This paper examines the transformative role of Sanskrit integration within Maṟuttukaḷi, a ritualistic intellectual debate performed by the Tīyya community of North Malabar, Kerala. Historically excluded from Sanskrit education, the Tīyya community strategically adopted the language in the mid-19th century, evolving Maṟuttukaḷi from a vernacular performance into a sophisticated śāstric samvāda (scholarly debate). By analyzing the curriculum of "Panikkars" (scholar-performers) and their mastery of Vyakarana, Mimamsa and Vedanta, the study illustrates how the community subverted traditional caste hierarchies. The integration of Sanskrit functions as a tool for social mobility and identity construction, bridging the gap between oppressed-class rituals and elite intellectual traditions. The study also highlights the tension between classical authority and vernacular accessibility. Ultimately, Maṟuttukaḷi serves as a unique site of cultural transformation and resistance, where the appropriation of a "sacred" language empowers a community to demonstrate intellectual prestige and reposition itself within Kerala's socio-cultural landscape.
Dr Divya Nedungadi (Sun,) studied this question.