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{{Short description|Tamil Brahmin caste}}
{{Infobox Ethnic group
{{pp|small=yes}}
|image = ], a prominent Iyer vocalist]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
|group = Iyer
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2019}}
|poptime = <p align="justify">]:415,931<ref name="pop2" /><br>]:< 2,400,000 (Estimated)<ref name="pop" /><ref>Accurate statistics on the population of Iyers are unavailable. This is due to the fact that the practice of conducting caste-based population census have been stopped since independence. The statistics given here are mainly based on estimates from unofficial sources</ref></p>
{{infobox caste
|popplace = Indian states of ], ] and ]|langs = ] is ] with unique Iyer dialects. Knowledge of ] for religious reasons.
| caste_name = Iyer
|rels = ]
| image = VadamaIyerpriestsintamilnadu.jpg
|related = ],]
| caption = Vadama Iyer priests
|Iyer
| varna = Brahmin

| jati =
**]
| classification =
*** Nai
| gotra =
*** Sabhayar
*** Lohitha | veda =
*** Inji | kula_daivat =
| kula_devi =
*** Thummagunta Dravida
| guru = ]
*** Choladesha
| mantra =
*** Vadadesha
| nishan =

| devak =
**]
*** Pathinettu Gramaththu | religions = ]
| languages = ], ]
*** Udayalur
*** Nannilam | country = ]
*** Rathamangalam | state = ]
| populated_states = Tamil Nadu, ], ]

| region =
**]
| India_migration =

| population =
**]
| family_names = Iyer, ], Bhattar
***]( முவாயிரவர்)
| feudal_title =
***Thirukkatiyoor
| heraldic_title =
***woraiyur(virupashipuram)
| lineage =
***thruvannikovil ayyairavar (ஆயிரவர்)
| color =
***Madalur
| throne =
***Visalur
| victory_weapon =
***Puthalur
| endogamous =
***senganur
| notable_members =
***Avadayar Kovil ](முன்னூற்றிஓருவர்)
| subdivisions = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]

| related = ] ] Vaidiki Brahmins ] ] ]
**Brhatcharanam
] ]
***Kandramanicka
| historical_grouping =
***Malanadu
| disputed_grouping =
***Nilaganur
| status =
***Mangudi
| education_reservation =
***Palamaneri
| employment_reservation =
***Musanadu
| other_reservation =
***Kolaththur
| original_kingdom =
***Maruthancheri
| other_kingdom =
***Rajagambiram
| official_website =
***Satyamangalam
| footnotes =
***Puroor Dravida
***Tiruvannamalai

**Ashtasahasram
***Aththiyoor
***Arivarpade
***Nandivadi
***Shatkulam

**Hiranyakesigal

**Mukkani
**Kaniyalar

**]
***Kaushikas
***Bettadapuras
***Mattur Sanketis
***Sengottai Sanketis(Tamil sankethis)
***Prathamashakhis

**]
***Tiruvalangad
***Kanchipuram
***Thirukkazhukundram

** *Other ] Brahmin communities include:
** the ] of Kerala
**the ] community of AP, Karnataka & TN
**the ] community of coastal Andhra Pradesh
**the ] community of Andhra Pradesh
**the ] community of Andhra Pradesh
**the ] community of Karnataka
**the ] community of Karnataka
**the Hoysala Kannada community of Karnataka

*]
*]
}} }}
{{Hinduism}}


'''Iyers''' (] : அய்யர் ]:അയ്യര) also called '''Sastri'''<ref></ref>, '''Sarma''' or '''Bhattar''' is the name given to ] ] of ] or ] origin who are followers of the '']'' philosophy propounded by ]<ref></ref>. They are found mostly in Tamil Nadu as they are generally native to the Tamil country. But they are also found in significant numbers in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka. '''Iyers''' ({{IPA-ta|ajːɐr|lang|}}) (also spelt as '''Ayyar''', '''Aiyar''', '''Ayer''', or '''Aiyer''') are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking ]s. Most Iyers are followers of the '']'' philosophy propounded by ] and adhere to the ].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Béteille |first=André |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1525/9780520317864/html |title=Caste, Class, and Power |date=2020-10-26 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-31786-4 |language=en |doi=10.1525/9780520317864}}</ref> This is in contrast to the ] community, who are adherents of ]. The Iyers and the Iyengars are together referred to as ]s. The majority of Iyers reside in ], ].{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

The name 'Iyer' originated in the medieval period when different sects of Brahmins residing in the then Tamil country organized themselves as a single community. A breakaway sect of Sri Vaishnavas later formed a new community called "Iyengars".

Iyers fall under the ] sub-classification of India's Brahmin community and follow the same customs and traditions as other Brahmins. In recent times, they have been affected by ] <ref name="Tambram" /> and the ] in the Indian state of ].

==Origins==
Iyers are ]n Brahmins who reside in the states of ], ], ] and ]. Iyers are predominantly ] or followers of the ] texts<ref></ref><ref>''People of India'' by Kumar Suresh Singh, B.V.Bhanu, Pg.1873</ref>.

The term Iyer is derived from the term Ayya which is often used by Tamils to designate respectable people. The word Ayya is a ] version of the Sanskrit word ']' which means ']'.<ref></ref><ref name="Kerala Iyers"></ref><ref></ref>

The origin of Iyers, like other South-Indian Brahmin communities, is shrouded in mystery. There have been evidences of Brahmin presence in the southern states even prior to the ]. However, it is generally believed that they were few in number and that most Iyers migrated from other parts of India at a later stage. According to some sources, these early inhabitants comprised mostly of ] who ministered in temples known as "]". Large scale migrations are generally believed to have occurred between 200 and 1600 AD and most Iyers are believed to have descended from these migrants.<ref name="Gurukkal"></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>. However, this theory has come under attack in recent times from historians and anthropologists who question the validity of this theory due to lack of evidence.<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref name="Encyclopedia" /><ref name="Manickam">P.V.Manickam Naicker, writes in 'The Tamil Alphabet and its Mystic Aspect', 1917,Pg 74-75: "Even should Dutt's description of the aryanisation be true, the real Aryan ''corpus'' in South-India came to nothing. A ''cranial study'' of the various classes will also confirm the same. The lecturer, being a non-Brahmin, wishes to leave nothing to be misunderstood. His best and tried friends are mostly Brahmins and he is a sincere admirer of them. There is no denying the fact that the ancestors of the present Brahmins were the most cultured among the South-Indians at the time the said Aryanisation took place and got crystallized into a class revered by the people. As the cultured sons of the common mother Tamil, is it not their legitimate duty to own their kinsmen and to cooperate and uplift their less lucky brethern, if they have real patriotism for the welfare of the country? On the contrary, the general disposition of many a Brahmin is to disown his kinship with the rest of the Tamil brethern, to disown his very mother Tamil and to comstruct an imaginary untainted Aryan pedigree as if the Aryan alone is heaven-born</ref><ref>The Dravidian Elements in Indian Culture by Gilbert Slater</ref><ref></ref>


Iyers are further divided into various denominations based on traditional and regional differences. Like all Brahmins, they are also classified based on their ], or patrilineal descent, and the Veda that they follow. They fall under the ] classification of Brahmins in India.
Though initially divided into distinct groups, they have slowly evolved into a single community with similar culture and habits. They have preserved their unique common identity, even after migrating to other places.


Apart from the prevalent practice of using the title "Iyer" as surname, Iyers also commonly use other surnames, such as '''Sāstri'''<ref name="britannica">{{cite book | title=Encyclopædia Britannica, śāstrī | url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/524792/sastri#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=%C5%9B%C4%81str%C4%AB%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia}}</ref> or '''Bhattar'''.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
During the early medieval period, when ] founded ] many Iyers adopted the new philosophical affiliation and were called ].<ref></ref><ref>[http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/smartism/smarthas-who-split-away-from-their-sect.html
''Smarthas who split away from their sect'']</ref>


== Etymology ==
===Iyers and the Aryan Invasion Theory===
Iyer ({{Langx|ta|ஐயர்}}, {{IPA-ta|aɪjəɾ|pron}}) has several meanings in ] and other ] languages, often referring to a respectable person. The ''Dravidian Etymological Dictionary'' lists various meanings for the term such as "father, sage, priest, teacher, brahman, superior person, master, king" with cognates such as ''tamayan'' meaning "elder brother" and simply ''ai'' "lord, master, husband, king, guru, priest, teacher, father".<ref>{{Cite book|author1=Burrow, T.|author2= M. B. Emeneau|title=A Dravidian etymological dictionary|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=19}}</ref> Linguistic sources often derive the words Ayya, Ayira/Ayyira as ] versions of the Sanskrit word '']'' which means ']'.<ref name="hinduism_encyclopedia_898">{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of Hinduism, Volume 7|page=898|author=Nagendra Kumar Singh|publisher=Anmol Publications PVT LTD|year=1999|isbn=978-81-7488-168-7}}</ref><ref name="paligrammarp49">{{cite book|title=A Simplified grammar of the Pali language|first=Edward|last=Miller|page=49|publisher=BiblioBazaar|year=2009|isbn=978-1-103-26738-5}}</ref>
{{See also|Indo-Aryan Migration|Aryan Invasion Theory (history and controversies)}}
Iyer men and women are generally fairer in complexion to the average Tamilian <ref> -- Speaks about "fair-complexioned Brahmins"</ref><ref> -- Mentions a Tamil proverb: "''dark Brahmins and fair paraiyans are improper''"</ref> and this, along with the meaning of the word "Iyer" itself are regarded as sufficient evidences of an "Aryan origin" for Tamil Brahmins.<ref></ref> Moreover, some Iyer communities pay homage to the river Narmada instead of the South Indian river Cauvery in their rituals <ref></ref> and revere legends proposing a northern origin for their community. This issue is still being debated and researched by anthropologists, linguists and archaeologists alike. However, regardless of whether the "Aryan theory" of origin for Iyers is true or not, still it has often been a burning political issue in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.


In ancient times, Iyers were also called ''Anthanar''<ref name="anthanar_meaning1">{{cite book | title=Educational System of the Ancient Tamils| last=Pillai| first=Jaya Kothai| year=1972| page=54| publisher=South India Saiva Siddhanta Works Pub. Society| location=Tinnevelly}}</ref> or ''Pārppān'',<ref name="parppan_meaning1">{{cite book | title=Naccinarkkiniyar's Conception of Phonology| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=moUOAAAAYAAJ| last=Caṇmukam| first=Ce. Vai.| year=1967| page=212| publisher=Annamalai University}}</ref><ref name="parppan_meaning3">{{cite book | title=The Eight Anthologies: A Study in Early Tamil Literature| last=Marr| first=John Ralston| year=1985| page=114| publisher=Institute of Asian Studies}}</ref> though the usage of the word ''Pārppān'' is considered derogatory in modern times.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} Until recent times, Kerala Iyers were called ''Pattars''.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} Like the term ''pārppān'', the word ''Pattar'' too is considered derogatory.<ref name="communism_in_kerala">{{cite book | title=Communism in Kerala: A Study in Political Adaptation| last=Nossiter| first=Thomas Johnson| year=1982| page=27| publisher=C. Hurst & Co. Publishers| isbn=978-0-905838-40-3}}</ref>
Recent ] studies amongst Iyers of ] reveal close proximity to populations from ]n ] of ].<ref>.</ref><ref></ref> However, when genetic analysis of South Asians was performed while discarding caste-based ramifications, it was observed that South Indians, in general had lesser genetic affinity with Central Asian people than the inhabitants of North India overall and that Indian caste and ] populations all emerged from the same source.<ref></ref><ref name="Encyclopedia"></ref><ref></ref>


== Population and distribution == == Population and distribution ==
Today, Iyers live all over ], but an overwhelming majority of Iyers continue to thrive in ]. Tamil Brahmins form an estimated less than 3 per cent of the state's total population and are distributed all over the state. However, accurate statistics on the population of the Iyer community are unavailable.<ref>{{cite journal | first=Sreenivasarao| last=Vepachedu| title=Brahmins| journal=Mana Sanskriti (Our Culture)| year=2003| issue=69| url=http://www.vedah.net/manasanskriti/Brahmins.html#Brahmin_Population}}</ref>


Iyers are also found in fairly appreciable number in Western and Southern districts of Tamil Nadu.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} Iyers of the far south are called ] Iyers and speak the Tirunelveli Brahmin dialect.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
Today, Iyers live all over ], but an overwhelming majority of Iyers continue to thrive in ]. Tamil Brahmins form an estimated 3% of the state's total population and are distributed all over the state<ref name="pop"></ref>. However, accurate statistics on the population of the Iyer community is unavailable<ref name="pop" />.


=== Migration ===
They are concentrated mainly along the ] Delta ] of ], ] and ] where they form almost 10% of the total population<ref name="pop2"></ref>. In Northern Tamil Nadu they are found in the ]s of ], ], ], ] and ]. They are almost non-existent in ] parts.
]


Over the last few centuries, many Iyers have migrated and settled in parts of ]. During the rule of the Mysore Maharajahs, many Iyers from the then ] migrated to Mysore. The Ashtagrama Iyers are also a prominent group of Iyers in Karnataka.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
Iyers are also found in fairly appreciable number in Western and Southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Iyers of the far south are called ] Iyers and speak the Tirunelveli Brahmin dialect. The most prominent Tirunelveli Iyer was ], often regarded as the "] of Tamil Nadu". In ], there are a large number of Kerala Iyers from Palakkad.


