Final answer:
The Nayar were organized in a traditional four-tiered varna system with the addition of the outcast Dalits, each caste having specific roles and rules based on Hindu religious beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Nayar castes during this period were organized into a four-tiered system known as the varna. The highest class was the Brahmans (priests), followed by the Kshatriya (warriors), the Vaishya (merchants and farmers), and the Shudra (servile people). In addition, there were those considered outside the varna system, known as Dalits or "untouchables". These castes were rigidly maintained, with each one responsible for certain tasks and governed by specific rules that dictated aspects of life such as marriage and occupation according to inherited status. The structure of the castes reflected Hindu religious beliefs, particularly ensuring that people performed their dharma, or the role in life they were born into, based on past actions and karma.