Ettara Yogam

The Ettara Yogam can either mean the Council of Eight and a Half or the King's Council of Eight. For centuries it was the Administrative Committee that governed the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple which houses the Tutelary Deity (Kula Daivatham) of the Royal Family of Travancore.

The Ettara Yogam was formed in 1045 AD.

According to one version, the Pushpanjali Swamiyar and the six main Potties had one vote each in deciding the matters of the Temple. Besides them, the Maharajah of Venad or Travancore, the Srikaryathu Potti and the Karanavar of the Palliyadi family (the only Nair representative) had half vote each. The President of the Yogam is a Nambootiri sannyasi either from the Naduvil Madhom or Munchira Madhom. The Swamiyar can hold office during the pleasure of the Crown. The Palliyadi Kurup was the security chief of the Temple. The trusteeship of members of the Ettara Yogam (other than the Pushpanjali Swamiyar) is passed hereditarily and the member families are represented by the senior most male member therein. The members of the Yogam are

According to another version, the Ettara Yogam comprises the eight member Kshethra Sabha and the Arachan (Maharajah) of Venad/ Travancore. The Sabha has the Pushpanjali Swamiyar as its President, the six Potties as members and the Srikaryathu Potty as the Sabhanjithan (Secretary). A decision taken by the Kshethra Sabha could be implemented only if the Maharajah ratified it. The Karanatha Kurup though a special invitee is not a member of the Ettara Yogam.

The Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple possessed vast landed areas over which the ruler of Travancore had no control whatsoever. These lands were divided into eight adhikarems or districts and over each of these districts as a governor was placed a Nair noble family, all with the title of Pillai. Hence they came to be known as the Ettuveetil Pillamar or the Lords of the Eight Houses. The confederacy of these Pillamar was eventually destroyed in the 18th century by Maharajah Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma after they were found guilty of murder and conspiracy against the Royal House. The Pillamar were organised into a confederacy in the 15th century.

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