Iyers have also been resident of the princely state of ] from ancient times. The Venad state (present ]) and the southern parts of Kerala was part of the ] known as Then Pandi Nadu. There were also many Iyers in ] which later on grew to be the Travancore state. The old capital of ] was ] which is at present in Kanyakumari district. There has also been a continuous inflow from ] and ] ] of Tamil Nadu which are contiguous to the erstwhile ] of Travancore. Many parts of the present Tirunelveli district were even part of the old ] state.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} These Iyers are known today as ]. Some of these people migrated to ] and later to ] and ] districts. There were also migrations from ] district of Tamil Nadu to Palakkad. Their descendants are known today as ]s.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} These Iyers are collectively now called as '']s''. In ], there are many such Iyers due to its proximity to Kerala.<ref name="colorful_festival_hindu">{{cite news|last=Prabhakaran |first=G. |title=A colourful festival from a hoary past |date=12 November 2005 |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2005/11/12/stories/2005111200510400.htm |work=The Hindu Metro Plus:Coimbatore |access-date=2008-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070805062343/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2005/11/12/stories/2005111200510400.htm |archive-date=5 August 2007 }}</ref>
Telugu-speaking ] Brahmins, especially of the ] sect, often identify themselves as Iyers. They are found all along coastal ] and North Tamil Nadu. The fall of the ] in 1565 prompted large scale migrations from Vijayanagar as thousands of Telugu Brahmins moved southwards and settled in the districts of Tamil Nadu.<ref></ref> There were also periodic migrations from the southern districts of Andhra Pradesh during the 19th and early 20th centuries when Southern and Eastern districts of Andhra Pradesh were parts of Madras province.Savant ], the ] of the Kanchi mutt and singer ] are prominent Iyers of Telugu origin.


According to the Buddhist scripture ], the presence of Brahmins have been recorded in ] as early as 500BC when the first migrations from the Indian mainland supposedly took place. Currently, Brahmins are an important constituent of the ] minority.<ref name="civattampip3">{{cite book | title=Sri Lankan Tamil society and politics| last=Civattampi| first=K.| year=1995| page=3| publisher=New Century Book House| location=Madras| isbn=81-234-0395-X }}</ref><ref name="ritualizingontheboundariesp3">], Pg 3</ref> Tamil Brahmins are believed to have played a historic role in the formation of the ].<ref name="ritualizingontheboundariesp3" /><ref name="criticalhistoryofjaffna">{{cite book | title=A critical history of Jaffna| last=Gnanaprakasar| first=S.|year=1928|page=96| publisher=Gnanaprakasa Yantra Salai|isbn=978-81-206-1686-8}}</ref><ref name="pathmanathan">], Pg 1-13</ref>
== Subsects ==
Iyers have many sub-sects among them, such as ], Brahacharanam, ], ] or ] , Ashtasahasram, Mukkani and ].<ref></ref><ref>Aspects of Caste in South India, Ceylon, and North-West Pakistan by E. R. Leach; University Press, 1962</ref> Each sub-sect is further subdivided according to the village or region of origin.
Iyers are also divided into different sects based on the ] they follow. Iyers belonging to the ] sect usually follow the teachings of the Krishna Yajur Veda.<ref></ref>


Apart from ], Iyers have also migrated to and settled in places in ]. There are significantly large Iyer communities in ],<ref name="ritualizingontheboundariesp86">], Pg 86</ref><ref name="ritualizingontheboundariesp12">], Pg 12</ref> and ].<ref name="migrationp15">], pp. 15-17</ref> These migrations, which commenced during the British rule, were often undertaken in search of better prospects and contributed to the prosperity of the community.<ref name="Tambram">{{cite news | last=Vishwanath | first=Rohit | title= BRIEF CASE: Tambram's Grouse | date=23 June 2007 | url =https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/BRIEF-CASE-Tambrams-Grouse/articleshow/2142389.cms | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20121025083019/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-06-23/edit-page/27955862_1_tambrams-tamil-brahmin-mallika | url-status =live | archive-date =25 October 2012 | work=] | access-date = 2008-08-19}}</ref>
The sect of Sivacharya or Gurukkal form the hereditary priesthood or in the Siva and Sakthi temples in Tamil Nadu<ref name="Gurukkal" /><ref></ref>. They are Saivites and adhere to the philosophy of ]. They are well versed in Agama Sasthras and follow the Agamic rituals of these temples.


In recent times Iyers have also migrated in significant numbers to the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States<ref name="ritualizingontheboundariesp12" /> in search of better fortune.<ref name="migrationp18">], pp. 180-21</ref>
The Mukkani sub-sect of Iyers are traditionally helpers to the priests in the temples of ]. Legend has it that the Mukkanis were the '''bhoothaganas''', the demon bodyguards of ] and that they were given the responsibility for guarding Subrahmanya's shrines by Siva.<ref></ref>. The Mukkanis predominantly subscribe to the ].


== Gotra or Lineage == == Subsects ==
Iyers have many sub-sects among them, such as ], Brahacharnam or ], ], ] or ], Ashtasahasram, Mukkāni, Gurukkal, Kāniyālar and Prathamasāki.<ref name="Leach">{{cite book | title=Aspects of caste in south India, Ceylon, and north-west Pakistan. Cambridge | last=Leach| first=E. R.| year=1960| page=368|publisher=Published for the Dept. of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University Press| location=Madras}}</ref> Each sub-sect is further subdivided according to the village or region of origin.
''See Also: ]
]


Iyers, like all other Brahmins, trace their paternal ancestors to one of the eight '']s'' or sages.<ref></ref><ref></ref> Accordingly they are classified into eight '']s'' based on the ''rishi'' they have descended from. A maiden in the family belongs to gotra of her father, but upon marriage takes the ''gotra'' of her husband. ]Iyers, like all other Brahmins, trace their paternal ancestry to one of the eight '']s'' or sages.<ref name="gotra_def">{{cite web|url=http://vedabase.net/g/gotra|title=Definition of the word ''gotra''|access-date=2008-08-19|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216105800/http://vedabase.net/g/gotra|archive-date=2008-12-16}}</ref><ref name="gotra_description">{{cite web|url=http://www.gurjari.net/ico/Mystica/html/gotra.htm|title=Gotra|access-date=2008-08-19|publisher=gurjari.net}}</ref> Accordingly, they are classified into eight '']s'' based on the rishi they have descended from. A maiden in the family belongs to gotra of her father, but upon marriage takes the gotra of her husband.


The Vedas are further sub-divided into ''shakhas'' or "branches" and followers of each Veda are further sub-divided based on the shakha they adhere to. However, only a few of the shakhas are extant, the vast majority of them having disappeared. The different Vedas and the corresponding shakhas that exist today in Tamil Nadu are:<ref name="shaka_tamilnadu">{{cite web|url=http://www.dharmicscriptures.org/Vedic_SB_Intro.doc|title=Shakha|access-date=2008-09-10|publisher=www.dharmicscriptures.org}}</ref>
== Migrations ==
=== Migration to West Bengal ===


{| class=wikitable style="margin:1em auto;"
The oldest recorded migration of Tamil Brahmins is to ]. They are known as '''{{IAST|Dākṣiṇātyas}}''' amongst Vaidika Brahmins. ''See ].''
|- valign=bottom
! Veda !! ''shākhā''
|- style="text-align:center;"
|| ] || style="text-align:center;"| Shakala and Paingi
|- style="text-align:center;"
|| ]|| style="text-align:center;"| Kanva and Taittiriya
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| ] || Kauthuma, Jaiminiya/Talavakara, Shatyayaniya and Gautama
|- style="text-align:center;"
|| ] || style="text-align:center;"| Shaunakiya and Paippalada
|}


== Culture ==
Though the date of migration is being debated, the general opinion is that they migrated during the period of the ].<ref></ref> It is also possible that they arrived in the train of the ] armies during ] invasion which took place between ] and ] C.E. See ]. Some historians have reported that the Adi Sura (Vira sena) who is supposed to have brought the five Brahmin families to Bengal was himself a Tamil Brahmin.


=== Migration to Karanataka === === Rituals ===
Iyer rituals comprise rites as described in ]s such as ] attributed to the Hindu sage ]. The most important rites are the ''Shodasa Samaskāras'' or the 16 ]. Although many of the rites and rituals followed in antiquity are no longer practised, some have been retained.<ref name="16Samskaras">{{cite web|date=8 August 2003|url=http://www.commsp.ee.ic.ac.uk/~pancham/Articles/The%20Sixteen%20Samskaras.pdf|title=The Sixteen Samskaras Part-I|access-date=2008-08-27}}</ref><ref name="samskaras_names">{{cite web|url=http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part16/chap8.htm|title=Names of Samskaras|access-date=2008-08-27|publisher=kamakoti.org}}</ref>


] performing the Sandhya Vandhanam, 1913]]
Over the last few centuries, a large number of Iyers have also migrated and settled in parts of ]. The erstwhile ] had been home to a significantly large Mulukanadu community. During the rule of the Mysore Maharajahs, a large number of Iyers from the then ] migrated to Mysore. The ]s are also a prominent group of Iyers in Karnataka<ref></ref>.


] carrying out a small ritual with his grandson.]]
=== Migrations to Kerala ===
A series of large-scale migrations of Iyers from the Tamil country into Kerala over the past few centuries has created a 'Kerala Iyer' community<ref name="Kerala" /><ref></ref>. According to ], two streams of migration actually took place:

* A wave of migrations from ] and ] ] of Tamil Nadu first to the erstwhile ] of ] and ] and later to ] and ] districts have resulted in the origin of an Iyer community in the Travancore and Cochin regions.
* There were also migrations rom ] district of Tamil Nadu to Palakkad. Their descendants are known today as ].

==== Iyers in Travancore and Cochin regions ====

A majority of the Iyers living in the historic ] and ] regions of Kerala are the descendents of 18th century migrants from the former ] kingdom and the Madras Presidency<ref name="Kerala"></ref><ref></ref>. However, Iyers were neither considered eligible nor allowed to officiate as priests in the temples of ] as the priests in these parts practised 'Tantra Vidhi'- a very complex system of ] rites monopolized by the ]<ref name="Kerala Iyers" />. The only exception is the district of ] in Tamil Nadu which was formerly a part of ].

Due to their skill in ] art, Iyers were initially employed mostly as cooks. They are generally credited with having introduced Tamil delicacies as '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']'' in Kerala. However, with the passage of time, Iyers entered administrative and commercial professions as well.
The first prominent member of the Iyer community in Kerala was ], who was the Prime Minister (''Dewan'' or ''Dalawa'') of Travancore State during the reign of Raja ]. Other prominent Iyers from Kerala include ], ], ], ] and ].

Tamil Brahmins have fully ] into Kerala society even while retaining their ancestral traditions. Their mother tongue is a dialect of ] heavily influenced by ] vocabulary.

==== Palakkad Iyers ====

Iyers who migrated to the ] from the ] kingdom to serve in the temples of Kerala are known as ]. From the very beginning, the Palakkad Iyers were endowed with grants of land and were pretty well-off compared to the Travancore and Cochin Iyers. They also officiated in ] as priests. The Palakkad Iyers resided in ]<ref></ref><ref name="agraharams"></ref> . Those who established themselves in the interior parts of Kerala lived in houses known as 'Madom'<ref name="agraharams" /><ref></ref>.

The Palakkad Iyers were greatly affected by the Kerala Agrarian Relations Bill, 1957 (repealed in 1961 and substituted by The Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1963) which abolished the ] system.<ref></ref>

=== Migrations to Sri Lanka ===

According to a ] called ], Brahmins in general are known in written ] history from the beginings of Indic migrations to the island from about 500 BCE. Currently Tamil Brahmins are an important part of the ] ethnic group in Sri Lanka.<ref>Civattampi, K ''Sri Lankan Tamil society and politics'', p.3</ref> Tamil Brahmins played an important historic role in the formation of the ] circa thirteenth century.<ref>Gnanaprakasar, S ''A critical history of Jaffna'', p.96</ref> (See ])<ref>Pathmanathan, ''The Kingdom of Jaffna'',p.1-13</ref>

=== Recent Migrations ===
Apart from ], Iyers have also migrated to and settled in places in ]. There are significantly large Iyer communities in ], ], ] and ]. These migrations, which commenced during the British rule, were often undertaken in search of better prospects and contributed to the prosperity of the community<ref name="Tambram" />.

In recent times Iyers have also migrated in large numbers to the ], ] and the ] in search of better fortune. They are one of the fastest growing Asian communities in the US.


