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Brahmin Community
The word Brahmin literally means One who has
realized or attemps to realize Brahman.
This Brahmin community is mainly in Tamilnadu and spread over in Karnataka, Andhra, Kerala
and other regions. There are two main sects among them Viz., the Shaiva
and the Vaishnava and there are also sub sects among them.
The Shaiva sub sects are as follows:
Vadama, Bruhacharana (Periya charana) Ashta Sahasra, Vaadima, Sankethi (Koushika,
Bettadapura, Malenadu, Hiriyangala, Pattana etc,), Shivanambi (Shivaradhya),
Shiva Dhwaja (Gurukal etc.),
The Vaishnava sub sects:
Vadagalai (Hemmigeyar), Thengalai, Mandyathar, Vembar, Bhattacharya,, Vaikhanasal,
Keeelnattar, and so on.
Tamilnadu,Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala are regarded as the Dravida regions and
their people speak Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, all Dravidian
languages and the inhabitants of these regions are Dravidians.
The Shruthi, Smruthi and Puranas are the subjects of the same heritage. Those
who follow the tradition of Shankaracharya are called “Smarthas”. Those
who agree with the Smruthis are the Smarthas in the ordinary sense. Let
us now learn the meaning and origin of “Vadama”. There is a legend in this
regard:
One of the Pandya kings of the south had summoned worthy priests from the other
bank of the Ganga River to officiate at the sacrifice that
he had intended to perform. His emissary stood on his side of the bank
and invited them loudly. The first group walked on the water. Their feet
floated on the water. Therefore they came to be known as
“Bruhucharanas”. The feet of those who followed them dipped. They were
the “Vadamas”. Those who came still later had to sink in the water
up to the waist and they somehow managed to swim. They are known as “Ashta
Sahasras”. The term “Vadama” suggests that they came from the
North. Bruhacharana is a term suggesting migration. All these are
covered in the term “Iyer”..
Vadamas have a martial tradition unlike most
other Iyer communities. They are believed to have been the protectors of
Brahmin villages or agraharams and served as administrators and advisers
to Tamil and Telugu kings
during the medieval and early modern period.
Iyers follow Adi Sankara's advaita, a branch of Hinduism that believes
that the human soul is liberated from the cycle of rebirths through acquisition
of knowledge of its true nature.
Iyengar or Ayyangar (Tamil:
அய்யங்கார்/ஐயங்கார்,is a caste
given to Hindu Brahmins of Tamil
origin who follow the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Sri Ramanujacharya
The word "Iyengar" is a relatively
new name and was not used in any medieval works or scriptures. The word
"Sri Vaishnava" would therefore be the right word to describe them,
though all of them could be called as Sri Vaishnava Brahmins.
Iyengars are divided into two different
sects, namely Vadakalai
and Thenkalai.
Iyengars, both Vadakalai and Thenkalai, are sub-divided into Hebbar, Mandyam, Iyengar
proper (those who live in Tamil Nadu) and Chozhiyar. The Iyengar proper, who
form the majority are referred to as Keezhnaatu (from southern lands) in
Karnataka.
Tamil Iyengars : This class
describes the original Iyengars that inhabit Tamil Nadu,
whose descendants have a widespread diaspora through out the South of India in
states such as Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, as mentioned before. The principal
native cities where they live in recent times are Sri Rangam, Kanchipuram/North
Arcot(Tonda nadu) district, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Madurai,
Srivilliputtur,Ramanadapuram(near Tiruppalani), and Tirunelveli (near Nava
Tirupathi divya desams) in Tamil Nadu.
In Karnataka they are mostly spread across the erstwhile Maharaja of
Mysore's kingdom -Hassan, Mysore,
Nuggehalli, Coorg.
In Andhra Pradesh, they are present in the areas around Tirupathi and
Ahobilam (near Nandyal).
Many Iyengars accept Narayana / Vishnu as the Supreme Being (Paramatma), and
subscribe to a monotheistic philosophy of a Supreme Being who is the primal,
substantive and supportive cause of the manifest and unmanifest universe.
In many cases, both Iyers and Iyengars are
mistakenly referred to as "Ayyar" as they are indistinguishable from
Iyers in their adherence of the Brahmanaical tradition. However, Devout
Iyengars sport a namam ((thiruman+srichoornam)) as a caste-mark as opposed to Iyers
who apply vibhuti,
generally on their forehead.
All true Iyers and ALL true Iyengars are born from the same one of the 49 possible
Gotras (“cow-pens” or “mangers”) ~ the Gotamah. And they should ALL have
exactly the same set of Pravara Rishis.
Source:
kolariyers.
