Sambandam

Sambandham was a mode of marriage followed by Nambudiris, Kshatriya Nairs, Samantha Kshatriyas, nairs, Kshatriyas, Ambalavasis, royal families among their own communities as well as with each other, in colonial Kerala, India. This practice was stopped during the late 1920s, and is no longer observed.

The Malabar Marriage Act, 1896 defined Sambandham as, "An alliance between a man and a woman, by reason of which they, in accordance with the custom of the community to which they belong, or to which either of them belongs, cohabit or intend to cohabit as husband and wife."

Sambandham also denoted reciprocal marriage among savarna communities and this term was not used just to denote marriages between the Nambudiris ambalavasis royal families, Kshatriya nairs and the Nairs. Alternate names for the system were used by different social groups and in different regions; they included Pudavamuri, Pudavakoda, Vastradanam, Vitaram Kayaruka, Mangalam and Uzhamporukkuka.