== Religious Practices, Ceremonies and Festivals ==

=== Rituals ===


Iyers are initiated into rituals at the time of birth. In ancient times, rituals used to be performed when the baby was being separated from mother's umbilical cord. This ceremony is known as ''Jātakarma''. However, this practice is no longer observed. At birth, a ] is made for the child based on the position of the stars. The child is then given a ritual name.<ref name="Ayush Homam">{{cite news | last=Austin | first=Lisette | title=Welcoming baby; Birth rituals provide children with a sense of community, culture | date=21 May 2005 | url=http://www.parentmap.com/content/view/498/276/ | work=Parentmap | access-date=2008-08-27 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708180805/http://www.parentmap.com/content/view/498/276/ | archive-date=8 July 2008 }}</ref> On the child's birthday, a ritual is performed to ensure longevity. This ritual is known as '']''. This ceremony is held on the child's birthday reckoned as per the Tamil calendar based on the position of the '']s'' or stars and not the ].<ref name="Ayush Homam" /> The child's first birthday is the most important and is the time when the baby is formally initiated by piercing the ears of the boy or girl. From that day onwards a girl is expected to wear earrings.
Iyer rituals comprise rites as described in ]s such as ] attributed to ]. The most important rites are the shodasa samskaras or the 17 essential ]. Although many rites and rituals that were practiced in ancient times are no longer followed, some traditions are continued to this day<ref>.</ref><ref></ref>
Iyers are initiated into rituals at the time of birth. In ancient times, rituals used to be performed when the baby was being separated from mother's umbilical cord. This ceremony is known as '''Jatakarma'''<ref></ref>. However, this practice is no longer observed. At birth, a ] is made for the child based on the position of the stars. The child is then given a ritual name with a grand Hindu ritual<ref name="Ayush Homam"></ref>. On the child's birthday (especially the first one) a Hindu ritual is performed to ensure longevity. This ritual is known as ]. This ceremony is held on the child's birthday reckoned as per the Tamil calendar based on the position of the ] or stars and not the ]<ref name="Ayush Homam" />. The child's first birthday is the most important and is the time when the baby is formally initiated by piercing the ears of the boy or girl. From that day onwards a girl is expected to wear earrings.<ref></ref>


A second initiation (for the male child in particular) follows when the child crosses the age of seven. This is the '']'' ceremony during which a ] is said to be reborn. A three-piece cotton thread is installed around the ] of the child encompassing the whole length of his body from the left ] to the right ]. The Upanayana ceremony of initiation is solely performed for the members of the '']'' or twice-born ], generally when the individual is between 7 and 16 years of age.<ref name="upanayanam">{{cite web|url=http://www.gurjari.net/ico/Mystica/html/upanayanam.htm|title=Upanayanam|access-date=2008-09-02|publisher=gurjari.net}}</ref><ref name="iyer_ritesandrituals">{{cite web|url=http://www.boloji.com/hinduism/047.htm|title=Customs and Classes of Hinduism|date=2 March 2003|access-date=2008-09-02|publisher=Boloji Media Inc.|author=Neria Harish Hebbar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203104805/http://www.boloji.com/hinduism/047.htm|archive-date=2007-02-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> In ancient times, the Upanayana was often considered as the ritual which marked the commencement of a boy's education, which in those days consisted mostly of the study of the Vedas. However, with the Brahmins taking to other ] than ], this initiation has become more of a symbolic ritual. The ] was expected to perform the '']m'' on a regular basis and utter a prescribed set of prayers, three times a day: dawn, mid-day, and dusk. The most sacred and prominent of the prescribed set of prayers is the ], which is as sacred to the Hindus as the ] to the ] and ] to the ]. Once a year, Iyers change their sacred thread. This ritual is exclusive to South Indian Brahmins and the day is commemorated in Tamil Nadu as ''Āvani Avittam''.<ref name="south_indian_festivals">{{cite book | title=South Indian Hindu festivals and traditions| last=Jagannathan| first=Maithily| year=2005| page=93| publisher=Abhinav Publications| isbn= 9788170174158}}</ref><ref name="fasts_and_festivals">{{cite book | title=Fasts and Festivals of India| last=Verma| first=Manish| year=2002| page=41| publisher=Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd.| isbn=978-81-7182-076-4}}</ref>
] performing the Sandhya Vandhanam, 1913]]


]
A second initiation (for the male child in particular) follows when the child crosses the age of seven. This is the ] ceremony during which a ] is said to be reborn. A three-piece cotton thread is installed around the ] of the child encompassing the whole length of his body from the left ] to the right ]. The Upanayana ceremony of initiation is solely performed for the members of the ] ], generally when the individual is between 7 and 16 years of age.<ref></ref><ref></ref> In ancient times, the Upanayana was often considered as the ritual which marked the commencement of a boy's education, which in those days, comprised mostly of the study of the Vedas. However, with the Brahmins taking to other ] than ], this initiation has become more of a symbolic ritual these days.The ] was expected to perform the ]m ritual<ref></ref><ref></ref> and utter a prescribed set of prayers, three times a day: dawn, mid-day, and dusk. The most sacred and prominent of the prescribed set of prayers is the ],<ref></ref> which is as sacred to the Hindus as the ] to the ] and ] to the ]. Once a year (usually in the month of August or September) Iyers change their sacred thread. This ritual is exclusive to South Indian Brahmimns and the day is commemorated as 'Avani Avittam'.


Other important ceremonies for Iyers include the rites for the deceased. All Iyers are cremated according to ] rites, usually within a day of the individual's death<ref></ref>. The death rites include a 13-day ceremony, and regular '']''<ref></ref>(performed every month thereafter, on ] day, or New Moon Day), for the ancestors. There is also a yearly '']''<ref></ref>, that must be performed. These rituals are expected to be performed only by male descendants of the deceased. Married men who perform this ritual must be accompanied by their wives. The women are symbolically important in the ritual to give a "consent" to all the proceedings in it<ref></ref>. Other important ceremonies for Iyers include the rites for the deceased. All Iyers are cremated according to ] rites, usually within a day of the individual's death.<ref name="deathrites_majorreligions">{{cite web|url=http://www.beliefnet.com/story/78/story_7894_2.html|title=Transition Rituals|access-date=2008-09-02|publisher=Beliefnet Inc.}}</ref> The death rites include a 13-day ceremony, and regular '']''<ref name="Tharpanam">{{cite web|url=http://www.vadhyar.com/Tarpanam.php|title=Tharpanam|access-date=2008-09-02|publisher=vadhyar.com}}</ref> (performed every month thereafter, on ] day, or New Moon Day), for the ancestors. There is also a yearly '']'', that must be performed. These rituals are expected to be performed only by male descendants of the deceased. Married men who perform this ritual must be accompanied by their wives. The women are symbolically important in the ritual to give a "consent" to all the proceedings in it.<ref name="journey_of_a_lifebody">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindugateway.com/library/rituals/ |title=The Journey of a Lifebody |access-date=2008-08-27 |publisher=Hindu Gateway |first=David M. |last=Knipe |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080930232759/http://www.hindugateway.com/library/rituals/ |archive-date=2008-09-30 }}</ref>


=== Festivals === === Festivals ===
{{See also|Hindu festivals}}


Iyers celebrate almost all Hindu festivals like ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and Karthika Deepam. Iyers celebrate almost all Hindu festivals like ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and Karthika Deepam. An important festival, exclusive to Brahmins of South India, is the ''Āvani Avittam'' festival.<ref name="Avani_Avittam">{{cite web|url=http://www.panchangam.com/avani.htm|title=Avani Avittam|access-date=2008-08-27|publisher=K.G.Corporate Consultants|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914061750/http://www.panchangam.com/avani.htm|archive-date=14 September 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
However, the most important festival which is exclusive to Brahmins of South India is the Avani Avittam festival.<ref></ref><ref></ref>


=== Weddings === === Weddings ===
A typical Iyer wedding consists of ''Sumangali Prārthanai'' (Hindu prayers for prosperous married life), ''Nāndi'' (homage to ancestors), ''Nischayadhārtham'' (Engagement) and ''Mangalyadharanam'' (tying the knot). The main events of an Iyer marriage include ''Vratam'' (fasting), ''Kasi Yatra'' (pilgrimage to Kasi), ''Oonjal'' (Swing), ''Kanyadanam'' (placing the bride in the groom's care), ''Mangalyadharanam'', ''Pānigrahanam'' and ''Saptapathi'' (or ''seven steps'' - the final and most important stage wherein the bride takes seven steps supported by the groom's palms thereby finalizing their union). This is usually followed by ''Nalangu'', which is a casual and informal event.<ref name="Iyer_marriage">{{cite web|url=http://www.sawnet.org/weddings/tamil_vedic.html |title=A South Indian Wedding – The Rituals and the Rationale |access-date=2008-08-27 |publisher=Sawnet |first=Padma |last=Vaidyanath |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512152857/http://sawnet.org/weddings/tamil_vedic.html |archive-date=2008-05-12 }}</ref>{{See also|Culture of Tamil Nadu}}
A typical Iyer wedding consists of ''Sumangali Prārthanai'' (Hindu prayers for prosperous married life) , ''Nāndi'' (homage to ancestors), ''Nischayadhārtham'' (Engagement) and ''Mangalyadharanam'' (tying the knot). This is a highly ritualistic affair. The main ritualistic events of an Iyer marriage include ''Vratam'' (fasting), ''Kasi Yatra'' (pilgrimage to Kasi), ''Oonjal'' (Swing), ''Kanyadanam'' (placing the bride in the groom's care), ''Mangalyadharanam'', ''Pānigrahanam'' and ''Saptapathi'' (or ''seven steps'' - the final and most important stage wherein the bride takes seven steps supported by the groom's palms thereby finalizing their union). This is usually followed by ''Nalangu'', which is a casual and informal event.<ref> </ref>


== Lifestyle and Culture == === Traditional ethics ===
Iyers generally lead orthodox lives and adhere steadfastly to their customs and traditions. Iyers follow the Grihya Sutras of ] and ]. The society is patriarchal but not feudal.<ref name="apastamba_sutra">{{cite book | title=Yajur-Veda: Apastamba-Grhya-Sutra| last=Pandey| first=U. C. | year=1971}}</ref>


Iyers are generally ]. Some abjure onion and garlic on the grounds that they activate certain base senses.<ref name="Madi">{{cite web|url=http://www.icsi.berkeley.edu/~snarayan/anthro-pap/subsection3_4_1.html|title=The Practice of ''madi''|access-date=2008-08-27|publisher=ICSI Berkeley}}</ref> Cow milk and milk products were approved.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}} They were required to avoid alcohol and tobacco.<ref name="Manusmriti">{{cite book | title=The Laws of Manu| last1=Doniger| first1=Wendy|first2=Brian K.|last2=Smith| year=1991| publisher=Penguin Books | isbn=0-14-044540-4}}</ref>
=== Traditional Iyer Ethics ===


Iyers follow elaborate purification rituals, both of self and the house. Men are forbidden from performing their "sixteen duties" while women are forbidden from cooking food without having a purificatory bath in the morning.<ref name="Madi" /> Food is to be consumed only after making an offering to the deities.
]
The bathing was considered sufficiently purifying only if it conformed to the rules of ''madi''.<ref name="Madi" /> The word ''madi'' is used by Tamil Brahmins to indicate that a person is bodily pure. In order to practice madi, the Brahmin had to wear only clothes which had been recently washed and dried, and the clothes should remain untouched by any person who was not ''madi''. Only after taking bath in cold water, and after wearing such clothes, would the person be in a state of ''madi''.<ref name="madiinkarnataka">{{cite book | title=Living Traditions in Contemporary Contexts: The Madhva Matha of Udipi| last=Rao| first=Vasudeva| page=66| publisher=Orient Longman}}</ref>
This practice of ''madi'' is followed by Iyers even in modern times, before participating in any kind of religious ceremony.<ref name="Madi" />


].
Iyers are generally orthodox Hindus who adhere steadfastly to their customs and traditions. However, of recent, they have started leaving their traditional priestly duties for more secular vocations, causing contemporary Iyers to be more flexible than their parents and grandparents. They followed the ] (Hindu Code of Laws or The Institutes of Manu) and the Grihya Sutras of ] and ]. The society is patriarchal but not feudal.<ref></ref><!--removing possible copyvio image] . -->


=== Clothing ===
Iyers observed many rules in the past when they used to live and marry only within their community; many continue to adhere to their roots. Their dietary habits can be considered to be strict, consuming only vegetarian food which excludes fish and fowl, eggs and egg products. Some abjure onion and garlic on the grounds that they activate certain base senses. Milk and milk products, preferably from the cow, were approved. They were mandated to avoid the consumption of intoxicants, including alcohol and tobacco<ref name="Manusmriti" />.
]'' at a convention of the Mylai Tamil Sangam, circa 1930s]]


Iyer men traditionally wear ''veshtis'' or '']s'' which cover them from waist to foot. These are made of ] and sometimes ]. ''Veshtis'' are worn in different styles. Those worn in typical Brahminical style are known as ''panchakacham'' (from the ] terms ''pancha'' and ''gajam'' meaning "five yards" as the length of the ''panchakacham'' is five yards in contrast to the ''veshtis'' used in daily life which are four or eight cubits long). They sometimes wrap their shoulders with a single piece of cloth known as ''angavastram'' (body-garment). In earlier times, Iyer men who performed austerities also draped their waist or chests with deer skin or grass.
]
Iyers follow elaborate purification rituals, both of self and the house. The women of the household cook food only after a bath, while the males perform religious rites after a purificatory bath. An Iyer does not visit a temple without taking bath. Food is partaken of only after it is offered to the deity/deities in a prescribed manner. Like any other Brahmin community, bathing everyday is mandatory, and is, strictly speaking, the first thing to be carried out, before beginning any work of the day or before the start of any ritual or prayer. So much importance was given to this, that it was not unusual to see Iyers bathe many times during the day (before performing any important ritual).<ref name="Madi"></ref>
The bathing was considered sufficiently purifying only if it confirmed to the rules of ''madi''<ref name="Madi" />. The word '']'' is used by Tamil Brahmins to indicate that a person is bodily pure.
In order to practice madi, the brahmin had to wear only clothes which had been recently washed and dried, and the clothes should remain untouched by any person who was not ''madi''. Only after taking bath in cold water, and after wearing such clothes, would the person be in a state of ''madi''.
This practice of ''madi'' is followed by Iyers even in modern times, before participating in any kind of religious ceremony<ref name="Madi" />.


