Malayali Brahmin

{{Short description|Group of Brahmins from the Indian state of Kerala}}

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File:Brahmin family in Kerala (1902).jpg

Malayali Brahmins ({{indic|lang=ml|indic= മലയാളി ബ്രാഹ്മണർ|trans=malayali brahmaner|showlang=true}}; also known as Malayala Brahmanar) or Kerala Brahmins are the group of Brahmins from the Indian state of Kerala. The proper Malayali brahmin castes are the Nambudiri,{{Cite web|title=Sree Pushpaka Brahmana Seva Sangam|url=http://spssworld.com/about.aspx?pagetype=history|access-date=2020-08-08|website=spssworld.com|archive-date=28 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028140833/http://spssworld.com/about.aspx?pagetype=history|url-status=dead}} and the Potti.

Pushpaka Brahmin, Nambeeshan, Nambidi, Chakyar, Ilyathu, etc., are other semi-Brahmin castes, which are part of the Ambalavasi community. They are not directly involved in priestly duties but rather engaged in non-priestly temple activities.

Like ambalavasis, a higher section of Nairs which includes Pillais, Kurup and Menon comes under semi-brahmin class mostly engaged in Kshatriya functions, administrative duties and control over temples, who have similar rights of Ambalavasi community.{{Cite book |last=Raja |first=P. K. S. |url=http://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.10351 |title=Mediaeval Kerala |date=1953 |language=Latin}}