurup, Kaimal, and Kathav are other similar titles that held significance in various medieval Kerala kingdoms, and were also present in some parts of Venad.
[22] According to a noted historians, the title was demoted and came to be granted more commonly to decorate soldiers upon payment of the "Adiyara" from the time of Maharaja Anizham Tirunal Marthanda Varma who had previously subdued the power of the Pillais of the Eight Houses Ettuveettil Pillamar and annexed their territories.
These often hereditary offices of state were the highest positions below the Royal Household, being the Kaimal (Chancellor), the Kurup of Travancore (High Steward) and the Valia Sarvadhikaryakkar (Justice-General and Prime Minister).