The traditional Iyer woman is draped in a nine-yard saree, also known as '']''.<ref name="'madisar">{{cite news | title= A saree caught in a time wrap | date=23 January 2005 | url =http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050123/society.htm#2 | work =The Tribune | access-date = 2008-09-03}}</ref>
</ref><ref></ref>]].


=== Patronage of art ===
For centuries, Iyers have taken a keen interest in preserving the arts and sciences. They undertook the responsibility of preserving the ], a monumental work on ], the classical dance form of Tamil Nadu. During the early 20th century, dance was usually regarded as a ] associated with ]s. ], however, revived the dying art of ] into the more "respectable" art form of Bharatanatyam, thereby breaking social and caste taboos about Brahmins taking part in the study and practice of dance.<ref name="roles_and_rituals">''Roles and Rituals for Hindu Women'' by Julia Leslie, Pg. 154</ref><ref name="natyam_academy">{{cite news | last=Vishwanathan | first= Lakshmi | title= How Natyam danced its way into the Academy | date=1 December 2006 | url=http://www.hindu.com/ms/2006/12/01/stories/2006120100180600.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216122454/http://www.hindu.com/ms/2006/12/01/stories/2006120100180600.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=16 December 2008 | access-date = 2008-08-27 | work=] | location=Chennai, India}}</ref> However many have claimed that, rather than becoming more open to other communities, the practice of Bharatanatyam was then restricted specifically to the middle and upper classes of Tamil society.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How the art of Devadasis was appropriated to create the world of Bharatanatyam|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/how-art-devadasis-was-appropriated-create-world-bharatanatyam-38808|date=2016-02-10|website=The News Minute|access-date=2020-04-28}}</ref>


]


However, compared to dance, the contribution of Iyers in field of music has been considerably noteworthy.<ref>''From the Tanjore Court to the Madras Music Academy: A Social History of Music in South India'' by Lakshmi Subramanian {{ISBN|0-19-567835-4}}</ref><ref name="carnaticmusic_popularity">{{cite web|url=http://www.karnatik.com/article001.shtml|title=Popularity of Carnatic music|access-date=2008-08-27|publisher=karnatik.com|first=Raghavan|last=Jayakumar}}</ref>
Until the turn of the last century, an Iyer widow (but not a widower) was never allowed to remarry. Divorces were considered a "great evil". Once a widow, an Iyer woman had to shave her head and lead the life of ]. She had to stop wearing the kumkum/bindi on her forehead, and was recommended to smear her forehead with ]. All of these practices have diminished over the last few decades, and modern Iyer widows lead less orthodox lives<ref>''Brahmin Women'' by G.K. Ghosh and Shukla Ghosh. Kolkata, Firma KLM, 2003, viii, 171 p., $19. ISBN 81-7102-107-7</ref>.

=== Traditional Attire ===

]

Iyer men traditionally wear '']s'', which cover them from waist to foot. These are made of ] and sometimes ]. ''Veshtis'' are worn in different styles. They are worn in typical brahminical style during religious ceremonies. This style is popularly known as '''panchakacham'''<ref></ref>(from the ] terms ''pancha'' and ''kacham'' meaning "five yards" as the length of the ''panchakacham'' is five yards in contrast to the ''veshtis'' used in non-ceremonial daily life is, by contrast, four or eight cubits long). They sometimes wrap their shoulders with a single piece of cloth known as ''angavastram'' (body-garment). In earlier times, Iyer men who performed austerities also draped their waist or chests with deer skin or grass.

The traditional Iyer woman is draped in a nine yard saree, also known as ] in Tamil.<ref></ref> Though such dress is worn regularly only by the older women these days, on festivals and other religious occasions younger women wear it as well.

=== Iyers and Art ===

''See Also: ]''

]

For centuries, Iyers have taken a keen interest in preserving the arts and sciences<ref></ref>. They undertook the responsibility of preserving the ], a monumental work on ], the classical dance form of Tamil Nadu. During the early part of trhis century, dance was usually regarded as a degenerate art associated with ]s. However, it was an Iyer woman, ], who revived the dying art form thereby breaking social and caste taboos about Brahmins taking part in the study and practice of the traditional dance form of Bharatanatyam, an art then considered degenerate<ref>''Roles and Rituals for Hindu Women'' By Julia Leslie, Pg. 154</ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>.

However, compared to dance, the contribution of Iyers in field of music has been considerably noteworthy<ref></ref><ref>''From the Tanjore Court to the Madras Music Academy: A Social History of Music in South India'' by Lakshmi Subramanian ISBN-10: 0195678354</ref><ref></ref>. The Trinity of Carnatic Music were responsible for making some excellent compositions towards the end of the 18th century. In more recent times, ] and ] have enthralled audiences with some soul-stirring renderings. Today, there are Iyers who give traditional renderings as well as playback singers in Indian films like ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] . Iyers have also contributed considerably to ], short story and temple architecture.

In the field of literature and journalism, the Iyer community has produced stalwarts like ], ], ], ], ], and ] to name a few. The adoption of Western education at every stage has ensued their proficiency in the English language<ref name="Non-Brahmin Movement" /><ref>''Caste in Indian Politics'' by Rajni Kothari,Pg 254</ref>. They have also contributed in an equal amount to Tamil language and literature<ref name="Hart" /><ref>In Nambi Arooran states: "However the Tamil Renaissance cannot be considered as solely the work of non-Brahmin scholars. Brahmins also played all equally important role and the contribution of U. V. Swaminatha Aiyar and C. Subramania Bharati cannot be underestimated. Similarly in the reconstruction of the Tamil past Brahmin historians such as S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, K. A. Nilakanta Sastri, V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar, P. T. Srinvasa Ayyangar and C. S. Srinivasachari brought out authoritative works on the ancient and medieval periods of South Indian history, on the basis of which non-Brahmins were able to look back with pride upon the excellence of Tamil culture. But some of the non-Brahmins looked at the contribution of Brahmin scholars with suspicion because of the pro-Aryan and pro-Sanskrit views expressed sometimes in their writings."</ref>.There are innumerable hymns composed on different deities worshipped in the ] such as ], ], Shiva, Murugan, Vishnu, etc. The style of these poems are indeed unique and beautiful. Besides Tamil, they have also written a number of works in Sanskrit which is the language used in rituals.

The Iyer community has also produced a number of film stars and cine artistes. Two of ]'s greatest directors, ] and ] hail from the Iyer community. ] was one of the greatest Tamil film actors of the black-and-white era along with ] and ]. At present, ] and ] are amongst the top five stars in Tamil cinema.


=== Food === === Food ===
{{See also|History of Brahmin diet|Tamil cuisine}}


The main diet of Iyers is composed of vegetarian food,<ref name="hindu_attitude_vegetarianism">{{cite web|url=http://www.ivu.org/congress/wvc57/souvenir/raghunathan.html|title=The Hindu Attitude Towards Vegetarianism|access-date=2008-08-27|publisher=International Vegetarian Union|author=N. Raghunathan}}</ref> mostly rice which is the staple diet for millions of South Indians. Vegetarian side dishes are frequently made in Iyer households apart from compulsory additions as rasam, sambar, etc. Home-made ] is a staple addition to the diet, and traditional meals do not begin until ghee is poured over a heap of rice and lentils. The cuisine eschews the extent of spices and heat traditionally found in south Indian cuisine. Iyers are mostly known for their love for curd. Other South Indian delicacies such as dosas, idli, etc. are also relished by Iyers. Coffee amongst beverages and curd amongst food items form an indispensable part of the Iyer food menu.
''See Also: ]''


] ]


=== Housing ===
The main diet of Iyers is composed of vegetarian food<ref></ref>, mostly rice which is the staple diet for millions of South Indians.Vegetarian side dishes are frequently made in Iyer households apart from compulsory additions as rasam,sambar,etc. Home-made ] is a staple addition to the diet, and traditional meals do not begin until ghee is poured over a heap of rice and lentils. While tasting delicious, the cuisine eschews the extent of spices and heat traditionally found in south Indian cuisine. Iyers are mostly known for their love for curd. Other South Indian delicacies such as dosas, idli, etc. are also relished by Iyers<ref></ref>. Coffee amongst beverages and curd amongst food items form an indispensable part of the Iyer food menu. Liquor is traditionally forbidden, as per the Manusmrithi<ref name="Manusmriti">"The Laws of Manu", Translated by Wendy Doniger and Brian K. Smith, published 1991, Penguin Books. Chapter 11, Verses 94 to 98</ref>, and is accordingly eschewed by the Iyers.
] ''agrahāram'']]
In ancient times, Iyers, along with ] and other ], lived in exclusive Brahmin ] of their village known as an '']''. ] and ] ] were usually situated at the ends of an ''agrahāram''. In most cases, there would also be a fast-flowing stream or river nearby.<ref name="quaint_charm">{{cite news | last=Sashibhushan | first= M. G. | title= Quaint charm | date=23 February 2004 | url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/02/23/stories/2004022301910300.htm| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040705215837/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/02/23/stories/2004022301910300.htm| url-status=dead| archive-date=5 July 2004| access-date = 2008-08-27 | work=] | location=Chennai, India}}</ref>


A typical ''agrahāram'' consisted of a temple and a street adjacent to it. The houses on either side of the street were exclusively peopled by Brahmins who followed a joint family system. All the houses were identical in design and architecture though not in size.<ref name="migrationp12">], pp. 12-13</ref>
== Agraharams ==


With the arrival of the British and commencement of the Industrial Revolution, Iyers started moving to cities for their sustenance. Starting from the late 19th century, the ''agrahārams'' were gradually discarded as more and more Iyers moved to towns and cities to take up lucrative jobs in the provincial and judicial administration.<ref name="migrationp6">], pp. 6-14</ref>
]
In ancient times, Iyers, along with ] and other ], lived in exclusive Brahmin ] of their village or town known as an ']'(in Sanskrit ''Agram'' means ''tip'' or ''end'' and ''Haram'' means ''Shiva''). ] and ] ] were usually situated at the ends of an agraharam. In most cases, there would also be a fast-flowing stream or river nearby.<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>


However, there are still some agrahārams left where traditional Iyers continue to reside. In an Iyer residence, people wash their feet first with water on entering the house.<ref name="life_in_an_agrharam">{{cite web|url=http://www.saibaba.ws/teachings/goalguide/goalguide03.htm|title=The Goal and the Guide, Petal 3:Fire Walking|access-date=2008-08-27|publisher=Sri Satya Sai Baba Website|first=Bombai|last=Srinivasan}}</ref><ref name="agraharam_description">{{cite news | last=Sridhar | first=Lalitha | title=Simply South | date=6 August 2001 | url=http://www.blonnet.com/2001/08/06/stories/100672a4.htm | work=Business Line | access-date=2008-08-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080223230150/http://www.blonnet.com/2001/08/06/stories/100672a4.htm | archive-date=23 February 2008 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
A typical agraharam consisted of a temple and a street adjacent to it. The houses on either side of the street were exclusively peopled by Brahmins who followed a joint family system. All the houses were identical in design and architecture though not in size.