This post is for sharing knowledge only, no intention to violate any copy rights
The word Brahmin literally means One who has
realized or attemps to realize Brahman.
This Brahmin community is mainly in Tamilnadu and spread over in Karnataka, Andhra, Kerala
and other regions. There are two main sects among them Viz., the Shaiva
and the Vaishnava and there are also sub sects among them.
The Shaiva sub sects are as follows:
Vadama, Bruhacharana (Periya charana) Ashta Sahasra, Vaadima, Sankethi (Koushika,
Bettadapura, Malenadu, Hiriyangala, Pattana etc,), Shivanambi (Shivaradhya),
Shiva Dhwaja (Gurukal etc.),
The Vaishnava sub sects:
Vadagalai (Hemmigeyar), Thengalai, Mandyathar, Vembar, Bhattacharya,, Vaikhanasal,
Keeelnattar, and so on.
Tamilnadu,Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala are regarded as the Dravida regions and
their people speak Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, all Dravidian
languages and the inhabitants of these regions are Dravidians.
The Shruthi, Smruthi and Puranas are the subjects of the same heritage. Those
who follow the tradition of Shankaracharya are called “Smarthas”. Those
who agree with the Smruthis are the Smarthas in the ordinary sense. Let
us now learn the meaning and origin of “Vadama”. There is a legend in this
regard:
One of the Pandya kings of the south had summoned worthy priests from the other
bank of the Ganga River to officiate at the sacrifice that
he had intended to perform. His emissary stood on his side of the bank
and invited them loudly. The first group walked on the water. Their feet
floated on the water. Therefore they came to be known as
“Bruhucharanas”. The feet of those who followed them dipped. They were
the “Vadamas”. Those who came still later had to sink in the water
up to the waist and they somehow managed to swim. They are known as “Ashta
Sahasras”. The term “Vadama” suggests that they came from the
North. Bruhacharana is a term suggesting migration. All these are
covered in the term “Iyer”..
Vadamas have a martial tradition unlike most
other Iyer communities. They are believed to have been the protectors of
Brahmin villages or agraharams and served as administrators and advisers
to Tamil and Telugu kings
during the medieval and early modern period.
Iyers follow Adi Sankara's advaita, a branch of Hinduism that believes
that the human soul is liberated from the cycle of rebirths through acquisition
of knowledge of its true nature.
Iyengar or Ayyangar (Tamil:
அய்யங்கார்/ஐயங்கார்,is a caste
given to Hindu Brahmins of Tamil
origin who follow the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Sri Ramanujacharya
The word "Iyengar" is a relatively
new name and was not used in any medieval works or scriptures. The word
"Sri Vaishnava" would therefore be the right word to describe them,
though all of them could be called as Sri Vaishnava Brahmins.
Iyengars are divided into two different
sects, namely Vadakalai
and Thenkalai.
Iyengars, both Vadakalai and Thenkalai, are sub-divided into Hebbar, Mandyam, Iyengar
proper (those who live in Tamil Nadu) and Chozhiyar. The Iyengar proper, who
form the majority are referred to as Keezhnaatu (from southern lands) in
Karnataka.
Tamil Iyengars : This class
describes the original Iyengars that inhabit Tamil Nadu,
whose descendants have a widespread diaspora through out the South of India in
states such as Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, as mentioned before. The principal
native cities where they live in recent times are Sri Rangam, Kanchipuram/North
Arcot(Tonda nadu) district, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Madurai,
Srivilliputtur,Ramanadapuram(near Tiruppalani), and Tirunelveli (near Nava
Tirupathi divya desams) in Tamil Nadu.
In Karnataka they are mostly spread across the erstwhile Maharaja of
Mysore's kingdom -Hassan, Mysore,
Nuggehalli, Coorg.
In Andhra Pradesh, they are present in the areas around Tirupathi and
Ahobilam (near Nandyal).
Many Iyengars accept Narayana / Vishnu as the Supreme Being (Paramatma), and
subscribe to a monotheistic philosophy of a Supreme Being who is the primal,
substantive and supportive cause of the manifest and unmanifest universe.
In many cases, both Iyers and Iyengars are
mistakenly referred to as "Ayyar" as they are indistinguishable from
Iyers in their adherence of the Brahmanaical tradition. However, Devout
Iyengars sport a namam ((thiruman+srichoornam)) as a caste-mark as opposed to Iyers
who apply vibhuti,
generally on their forehead.
All true Iyers and ALL true Iyengars are born from the same one of the 49 possible
Gotras (“cow-pens” or “mangers”) ~ the Gotamah. And they should ALL have
exactly the same set of Pravara Rishis.
Source:
kolariyers.
This post is for sharing knowledge only, no intention to violate any copy rights