What is "moothan"

The Moothan (or Muttan) are a community in Palakkad district of Kerala, India, who primarily engage in trade. They believe themselves to have migrated to Kerala from Tamil Nadu in the 16th or 17th century, and refer to themselves as Arya Vaisya. The majority of the community is spread in the Moothanthara region of Palakkad town.They use titles such as Guptan, Mannadiyar and Tharakan. '''