=== Language ===
With the arrival of the British and commencement of the Industrial Revolution, Iyers started moving to cities for their sustenance. Starting from the late 1800s, the agraharams were gradually discarded as more and more Iyers moved to towns and cities to take up lucrative jobs in the provincial and judicial administration.
{{See also|Manipravalam|Brahmin Tamil}}
] is the ] of most Iyers residing in India and elsewhere. However, Iyers speak a distinct dialect of Tamil unique to their community.<ref name="ethnologue">{{cite web|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/14/show_language.asp?code=TCV|title=TAMIL: a language of India|access-date=2008-09-03|year=2000|work=Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 14th Edition|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914105053/http://www.ethnologue.com/14/show_language.asp?code=TCV|archive-date=2008-09-14}}</ref><ref name="international_conference_on_dialects">{{cite web|url=http://www.ifpindia.org/ecrire/upload/dialects_conference_note.pdf|title=Streams of Language: Tamil Dialects in History and Literature|access-date=2008-09-03|publisher=french Institute of Pondicherry|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911173641/http://www.ifpindia.org/ecrire/upload/dialects_conference_note.pdf|archive-date=2008-09-11}}</ref><ref name="Tamil_dialects3">{{cite book | title=Negotiating multiculturalism: Disciplining Difference in Singapore | last=Purushotam| first=Nirmala Srirekham| page=37| year=2000| publisher=Walter de Gruyter}}</ref> This ] of Tamil is known as ] or ]. Brahmin Tamil is highly ] and has often invited ridicule from ] purists due to its extensive usage of the Sanskrit ].<ref name="Brahmin_Tamil_Sanskritized">{{cite news | last= Hebbar | first= Neria Harish | title= Tulu Language: Its Script and Dialects | date= 2 February 2003 | url= http://www.boloji.com/places/0020.htm | work= Boloji Media Inc. | access-date= 2008-09-10 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100504135656/http://www.boloji.com/places/0020.htm | archive-date= 2010-05-04 | url-status= dead }}</ref> While Brahmin Tamil used to be the ] for inter-caste communication between different Tamil communities during pre-independence times, it has been gradually discarded by Brahmin themselves in favour of regional dialects.<ref name="standardization">{{cite web|title=Standardization or Restandardization: the case for 'Standard' Spoken Tamil|first=Harold F.|last=Schiffman|url=http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/public/stantam/STANTAM.HTM}}</ref>


== Iyers today ==
However, there are still some agraharams left where traditional Iyers continue to reside. In an Iyer residence, people wash their feet first with water on entering the house. This is not possible in flats in cities due to the layout of the same. But in houses in villages, the layout permits this and is still practiced.<ref></ref><ref></ref>


]
==Language of Iyers==


In addition to their earlier occupations, Iyers today have diversified into a variety of fields.<ref name="migrationp1">], Pg 1</ref> Three of India's Nobel laureates, ], ] and ] hail from the community.<ref name="rediffnews">{{cite news|url=http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/oct/12/slide-show-1-brahmins-dominate-all-modern-professions.htm|date=12 October 2009|title=Brahmins dominate all modern professions|work=Rediff News}}</ref>
{{wikibooks|Brahmin Tamil}}


Since ancient times, Iyers, as members of the privileged priestly class, exercised a near-complete domination over educational, religious and literary institutions in the Tamil country.<ref name="Vivekananda">{{cite book | title=The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda| last=Vivekananda| first=Swami| year=1955| page=296| publisher=Advaita Ashrama | isbn=81-85301-46-8}}</ref> Their domination continued throughout the ] as they used their knowledge of the English language and education to dominate politics, administration, the courts and intelligentsia. Upon India's independence in 1947, they tried to consolidate their hold on the administrative and judicial machinery. Such a situation led to resentment from the other castes in Tamil Nadu, the result of this atmosphere was a "non-Brahmin" movement and the formation of the ].<ref name="Non-Brahmin Movement">{{cite web|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/caste/nambi.htm|title=Caste & the Tamil Nation:The Origin of the Non-Brahmin Movement, 1905-1920|access-date=2008-09-03|publisher=Koodal Publishers|year=1980|author=K. Nambi Arooran|work=Tamil renaissance and Dravidian nationalism 1905-1944}} {{Dead link|date=April 2012|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> ], who took over as Justice Party President in the 1940s, changed its name to ], and formulated the view that ] were ] as opposed to non-Brahmin Tamils who were ].<ref name="periyar_antibrahminism">{{cite news | last= Selvaraj| first= Sreeram | title= Periyar was against Brahminism, not Brahmins | date=30 April 2007 | work =Rediff News}}
''See also: ]''
</ref> The ensuing ] and the rising unpopularity of the ] Government left an indelible mark on the Tamil Brahmin community ending their political aspirations. In the 1960s the ] (roughly translated as "Organisation for Progress of Dravidians") and its subgroups gained political ground on this platform forming state ministries, thereby wrenching control from the ], in which Iyers at that time were holding important party positions. Today, apart from a few exceptions{{Clarify|reason=|date=May 2020}}, Iyers have virtually disappeared from the political arena.<ref name="iyothee_thass">{{cite book | title=Towards a Non-Brahmin Millennium: From Iyothee Thass to Periyar | last=Geetha| first=V.| year=2001| publisher=Bhatkal & Sen| isbn=978-81-85604-37-4}}</ref><ref name="Dalit_visions">{{cite book | title=Dalit Visions: The Anti-caste Movement and the Construction of an Indian Identity| last=Omvedt| first=Gail| year=2006| page=95| publisher=Orient Longman| isbn= 978-81-250-2895-6}}</ref><ref name="dravidian_politics_in_madras">{{cite journal | doi=10.2307/2050816 | first=Lloyd I.| last=Rudolph| title=Urban Life and Populist Radicalism: Dravidian Politics in Madras | jstor=2050816| journal=The Journal of Asian Studies| year=1961| volume=20| issue=3| pages=283–297| s2cid=145124008}}</ref><ref name="modernity_of_tradition">{{cite book | title=The Modernity of Tradition: political development in India| url=https://archive.org/details/modernityoftradi00rudo| url-access=registration| last=I. Rudolph| first=Lloyd| year=1969| page=| publisher=University of Chicago| isbn=0-226-73137-5 | author2=Suzanne Hoeber Rudolph}}</ref><ref name="renewal_of_priesthood">{{cite book | title=The Renewal of the Priesthood: Modernity and Traditionalism in a South Indian Temple| last=Fuller| first=C. J.| year=2003| page=117| publisher=Princeton University Press| isbn=0-691-11657-1}}</ref>


In 2006, the Tamil Nadu government took the decision to appoint non-Brahmin priests in Hindu temples in order to curb Brahmin ecclesiastical domination.<ref name="tamil_nadu_caste_barrier">{{cite news | title= Tamil Nadu breaks caste barrier | date=16 May 2006 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4986616.stm | work =BBC News | access-date = 2008-09-06}}</ref> This created a huge controversy. Violence broke out in March 2008 when a non-Brahmin ''oduvar'' or reciter of Tamil idylls, empowered by the Government of Tamil Nadu, tried to make his way into the ''sanctum sanctorum'' of the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram.<ref name="tension_at_chidambaram_temple">{{cite news | title =Tension at Chidambaram temple | date =2 March 2008 | url =http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20080302/899005.html | work =Web India 123 | access-date =2008-09-06 | archive-date =11 December 2008 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081211112859/http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20080302/899005.html | url-status =dead }}</ref>
] is the ] of most Iyers residing in ] and elsewhere. However, Iyers speak a distinct dialect of Tamil unique to their community<ref></ref><ref></ref>.This ] of Tamil is known as ] or ], but is more popularly known by its ] term "Iyer baashai" or "language of Iyers". Brahmin Tamil is highly ] and has often invited ridicule from ] ] due to its extensive usage of the Sanskrit ]. However, with ] moving out of their ] to urban centres or migrating to foreign countries, Brahmin Tamil is being increasingly discarded and is facing the prospect of ]. The Palakkad Iyers have an unique sub-dialect of their own. Palakkad Tamil is characterized by the presence of a large number of words of Malayali origin. The Iyers of Tirunelveli speak a form of Tamil closely allied to the Tirunelveli dialect. The Sankheti Iyers speak a sub-dialect of Brahmin Tamil called ].


== Criticism ==
Apart from Tamil, Iyers in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala are also fluent in the local languages of their state i.e. ], ] and ], respectively. Iyers who reside in ] and ] are well-versed in ] and ].
{{See also|Anti-Brahmanism}}


=== Relations with other communities ===
Iyengars speak a separate dialect of Tamil called Iyengar Tamil.
The legacy of Iyers have often been marred by accusations of ] and counter-racism against them by non-Brahmins and vice versa.


Grievances and instances of ] by Brahmins are believed to be the main factors which fuelled the ].<ref name="Non-Brahmin Movement" /> With the dawn of the 20th century, and the rapid penetration of western education and western ideas, there was a rise in consciousness amongst the lower castes who felt that ] which were legitimately theirs were being denied to them.<ref name="Non-Brahmin Movement" /> This led the non-Brahmins to agitate and form the ] in 1916, which later became the ]. The Justice Party banked on vehement anti-Hindu and anti-Brahmin propaganda to ease Brahmins out of their privileged positions. Gradually, the non-Brahmin replaced the Brahmin in every sphere and destroyed the ] over ] and the ] which the Brahmin had previously held.<ref name="education-meansofsocialmobility">{{cite news|last=Warrier |first=Shobha |title=Education is the means of social mobility |date=30 May 2006 |url=http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/may/30spec.htm |work=Rediff News |access-date=2008-08-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080504051207/http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/may/30spec.htm |archive-date=4 May 2008 }}</ref>
==Iyers Today==


The concept of "Brahmin atrocities" is refuted by some Tamil Brahmin historians. They argue that allegations of casteism against Tamil Brahmins have been exaggerated and that even prior to the rise of the Dravida Kazhagam, a significant section of Tamil Brahmin society was liberal and anti-casteist, for example the ] passed by the princely state of Travancore which gave people of all castes the right to enter Hindu temples in the princely state was due to the efforts of the Dewan of Travancore, ] who was an Iyer.<ref name="cp_templeentry">{{cite book | title=RSS and Hindu Nationalism | last=Jayaprasad| first=K.| year=1991| page=138| publisher=Deep & Deep Publications}}</ref>
]


] leader and founder of political party Pudiya Tamizhagam, Dr. Krishnasamy admits that the Anti-Brahmin Movement had not succeeded in improving the rights of Dalits and that there continues to be as much discrimination of Dalits as had been before.
Akin to Bengali Brahmins, the Brahmins of South India were one of the first communities to be Westernized. However, this was restricted to their outlook on the material world. They have retained their Smartha traditions despite almost two centuries of western influence<ref name="Tambram" />.


{{blockquote|So many movements have failed. In Tamil Nadu there was a movement in the name of anti-Brahmanism under the leadership of Periyar. It attracted Dalits, but after 30 years of power, the Dalits understand that they are as badly-off - or worse-off - as they were under the Brahmans. Under Dravidian rule, they have been attacked and killed, their due share in government service is not given, they are not allowed to rise.<ref name="krishnasamy_quote">{{cite web|url=http://www.ambedkar.org/gail/Dravidianmovement.htm|title=The Dravidian movement|access-date=2008-08-19|publisher=ambedkar.org|first=Gail|last=Omvedt}}</ref>}}
In addition to their earlier occupations, Iyers today have diversified into a variety of fields — their strengths particularly evident in the fields of ], science, mathematics and computer science. It is a small percentage of Iyers who voluntarily choose, in this era, to pursue the traditional vocation of priesthood, though all Hindu temple priests are Brahmins. Some Iyers today have even married outside of their caste in Europe and therefore produced children of mixed background.


=== Alleged negative attitude towards Tamil language and culture ===
==Social and political issues==
Iyers have been called Sanskritists who entertained a distorted and contemptuous attitude towards Tamil language, culture and civilization.<ref name="Zvelebilp197">], Pg 197</ref> The ] ] says that the Brahmin was chosen as a scapegoat by the Dravidian parties to answer for the decline of Tamil civilization and culture in the medieval and post-medieval periods.<ref name="zvelebil_companionp212">], Pg 212</ref><ref name="zvelebil_companionp213">], Pg 213</ref> Despite these allegations many Iyers were great contributors to the Tamil language. Agathiar, usually identified with the legendary Vedic sage ] is credited with compiling the first rules of grammar of the Tamil language.<ref name="zvelebil_companion_agathiar">], Appendix III, The Case of Akattiyam; Sanskrit and Tamil; Kankam, Pg 235&ndash;260</ref> Moreover, individuals like ] and ] have made invaluable contributions to ].<ref name="dravidianmovement_brahmincontrib1">{{cite book | title=Castes of Mind: Colonialism and the Making of Modern India| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6OacVAwJsSAC&pg=PA143| last=B. Dirks| first=Nicholas| year=1996| page=143| publisher=Orient Longman| isbn=81-7824-072-6}}</ref><ref name="dravidianmovement_brahmincontrib2">{{cite book | title=Conversion to Modernities: The Globalization of Christianity | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P6BhSU8DbMcC&pg=PA131| last=van der Veer| first=Peter| year=1996| page=131| publisher=Routledge| isbn=0-415-91274-1}}</ref> ] was the first to campaign for the recognition of Tamil as a classical language.<ref name="parithimar_kalaignar">{{cite news | last= Saravanan | first= T. | title= Tamil scholar's house to be made a memorial | date=12 September 2006 | url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/12/stories/2006091207860200.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216121119/http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/12/stories/2006091207860200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=16 December 2008 | location=Tamil Nadu | work= ] | access-date = 2008-08-10}}
''See Also:]

