The Kurukkal, also known as Gurukkal are an Ambalavasi caste of Tamil origin. Originally a patrilineal community found in Travancore and Malabar, whose traditional function was that of temple servents, they became matrilineal towards the end of the 18th century under the influence of Nair caste. But Nambudhiri, Varma, Pillai and Nambiar castes of Travancore and Malabar considered them as polluting caste and never accept food or water from them. From that time on, Kurukkal women had hypergamous marriages with higher caste men of Travancore and men struck similar relationships with women from the matrilineal Maran caste. The community's position in the Hindu ritual ranking system known as varna is disputed. They generally claim to be Iyer Brahmins and Ambalavasi caste.