Pisharody
Pisharody (also spelled Pisharodi, Pisharadi, Pisharoty, or Pisharoti; colloquially known as Sharody) is a Hindu higher sect in Kerala, primarily considered as Gurus. As Vaishnavites Pisharodys were traditionally caretakers of Hindu temples. Most Pisharams (Pisharody households) are situated near Vaishnavite or Bhagawathy (Hindu Goddess) temples. They generally carry Vaishnavite names (Rama, Krishna, Narayana, Govinda, etc.) and majority of the community still does teaching as their profession.
Origins
The Pisharodys belong to Koushika Gotra and deeply connected to the revered Saint Swami Narayana, based on the folklore that the earliest Pisharody was a patron saint who later took on the title Shri Swamy Narayana, and brought his disciples (Buddhist/Jains) to merge with the Vaishnavaite school of thought in the post Adi Shankaracharya period in Kerala.
Etymology
Etymologically, the word owes its origins to the saintly antecedents of the community. Bhikhshuvar (monk/mendicant) + Adikal (reverential addressing / honorific suffix) = Bhikhshuvaradikal, later corrupted to Pisharodikal and pisharody ( Shara itself being a term for a younger sanyasi). There is also another theory behind the origin of the name Pisharody. According to this, Pisharodys are descendants of a group of highly respected pure Brahmans who intended to become Sanyasis. During the process of initiation to sanyasam, the aspirants are referred as "sharas" in Sanskrit. However, few in the group could not complete the process to become full time "sanyasis". By then they had discarded almost all basic rituals usually performed by an ordinary brahman being elevated to the next level and hence they could not return to their earlier tradition. Since they are already elevated to Sanyasi thought process, they continued as advisers to temples and authentic teachers of scriptures and higher level sanskrit. Thereafter this 'Shara' group and their descendants were called as Pisharody, later coloqualized into sharody, Pisharady and Sharoty. Pisharodys do not need to wear the sacred thread nor perform puja in temples as per the tradition, but act only as advisers. They do not cremate the dead body being a sanyasi, instead do the burial as samadhi, as the person has been characterised with all sanyasi qualities. The last rites are oriented towards "Vishnusayoojyam" and the atma is directly submitted/given to lord vishnu. There for, there are no 'Bhrammarakshas' for this community and also do not perform the 'sradham' the usual annual death ritual, unlike other Hindus, reason being their 'atma/jeeva' had already been merged with lord Vishnu after the death. The life of a 'shara' is considered as the last form of human birth and it is believed that, there will not be any rebirth.