Since ancient times, Iyers, as members of the privileged priestly class, exercised a near-complete domination over ],] and ] ] in the Tamil country <ref></ref>
<ref></ref>. Their domination continued throughout the ] as they used their knowledge of the English language and education to dominate the political, administrative, ] and ] spectrum. Upon India's independence in 1947, they hoped to consolidate their hold on the administrative and judicial machinery . Such a situation led to resentment from the other castes in Tamil Nadu; an upshot of this atmosphere was an "non-Brahmin" movement and the formation of the ]<ref name="Non-Brahmin Movement"></ref> . In the early days,the Justice Party functioned on a principled high-ground as a representative organization of non-Brahmins of the ] and campaigning for their grievances to be addressed and for the fulfillment of their education and monetary needs. However, with the passage of time, the movement soon led to a power struggle between the ]s and '''other upper castes''' like the ]s, ]s and ]s. ], who took over as Justice Party President in the 1940s, changed its name to ], and formulated the view that ] were ] as opposed to a majority of Tamils who were ] based on ]'s writings <ref></ref>. See ]. The ensuing ] and the rising unpopularity of the ] Government left an indelible mark on the Tamil Brahmin community ending their political aspirations forever. In the 1960s the ] (roughly translated as "Organisation for Progress of Dravidians") and its subgroups gained political ground on this platform forming state ministries, thereby wrenching control from the ], in which Iyers at that time were holding important party positions. Today, apart from a few exceptions, Iyers have virtually disappeared from the political arena.
<ref>Towards a Non Brahmin Millenium - From Iyothee Thass to Periyar - V.Geetha, and S.V. Rajadurai, 1998</ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>
<ref>Lloyd I. Rudolph Urban Life and Populist Radicalism: Dravidian Politics in Madras The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 20, No. 3 (May, 1961), pp. 283-297</ref><ref>
Lloyd I. Rudolph and Suzanne Hoeber Rudolph, The Modernity of Tradition: political development in India P78,University of Chicago Press 1969, ISBN 0226731375
</ref><ref>C. J. Fuller,The Renewal of the Priesthood: Modernity and Traditionalism in a South Indian Temple P117, Princeton University Press 2003 ISBN 0691116571
</ref> </ref>


== Portrayal in popular media ==
== Accusations of Casteism and Other Controversies ==
Brahmins are mentioned for the first time in the works of ].{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} During the post sangam era, Brahmin saints have been frequently praised for their efforts in combating ].{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} In modern times, when Iyers and Iyengars control a significant percentage of the print and visual media, there has been significant coverage of Brahmins and Brahmin culture in magazines and ] and a number of Brahmin characters in novels, TV serials and films.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
''See Also: ],],]


Their portrayal in media started to become more negative with the rise of Dravidian political movements. The writings and speeches of many Dravidian political activists such as ], ], ], ], ], the leaders of ] in the early 20th century and of the ] in more modern times constitute much of modern anti-Brahmin rhetoric.<ref name="vellalars_tamil_militarism">{{cite web|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/forum/sivaram/920901lg.htm|title= Part 8: The Twin Narratives of Tamil Nationalism|access-date=2008-09-03|year=1992|author=Sachi Sri Kantha|work=Selected Writings by Dharmeratnam Sivaram (Taraki)}} {{Dead link|date=April 2012|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref name="aryamayai">{{cite book | title=Polyethnicity in India and Canada: Possibilities for Exploration| last=Palanithurai| first=Ganapathy| year=1997| page=107| publisher=M. D. Publications Pvt. Ltd.| isbn= 978-81-7533-039-9}}</ref><ref name="a_survey_of_hinduism">{{cite book | title=A survey of Hinduism| last=K. Klostermaier| year=1994| page=300| publisher=SUNY Press| isbn= 978-0-7914-2109-3}}</ref>
The legacy of Iyers have often been marred by accusations of ] and counter-racism against them by non-Brahmins and vice versa. The ] forbids Brahmins from eating with individuals of particular castes (particularly the ]) and prescribed a strict code of laws with regard to their day-to-day behavior and dealings with other castes. Iyers of orthodox families generally obeyed these laws strictly.


Starting from the 1940s onwards, Annadurai and the ] have been using films and the ] for the propagation of their political ideology.<ref name="DMK_massmedia">{{cite book | title=Competitive Elections in Developing Countries| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x6RgvJ1ni3wC&pg=PA62| last1=Özbudun| first1=Ergun|first2=Myron|last2=Weiner| year=1987| page=62| publisher=Duke University Press| isbn=0-8223-0766-9}}</ref> Most of the films made, such as the 1952-blockbuster '']'' written by future Chief minister ], are anti-Brahminical in character.<ref name="Parasakthi">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/12/stories/2006061206151100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060613192240/http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/12/stories/2006061206151100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2006-06-13|title=Films and the politics of convenience |access-date=2008-07-20|author=A. Srivathsan|location=Chennai, India|work=]|date=2006-06-12}}</ref>
{{cquote|It was found that prior to Independence, the Pallars were never allowed to enter the residential areas of the caste Hindus particularly of the Brahmins. Whenever a Brahmin came out of his house, no Scheduled Caste person was expected to come in his vicinity as it would pollute his sanctity and if it happened by mistake, he would go back home cursing the latter. He would come out once again only after taking a bath and making sure that no such thing would be repeated.


== Notable people ==
However, as a mark of protest a few Pallars of this village deliberately used to appear before the Brahmin again and again. By doing so the Pallars forced the Brahmin to get back home once again to take a bath drawing water from deep well.<ref></ref>}}
Some of the early members of the community to gain prominence were sages and religious scholars like ], ] (Tirunadumakini), ] and ].<ref name="zvelebil_companion_agathiar" /> Prior to the 19th century, almost all prominent members of this community hailed from religious or literary spheres.<ref name="history_of_south_india">{{cite book | title=A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar: from prehistoric times to the fall of Vijayanagar| last=Sastri| first=K. A. Nilakanta| year=1966| page=289| publisher=Oxford University Press | isbn=0-19-560686-8}}</ref> Tyagaraja, Syama Sastri and Muthuswamy Dīkshitar, who constitute the "Trinity of Carnatic music" were probably the first verified historical personages from the community, as the accounts or biographies of those who lived earlier appear semi-legendary in character.<ref name="tyagaraja_cult_historicity">{{cite book | title=The Tyāgarāja cult in Tamilnāḍu: A Study in Conflict and Accommodation| last=Ghose| first=Rajeshwari| year=1996| page=10| publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ| isbn=978-81-208-1391-5}}</ref> Most of the ''Dewans'' of the princely state of Travancore during the 19th century were Tamil Brahmins (Iyers and Iyengars).<ref name="fragments_of_a_life">{{cite book | title=Fragments of a Life: A Family Archive| last=Sivaraman| first=Mythily| year=2006| page=4| publisher=Zubaan| isbn= 978-81-89013-11-0}}</ref>


* ], Indian model who won ] Look of the Year contest 1997<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rediff On The Net, Movies: Meet Nethra Raghuraman, Supermodel and Bollywood wannabe|url=https://m.rediff.com/movies/1999/nov/12nethra.htm|access-date=2021-11-30|website=m.rediff.com}}</ref>
Grievances and alleged instances of ] by Brahmins are believed to be the main factors which fuelled the ]<ref name="Non-Brahmin Movement" />. With the dawn of the 20th century, and the rapid penetration of western education and western ideas, there was a rise in consciousness amongst the lower castes who felt that ] which were legitimately theirs were being denied to them <ref name="Non-Brahmin Movement" />. This, in combination with the depressed ] and ] conditions of non-Brahmins, led the non-Brahmins to agitate and form the ] in ], which later became the ]. The Justice Party banked on vehement anti-Hindu and anti-Brahmin propaganda to ease Brahmins out of their privileged positions. Gradually, the non-Brahmin replaced the Brahmin in every sphere and destroyed the ] over ] and the ] which the Brahmin had previously held.<ref></ref>
*], Music director<ref>{{cite interview |last=Mahadevan |first=Shankar |interviewer=John Brittas |title=I am a Malayali grew up in Mumbai: Shankar Mahadevan |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPcyXZgW8EA |publisher=Kairali TV |date=8 September 2013 |at=0:38 |access-date=4 January 2010 |quote=Interviewer: You have some connection with Kerala in fact, your family migrated from Palakkad or something like that. Shankar Mahadevan: Yes, I am an Iyer from Palakkad actually |via=Kairali Archive on YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref>


== See also ==
However, with the destruction of Brahmin monopoly over the services and introduction of adequate ] for other communities, anti-Brahmin feelings did not subside. On the contrary, they were fully exploited by ], who often indulged in anti-Brahmin ] primarily in order to get non-Brahmin votes<ref></ref><ref></ref>. With the passage of time, they reached such a pitch that even individuals who had previously been a part of the Dravidian Movement began to cry foul. Deprived of opportunities, ] began to migrate en masse to other states in India and foreign countries in search of livelihood.<ref name="Tambram"></ref> There were frequent allegations of casteism and racism against Brahmins very similar to the ones made by the lower castes against them in the decades before independence.
{{Portal|Tamils|India|Hinduism|Society}}
* ]
*]s


== Notes ==
Another important accusation hurled upon Iyers was that they were Sanskritists who entertained a distorted and contemptuous atitude towards Tamil language, culture and civilization<ref name="Manickam" /><ref>P.V.Manickam Naicker, in his ''The Tamil Alphabet and its Mystic Aspect'' writes: "At least one of them is explicit in his endeavour to establish page after page and chapter after chapter, untainted Aryan pedigree for the Brahmins and Brahmins alone among the South-Indians. As such, he has naturally no scruples to say that the Tamils have nothing excellent or high which can be claimed as their own. Whatever is bad in them is their heritage and whatever good in them they owe to Sanskrit.</ref>
{{reflist}}
Professor ] in a speech in 1997 on Tamil, Brahmins, & Sanskrit rubbishes the claims of anti Brahmins that Brahmins favored Sanskrit to Tamil.<ref name="Hart"></ref>


== References ==
{{cquote|Here are some facts:
* {{cite book | title=Caste and Race in India| last= Ghurye| first= G. S. | year=1991| publisher= Popular Prakashan| location=Bombay | isbn=0-8364-1837-9|ref=G. S. Ghurye}}
* {{cite book | title=Ritualizing on the Boundaries: Continuity and Innovation in the Tamil Diaspora| last=W. Clothey| first=Fred| year=2006| publisher=University of South Carolina|isbn=978-1-57003-647-7|ref=Ritualizing on the Boundaries}}
*{{cite book | title=The Kingdom of Jaffna| last=Pathmanathan| author-link=S. Pathmanathan | publisher=Arul M. Rajendran| year=1978|ref=Pathmanathan}}
*{{cite book | title=From Landlords to Software Engineers: Migration and Urbanization among Tamil Brahmans | url=http://journals.cambridge.org/production/action/cjoGetFulltext?fulltextid=1631996| last1=Fuller| first1=C. J.|first2=Haripriya|last2=Narasimhan| year=2008| publisher=London School of Economics and Political Science|ref=Migration and Urbanization among Tamil Brahmans}}
* {{cite book | title=The Smile of Murugan on Tamil Literature of South India| last=Zvelebil | first=Kamil| author-link=Kamil Zvelebil| year=1973| publisher=BRILL| isbn=90-04-03591-5|ref=Zvelebil}}
* {{cite book | title=Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature | last=Zvelebil| first=Kamil V.|year=1992| publisher=BRILL| isbn=90-04-09365-6 | author-link=Kamil Zvelebil|ref=Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature}}
* {{cite book | title=Brahmin Women| last1=Ghosh| first1=G. K.|first2=Shukla|last2=Ghosh| year=2003| publisher=Firma KLM| isbn=9788171021079|ref=Brahmin Women}}


== Further reading ==
1. Brahmins are only 2% of the population, yet they have contributed much more to Tamil literature than their number would indicate.
* {{cite book | title=Brahmin & Non-Brahmin : genealogies of the Tamil political present| last=Pandian| first=M. S. S. Pandian| year=2007| isbn= 978-8178241623}}
* {{cite book | title=Play, Symbolism, and Ritual: A Study of Tamil Brahmin Women's Rites of Passage (American University Studies Series XI, Anthropology and Sociology) (Hardcover)| last=K. Duvvury| first=Vasumathi| year=1991| publisher=Peter Lang Pub Inc| isbn=978-0-8204-1108-8}}
* {{cite book | title=Aryans, Jews, Brahmins: Theorizing Authority Through Myths of Identity| last=Figueira| first=Dorothy Matilda|year=2002| publisher=SUNY Press| isbn= 978-0-7914-5531-9}}
* {{cite book | title=Brahmins Through the Ages: Their Social, Religious, Cultural, Political, and Economic Life| last=Sharma| first=Rajendra Nath|year=1977| publisher=Ajanta Publications}}
* {{cite book | title=Brahmin Priest of Tamil Nadu| last=Subramaniam| first=Kuppu|year=1974| publisher=Wiley | isbn=0-470-83535-4}}
* {{Cite book|title=A Century of Change: Caste and Irrigated Lands in Tamilnadu, 1860s-1970s|year=1996|publisher=Manohar|first=Haruka|last=Yanagisawa|isbn= 978-81-7304-159-4}}
* {{Cite book|title=Caste, Nationalism and Ethnicity: An Interpretation of Tamil Cultural History and Social Order|year=1987|publisher=Popular Prakashan|first=Jacob|last=Pandian|isbn=978-0-86132-136-0}}
*{{cite book | last = Pathmanathan | first = Sivasubramaniam | title = The Kingdom of Jaffna:Origins and early affiliations | publisher = Ceylon Institute of Tamil Studies | year= 1974 | location = Colombo | pages = 171–173}}


{{wikibooks|Brahmin Tamil}}{{Brahmin communities}}
2. The purest (i.e. least Sanskritized) Tamil was written by the medieval Saiva Brahmin commentators on Tamil. For example, Parimelazakar translates the yoga asanas into Tamil, and the only way anyone can figure out what he is saying is to read the sub commentary (by Gopalakrishnamachari), who gives the original Sanskrit terms. You will find no Tamil any purer than that of Naccinarkkiniyar et al.


