Unni
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Unni is used as a first name in and Kerala, India. In Malayalam language, it is also used as an adjective meaning an infant boy. Thus, Unnikrishnan means Lord Krishna in the infant form and Unniyesu means Yesu (Jesus in Malayalam) in the infant form. The word is also the name of a caste among Hindus in the Southern India State of Kerala.
Unni is a sub-group of Pushpaka Brahmin (Ambalavasi) caste, which comes under the Pancha-Dravida regional group of Brahmins. They use the surnames Sharma and Nambi also. They belong to the Viswamitra Gotram. They wear the sacred thread "Yajñopavītam" (Pūnūl) and adhere to the 'Gayatri mantra'. They follow makkattayam (patrilineal) heritage system.
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[edit] Origin, Etymology and History
It is believed that Unnis, like other ambalavasis, are the successors of the brahmins brought to Vaikom Thrikkovil by Parasurama.
In the early days they were a group of brahmins who provided "immediate assistance" to the main priests in the temples. They assisted the main priest by gathering flowers, leaves and water, making garlends, lightening the lamps (Vilakku), and in preparing and distributing temple materials. They also served as teachers in Pāṭhaśālas associated with temples and as managers of different activities in temples.
Since they entered in their career at an early age (of about 16 or 20), soon after their formal education, generally they were very much younger than the main priest. So the main priest used to call his assistants by the name Unni (meaning 'Young Boy') or by suffixing the name Unni with their actual name. Gradually this name became the surname of this group of Pushpaka Brahmins.
There is a common belief that Unnis are sub-divided into Pushpaka, Tiyattunnis, Pattarunni etc. which is actually absurd. In fact these are entirely different communities in a common class of Kerala Brahmins and there were no inter caste marriages among these communities anciently. Tīyāttunnis were traditionally the performers of an ancient art form called Tīyāttu. The famous Malayalam writer Kottarathil Sankunni was a Tīyāttunni whereas famous essayist D. Padmanabhanunni was a Pushpakanunni. Some of the tiyattunnis are known as Sharma and Nambi. Theeyattunnis have the right for Tantric Poojas and other privileges enjoyed by the Nambudiri caste.
[edit] Prominent Unnis
Maj Sandeep Unnikrishnan ,7 Bihar, NSG Commando, Martyr of 26/11 attacks on Mumbai From Kerala
- Unni S Raj, Oracle BRM Consultant.
- E. P. Unni, Indian political cartoonist.
- Kottarathil Sankunni- Famous Malayalam writer; Writer of Aithihyamala and many other works
- K. S. Neelakantan Unni (1895-1980), Sanskrit scholar, compiled many legends about temples, famous persons, etc and translated Kalidasa's Shakuntalam to Malayalam
- S. Damodaran Unni - Performer of Bhadrakali Tīyāttu, author of the monograph Tiyyattunnikal
- Divya Unni (born 1981), Indian actress of Malayalam and Tamil films
- Jyothirmayi, Malayalam film actor
- P. Unni Krishnan, (born 1966), Carnatic vocalist and playback singer.
From Europe
- Unni Anisdahl (born 1947), Norwegian former handball player
- Unni Krishnan Karunakara (born 1964), International President, Médecins Sans Frontières
- Unni Larsen (born 1959), Norwegian former racing cyclist and dogsled racer
- Unni Lehn, (born 1977), Norwegian football midfielder
- Unni Lindell (born 1957), Norwegian writer.
- Unni Løvlid (born 1976 ), Norwegian musician
- Unni Nyhamar Hinkel, Norwegian handball player.
- Unni Straume (born 1955), Norwegian film director and screenwriter
- Unni Warrier, co-founder, and former president, chairman, and CEO of CyberMedia
- Unni Wikan (born 1944), Norwegian professor of Social anthropology [1]
- Unni, (916–936) Archbishop of Hamburg.[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Tiyyatunnikal by S Damodaran Unni
