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Home > Temples of Kerala > kazhakakkars kazhakakkarsApart from Thanthris and saanthikkars there is another group of employees in a temple known as kazhakakkars who are closely associated with the day-to-day affairs in a temple. They comprise the Ambalavaassis, Antharaalaars and some others. These persons have duties like making garlands, fetching firewood for use in thitappalli, carrying of kutthuvilakk, playing traditional musical and percussion instruments etc. All of them can be grouped under the general term of kazhakakkars. They are also classilled as kaaraanma and non -kaaraanma. Further they may function either as full-time or part-time employees. There are certain castes of people who fall under kaaraanma and they are popularly called as Ambalavaasis. There are two categories of Ambalavaasis; those who wear the sacred thread and those who do not wear it.- Those who wear sacred-thread: include Atikal, Chaakkiyar, Nambissan, Pushpakan; Braahmani, Thiyyatt-unni etc while those with out-sacred-thread are Nambiar, Pishaarati, Vaarier, Poduval etc. Atikals also act as offIciating priests in Bhadrakali and certain Bhagavathi temples. In some temples they assist the priest. Nambilssan, Pushpakan and Braahmani come under the general heading of Unni or Pushpakan, the traditional occupation being preparation of garlands for the deity. The same avocation is done by Pishaarati (Pishaarakkal-odi or Pishaaroti), Vaarier and Kurukkal (particularly Palli Thevara Kurukkal). Poduvals fall under two categories, Maala-Poduval. (garland-makers) and Chenda-Poduval (Drummers) both associated with temple. of the Nambiars, Pushpakan Nambiar, Chaakkiar Nambiar and Thiyyat Nambiar are related to temples. Their services are essentially required and they are considered comparatively more important as compared to other staff like watcher peon etc. It is seen that these karaanma-kazhakakkars do yeomen service to the temples, as they are mostly local residents. But for them, most of our small temples would have ceased to exist. The new recruits as kazhakakkars seldom ensure the sanctity of temples, as they are only paid employees and lack traditional and hereditary associations
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