]
3. Brahmins have contributed to Tamil from Sangam times. Kapilar is one of the greatest Tamil poets.
]

4. Yes, of course Brahmins have had their own political agenda to push. They have been responsible for many things that I feel are entirely unconscionable. But is this any different from the other high castes? I have heard many many stories of high non-Brahmin castes killing and abusing Dalits. You can't blame the Brahmins for this.

5. You cannot blame the Brahmins for Sanskritizing Tamil. Tenkalai Aiyengars often use Tamil words where most non-Brahmins use Sanskrit ones. The Sanskrtization of Tamil is a very old process and cannot be understood except in an all-South-Asian context. The Bengali used in Bangladesh is highly Sanskritized, and the Muslims are quite proud of their language. The fact is, Sanskrit was the lingua franca of South Asia for intellectual purposes, much as Latin was in Europe. Buddhists used it, Jains used it, much as Spinoza, a Jew, wrote his philosophical treatises in Latin. The Tamil of Ramalinga Swamigal, a non-Brahmin, is highly Sanskritized.}}

] leader and founder of political party Pudiya Tamizhagam, Dr.Krishnasamy admits that the Anti-Brahmin Movement had not succeeded up to the expectations and that there continues to be as much discrimination of Dalits as had been before.

{{cquote|So many movements have failed. In Tamil Nadu there was a movement in the name of anti-Brahmanism under the leadership of Periyar. It attracted Dalits, but after 30 years of power, the Dalits understand that they are as badly-off - or worse-off - as they were under the Brahmans. Under Dravidian rule, they have been attacked and killed, their due share in government service is not given, they are not allowed to rise.<ref></ref>}}

== Famous Iyers ==

See ]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==See also==
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==External links==
* http://www.keralaiyers.com/
* http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/
* , information on Ashtagrama Iyers, a sub group of Iyers from Karnataka.
* , information on Sankethis, a sub group of Iyers from Karnataka.
* , Information on Thummagunta Dravida Brahmins, a sub-sect of Vadama Iyers from Thummagunta in Nellore District, AP.
* , and hosts articles and mailing-lists on the subject; see also ].

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Latest revision as of 04:30, 28 October 2024

Tamil Brahmin caste

Iyer
Vadama Iyer priests
GuruĀdi Śaṅkarā
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesTamil, Sanskrit
CountryIndia
Original stateTamil Nadu
Populated statesTamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka
Family namesIyer, Sastri, Bhattar
SubdivisionsVadama
Brahacaraṇam
Dīkṣitar
Aṣṭasāhasram
Śōḻiya
Related groupsKerala Iyers Iyengars Vaidiki Brahmins Vaidiki Velanadu Havyaka Brahmin Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins Sthanika Brahmins Babburkamme
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Iyers (Tamil: [ajːɐr]) (also spelt as Ayyar, Aiyar, Ayer, or Aiyer) are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Brahmins. Most Iyers are followers of the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara and adhere to the Smarta tradition. This is in contrast to the Iyengar community, who are adherents of Sri Vaishnavism. The Iyers and the Iyengars are together referred to as Tamil Brahmins. The majority of Iyers reside in Tamil Nadu, India.

Iyers are further divided into various denominations based on traditional and regional differences. Like all Brahmins, they are also classified based on their gotra, or patrilineal descent, and the Veda that they follow. They fall under the Pancha Dravida Brahmana classification of Brahmins in India.

Apart from the prevalent practice of using the title "Iyer" as surname, Iyers also commonly use other surnames, such as Sāstri or Bhattar.

Etymology

Iyer (Tamil: ஐயர், pronounced [aɪjəɾ]) has several meanings in Tamil and other Dravidian languages, often referring to a respectable person. The Dravidian Etymological Dictionary lists various meanings for the term such as "father, sage, priest, teacher, brahman, superior person, master, king" with cognates such as tamayan meaning "elder brother" and simply ai "lord, master, husband, king, guru, priest, teacher, father". Linguistic sources often derive the words Ayya, Ayira/Ayyira as Prakrit versions of the Sanskrit word Aryā which means 'noble'.

In ancient times, Iyers were also called Anthanar or Pārppān, though the usage of the word Pārppān is considered derogatory in modern times. Until recent times, Kerala Iyers were called Pattars. Like the term pārppān, the word Pattar too is considered derogatory.

Population and distribution

Today, Iyers live all over South India, but an overwhelming majority of Iyers continue to thrive in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Brahmins form an estimated less than 3 per cent of the state's total population and are distributed all over the state. However, accurate statistics on the population of the Iyer community are unavailable.

Iyers are also found in fairly appreciable number in Western and Southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Iyers of the far south are called Tirunelveli Iyers and speak the Tirunelveli Brahmin dialect.

Migration

First-generation descendants of Mysore S. Ramaswamy Iyer. Ramaswamy Iyer migrated from Ganapathy Agraharam to Mysore in the 19th century and served as the first Advocate-General of Mysore

Over the last few centuries, many Iyers have migrated and settled in parts of Karnataka. During the rule of the Mysore Maharajahs, many Iyers from the then Madras province migrated to Mysore. The Ashtagrama Iyers are also a prominent group of Iyers in Karnataka.

Iyers have also been resident of the princely state of Travancore from ancient times. The Venad state (present Kanyakumari district) and the southern parts of Kerala was part of the Pandyan kingdom known as Then Pandi Nadu. There were also many Iyers in Venad which later on grew to be the Travancore state. The old capital of Travancore was Padmanabhapuram which is at present in Kanyakumari district. There has also been a continuous inflow from Tirunelveli and Ramnad districts of Tamil Nadu which are contiguous to the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. Many parts of the present Tirunelveli district were even part of the old Travancore state. These Iyers are known today as Trivandrum Iyers. Some of these people migrated to Cochin and later to Palakkad and Kozhikode districts. There were also migrations from Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu to Palakkad. Their descendants are known today as Palakkad Iyers. These Iyers are collectively now called as Kerala Iyers. In Coimbatore, there are many such Iyers due to its proximity to Kerala.

According to the Buddhist scripture Mahavamsa, the presence of Brahmins have been recorded in Sri Lanka as early as 500BC when the first migrations from the Indian mainland supposedly took place. Currently, Brahmins are an important constituent of the Sri Lankan Tamil minority. Tamil Brahmins are believed to have played a historic role in the formation of the Jaffna Kingdom.

Apart from South India, Iyers have also migrated to and settled in places in North India. There are significantly large Iyer communities in Mumbai, and Delhi. These migrations, which commenced during the British rule, were often undertaken in search of better prospects and contributed to the prosperity of the community.

In recent times Iyers have also migrated in significant numbers to the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States in search of better fortune.

Subsects

Iyers have many sub-sects among them, such as Vadama, Brahacharnam or Brahatcharanam, Vāthima, Sholiyar or Chozhiar, Ashtasahasram, Mukkāni, Gurukkal, Kāniyālar and Prathamasāki. Each sub-sect is further subdivided according to the village or region of origin.

A Tamil Smartha Brahmin holy man engaged in Siva-worship. His body is covered by coat and chains made of Rudrāksha beads
Caste-mark of the Vadamas

Iyers, like all other Brahmins, trace their paternal ancestry to one of the eight rishis or sages. Accordingly, they are classified into eight gotras based on the rishi they have descended from. A maiden in the family belongs to gotra of her father, but upon marriage takes the gotra of her husband.

The Vedas are further sub-divided into shakhas or "branches" and followers of each Veda are further sub-divided based on the shakha they adhere to. However, only a few of the shakhas are extant, the vast majority of them having disappeared. The different Vedas and the corresponding shakhas that exist today in Tamil Nadu are:

Veda shākhā
Rig Veda Shakala and Paingi
Yajur Veda Kanva and Taittiriya
Sama Veda Kauthuma, Jaiminiya/Talavakara, Shatyayaniya and Gautama
Atharva Veda Shaunakiya and Paippalada

Culture

Rituals

Iyer rituals comprise rites as described in Hindu scriptures such as Apastamba Sutra attributed to the Hindu sage Apastamba. The most important rites are the Shodasa Samaskāras or the 16 duties. Although many of the rites and rituals followed in antiquity are no longer practised, some have been retained.

Iyers from South India performing the Sandhya Vandhanam, 1913
Iyer priest from Tamil Nadu carrying out a small ritual with his grandson.

Iyers are initiated into rituals at the time of birth. In ancient times, rituals used to be performed when the baby was being separated from mother's umbilical cord. This ceremony is known as Jātakarma. However, this practice is no longer observed. At birth, a horoscope is made for the child based on the position of the stars. The child is then given a ritual name. On the child's birthday, a ritual is performed to ensure longevity. This ritual is known as Ayushya Homam. This ceremony is held on the child's birthday reckoned as per the Tamil calendar based on the position of the nakshatras or stars and not the Gregorian calendar. The child's first birthday is the most important and is the time when the baby is formally initiated by piercing the ears of the boy or girl. From that day onwards a girl is expected to wear earrings.

A second initiation (for the male child in particular) follows when the child crosses the age of seven. This is the Upanayana ceremony during which a Brahmana is said to be reborn. A three-piece cotton thread is installed around the torso of the child encompassing the whole length of his body from the left shoulder to the right hip. The Upanayana ceremony of initiation is solely performed for the members of the dvija or twice-born castes, generally when the individual is between 7 and 16 years of age. In ancient times, the Upanayana was often considered as the ritual which marked the commencement of a boy's education, which in those days consisted mostly of the study of the Vedas. However, with the Brahmins taking to other vocations than priesthood, this initiation has become more of a symbolic ritual. The neophyte was expected to perform the Sandhya Vandanam on a regular basis and utter a prescribed set of prayers, three times a day: dawn, mid-day, and dusk. The most sacred and prominent of the prescribed set of prayers is the Gayatri Mantra, which is as sacred to the Hindus as the Six Kalimas to the Muslims and Ahunwar to the Zoroastrians. Once a year, Iyers change their sacred thread. This ritual is exclusive to South Indian Brahmins and the day is commemorated in Tamil Nadu as Āvani Avittam.

Brahmin house with hand marks to ward off the evil eye

Other important ceremonies for Iyers include the rites for the deceased. All Iyers are cremated according to Vedic rites, usually within a day of the individual's death. The death rites include a 13-day ceremony, and regular Tarpanam (performed every month thereafter, on Amavasya day, or New Moon Day), for the ancestors. There is also a yearly shrārddha, that must be performed. These rituals are expected to be performed only by male descendants of the deceased. Married men who perform this ritual must be accompanied by their wives. The women are symbolically important in the ritual to give a "consent" to all the proceedings in it.

Festivals

See also: Hindu festivals

Iyers celebrate almost all Hindu festivals like Deepavali, Navratri, Pongal, Vinayaka Chathurthi, Janmaashtami, Tamil New Year, Sivarathri and Karthika Deepam. An important festival, exclusive to Brahmins of South India, is the Āvani Avittam festival.

Weddings

A typical Iyer wedding consists of Sumangali Prārthanai (Hindu prayers for prosperous married life), Nāndi (homage to ancestors), Nischayadhārtham (Engagement) and Mangalyadharanam (tying the knot). The main events of an Iyer marriage include Vratam (fasting), Kasi Yatra (pilgrimage to Kasi), Oonjal (Swing), Kanyadanam (placing the bride in the groom's care), Mangalyadharanam, Pānigrahanam and Saptapathi (or seven steps - the final and most important stage wherein the bride takes seven steps supported by the groom's palms thereby finalizing their union). This is usually followed by Nalangu, which is a casual and informal event.

See also: Culture of Tamil Nadu

Traditional ethics

Iyers generally lead orthodox lives and adhere steadfastly to their customs and traditions. Iyers follow the Grihya Sutras of Apastamba and Baudhayana. The society is patriarchal but not feudal.

Iyers are generally vegetarian. Some abjure onion and garlic on the grounds that they activate certain base senses. Cow milk and milk products were approved. They were required to avoid alcohol and tobacco.

Iyers follow elaborate purification rituals, both of self and the house. Men are forbidden from performing their "sixteen duties" while women are forbidden from cooking food without having a purificatory bath in the morning. Food is to be consumed only after making an offering to the deities.

The bathing was considered sufficiently purifying only if it conformed to the rules of madi. The word madi is used by Tamil Brahmins to indicate that a person is bodily pure. In order to practice madi, the Brahmin had to wear only clothes which had been recently washed and dried, and the clothes should remain untouched by any person who was not madi. Only after taking bath in cold water, and after wearing such clothes, would the person be in a state of madi. This practice of madi is followed by Iyers even in modern times, before participating in any kind of religious ceremony.

