TheSamantha Kshatriyas are a noble community ofKerala,India. They were historically ruling elites (Naduvazhi) and feudal aristocrats (Jenmi) in theKingdom of Cochin andKingdom of Travancore.[1][2] Despite their nomenclature suggesting that they are a part of theKshatriya class in the Hindu ritual ranking system known asVarna, that system has never existed in South India.[3]
AnthropologistChristopher Fuller suggests these claims are vanity and that "most unbiased observers ... have concluded that the Samantha Kshatriya andSamantan Nair subdivisions should be treated merely as the highestNayar (Nair) subdivisions". The notable exception to that scholarly consensus is the sociologistLouis Dumont.[1]