The Iyers have taken a special liking for filter coffee

.

Clothing

Tamil Brahmins (Iyers and Iyengars) in traditional veshti and angavastram at a convention of the Mylai Tamil Sangam, circa 1930s

Iyer men traditionally wear veshtis or dhotis which cover them from waist to foot. These are made of cotton and sometimes silk. Veshtis are worn in different styles. Those worn in typical Brahminical style are known as panchakacham (from the sanskrit terms pancha and gajam meaning "five yards" as the length of the panchakacham is five yards in contrast to the veshtis used in daily life which are four or eight cubits long). They sometimes wrap their shoulders with a single piece of cloth known as angavastram (body-garment). In earlier times, Iyer men who performed austerities also draped their waist or chests with deer skin or grass.

The traditional Iyer woman is draped in a nine-yard saree, also known as madisār.

Patronage of art

For centuries, Iyers have taken a keen interest in preserving the arts and sciences. They undertook the responsibility of preserving the Natya Shastra, a monumental work on Bharatanatyam, the classical dance form of Tamil Nadu. During the early 20th century, dance was usually regarded as a degenerate art associated with devadasis. Rukmini Devi Arundale, however, revived the dying art of Sadir into the more "respectable" art form of Bharatanatyam, thereby breaking social and caste taboos about Brahmins taking part in the study and practice of dance. However many have claimed that, rather than becoming more open to other communities, the practice of Bharatanatyam was then restricted specifically to the middle and upper classes of Tamil society.

DK Pattammal (right), Classical Music Singer, in concert with her brother, DK Jayaraman; circa early 1940s.

However, compared to dance, the contribution of Iyers in field of music has been considerably noteworthy.

Food

See also: Tamil cuisine

The main diet of Iyers is composed of vegetarian food, mostly rice which is the staple diet for millions of South Indians. Vegetarian side dishes are frequently made in Iyer households apart from compulsory additions as rasam, sambar, etc. Home-made ghee is a staple addition to the diet, and traditional meals do not begin until ghee is poured over a heap of rice and lentils. The cuisine eschews the extent of spices and heat traditionally found in south Indian cuisine. Iyers are mostly known for their love for curd. Other South Indian delicacies such as dosas, idli, etc. are also relished by Iyers. Coffee amongst beverages and curd amongst food items form an indispensable part of the Iyer food menu.

The diet of Iyers consists mainly of Tamil vegetarian cuisine, comprising rice

Housing

A house in a Tanjore agrahāram

In ancient times, Iyers, along with Iyengars and other Tamil Brahmins, lived in exclusive Brahmin quarters of their village known as an agrahāram. Shiva and Vishnu temples were usually situated at the ends of an agrahāram. In most cases, there would also be a fast-flowing stream or river nearby.

A typical agrahāram consisted of a temple and a street adjacent to it. The houses on either side of the street were exclusively peopled by Brahmins who followed a joint family system. All the houses were identical in design and architecture though not in size.

With the arrival of the British and commencement of the Industrial Revolution, Iyers started moving to cities for their sustenance. Starting from the late 19th century, the agrahārams were gradually discarded as more and more Iyers moved to towns and cities to take up lucrative jobs in the provincial and judicial administration.

However, there are still some agrahārams left where traditional Iyers continue to reside. In an Iyer residence, people wash their feet first with water on entering the house.

Language

See also: Manipravalam and Brahmin Tamil

Tamil is the mother tongue of most Iyers residing in India and elsewhere. However, Iyers speak a distinct dialect of Tamil unique to their community. This dialect of Tamil is known as Brāhmik or Brahmin Tamil. Brahmin Tamil is highly Sanskritized and has often invited ridicule from Tamil purists due to its extensive usage of the Sanskrit vocabulary. While Brahmin Tamil used to be the lingua franca for inter-caste communication between different Tamil communities during pre-independence times, it has been gradually discarded by Brahmin themselves in favour of regional dialects.

Iyers today

A Tamil Brahmin couple, circa 1945

In addition to their earlier occupations, Iyers today have diversified into a variety of fields. Three of India's Nobel laureates, Sir C. V. Raman, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar and Venkatraman Ramakrishnan hail from the community.

Since ancient times, Iyers, as members of the privileged priestly class, exercised a near-complete domination over educational, religious and literary institutions in the Tamil country. Their domination continued throughout the British Raj as they used their knowledge of the English language and education to dominate politics, administration, the courts and intelligentsia. Upon India's independence in 1947, they tried to consolidate their hold on the administrative and judicial machinery. Such a situation led to resentment from the other castes in Tamil Nadu, the result of this atmosphere was a "non-Brahmin" movement and the formation of the Justice Party. Periyar, who took over as Justice Party President in the 1940s, changed its name to Dravida Kazhagam, and formulated the view that Tamil Brahmins were Aryans as opposed to non-Brahmin Tamils who were Dravidian. The ensuing anti-Brahminism and the rising unpopularity of the Rajaji Government left an indelible mark on the Tamil Brahmin community ending their political aspirations. In the 1960s the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (roughly translated as "Organisation for Progress of Dravidians") and its subgroups gained political ground on this platform forming state ministries, thereby wrenching control from the Indian National Congress, in which Iyers at that time were holding important party positions. Today, apart from a few exceptions, Iyers have virtually disappeared from the political arena.

In 2006, the Tamil Nadu government took the decision to appoint non-Brahmin priests in Hindu temples in order to curb Brahmin ecclesiastical domination. This created a huge controversy. Violence broke out in March 2008 when a non-Brahmin oduvar or reciter of Tamil idylls, empowered by the Government of Tamil Nadu, tried to make his way into the sanctum sanctorum of the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram.

Criticism

See also: Anti-Brahmanism

Relations with other communities

The legacy of Iyers have often been marred by accusations of racism and counter-racism against them by non-Brahmins and vice versa.

Grievances and instances of discrimination by Brahmins are believed to be the main factors which fuelled the Dravidian Movement. With the dawn of the 20th century, and the rapid penetration of western education and western ideas, there was a rise in consciousness amongst the lower castes who felt that rights which were legitimately theirs were being denied to them. This led the non-Brahmins to agitate and form the Justice Party in 1916, which later became the Dravidar Kazhagam. The Justice Party banked on vehement anti-Hindu and anti-Brahmin propaganda to ease Brahmins out of their privileged positions. Gradually, the non-Brahmin replaced the Brahmin in every sphere and destroyed the monopoly over education and the administrative services which the Brahmin had previously held.

The concept of "Brahmin atrocities" is refuted by some Tamil Brahmin historians. They argue that allegations of casteism against Tamil Brahmins have been exaggerated and that even prior to the rise of the Dravida Kazhagam, a significant section of Tamil Brahmin society was liberal and anti-casteist, for example the Temple Entry Proclamation passed by the princely state of Travancore which gave people of all castes the right to enter Hindu temples in the princely state was due to the efforts of the Dewan of Travancore, Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer who was an Iyer.

Dalit leader and founder of political party Pudiya Tamizhagam, Dr. Krishnasamy admits that the Anti-Brahmin Movement had not succeeded in improving the rights of Dalits and that there continues to be as much discrimination of Dalits as had been before.

So many movements have failed. In Tamil Nadu there was a movement in the name of anti-Brahmanism under the leadership of Periyar. It attracted Dalits, but after 30 years of power, the Dalits understand that they are as badly-off - or worse-off - as they were under the Brahmans. Under Dravidian rule, they have been attacked and killed, their due share in government service is not given, they are not allowed to rise.

Alleged negative attitude towards Tamil language and culture

Iyers have been called Sanskritists who entertained a distorted and contemptuous attitude towards Tamil language, culture and civilization. The Dravidologist Kamil Zvelebil says that the Brahmin was chosen as a scapegoat by the Dravidian parties to answer for the decline of Tamil civilization and culture in the medieval and post-medieval periods. Despite these allegations many Iyers were great contributors to the Tamil language. Agathiar, usually identified with the legendary Vedic sage Agastya is credited with compiling the first rules of grammar of the Tamil language. Moreover, individuals like U. V. Swaminatha Iyer and Subramanya Bharathi have made invaluable contributions to Tamil literature. Parithimar Kalaignar was the first to campaign for the recognition of Tamil as a classical language.

Portrayal in popular media

Brahmins are mentioned for the first time in the works of Sangam poets. During the post sangam era, Brahmin saints have been frequently praised for their efforts in combating Buddhism. In modern times, when Iyers and Iyengars control a significant percentage of the print and visual media, there has been significant coverage of Brahmins and Brahmin culture in magazines and periodicals and a number of Brahmin characters in novels, TV serials and films.

Their portrayal in media started to become more negative with the rise of Dravidian political movements. The writings and speeches of many Dravidian political activists such as Iyothee Thass, Maraimalai Adigal, Periyar, Bharatidasan, C. N. Annadurai, the leaders of Justice Party in the early 20th century and of the Dravidar Kazhagam in more modern times constitute much of modern anti-Brahmin rhetoric.

Starting from the 1940s onwards, Annadurai and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have been using films and the mass media for the propagation of their political ideology. Most of the films made, such as the 1952-blockbuster Parasakthi written by future Chief minister M. Karunanidhi, are anti-Brahminical in character.

Notable people

Some of the early members of the community to gain prominence were sages and religious scholars like Agatthiar, Tholkappiyar (Tirunadumakini), Parimelalhagar and Naccinarkiniyar. Prior to the 19th century, almost all prominent members of this community hailed from religious or literary spheres. Tyagaraja, Syama Sastri and Muthuswamy Dīkshitar, who constitute the "Trinity of Carnatic music" were probably the first verified historical personages from the community, as the accounts or biographies of those who lived earlier appear semi-legendary in character. Most of the Dewans of the princely state of Travancore during the 19th century were Tamil Brahmins (Iyers and Iyengars).

See also

Notes

  1. Béteille, André (26 October 2020). Caste, Class, and Power. University of California Press. doi:10.1525/9780520317864. ISBN 978-0-520-31786-4.
  2. Encyclopædia Britannica, śāstrī.
  3. Burrow, T.; M. B. Emeneau. A Dravidian etymological dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 19.
  4. Nagendra Kumar Singh (1999). Encyclopaedia of Hinduism, Volume 7. Anmol Publications PVT LTD. p. 898. ISBN 978-81-7488-168-7.
  5. Miller, Edward (2009). A Simplified grammar of the Pali language. BiblioBazaar. p. 49. ISBN 978-1-103-26738-5.
  6. Pillai, Jaya Kothai (1972). Educational System of the Ancient Tamils. Tinnevelly: South India Saiva Siddhanta Works Pub. Society. p. 54.
  7. Caṇmukam, Ce. Vai. (1967). Naccinarkkiniyar's Conception of Phonology. Annamalai University. p. 212.
  8. Marr, John Ralston (1985). The Eight Anthologies: A Study in Early Tamil Literature. Institute of Asian Studies. p. 114.
  9. Nossiter, Thomas Johnson (1982). Communism in Kerala: A Study in Political Adaptation. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-905838-40-3.
  10. Vepachedu, Sreenivasarao (2003). "Brahmins". Mana Sanskriti (Our Culture) (69).
  11. Prabhakaran, G. (12 November 2005). "A colourful festival from a hoary past". The Hindu Metro Plus:Coimbatore. Archived from the original on 5 August 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  12. Civattampi, K. (1995). Sri Lankan Tamil society and politics. Madras: New Century Book House. p. 3. ISBN 81-234-0395-X.
  13. ^ Ritualizing on the Boundaries, Pg 3
  14. Gnanaprakasar, S. (1928). A critical history of Jaffna. Gnanaprakasa Yantra Salai. p. 96. ISBN 978-81-206-1686-8.
  15. Pathmanathan, Pg 1-13
  16. Ritualizing on the Boundaries, Pg 86
  17. ^ Ritualizing on the Boundaries, Pg 12
  18. Migration and Urbanization among Tamil Brahmans, pp. 15-17
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References

Further reading

  • Pandian, M. S. S. Pandian (2007). Brahmin & Non-Brahmin : genealogies of the Tamil political present. ISBN 978-8178241623.
  • K. Duvvury, Vasumathi (1991). Play, Symbolism, and Ritual: A Study of Tamil Brahmin Women's Rites of Passage (American University Studies Series XI, Anthropology and Sociology) (Hardcover). Peter Lang Pub Inc. ISBN 978-0-8204-1108-8.
  • Figueira, Dorothy Matilda (2002). Aryans, Jews, Brahmins: Theorizing Authority Through Myths of Identity. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-5531-9.
  • Sharma, Rajendra Nath (1977). Brahmins Through the Ages: Their Social, Religious, Cultural, Political, and Economic Life. Ajanta Publications.
  • Subramaniam, Kuppu (1974). Brahmin Priest of Tamil Nadu. Wiley. ISBN 0-470-83535-4.
  • Yanagisawa, Haruka (1996). A Century of Change: Caste and Irrigated Lands in Tamilnadu, 1860s-1970s. Manohar. ISBN 978-81-7304-159-4.
  • Pandian, Jacob (1987). Caste, Nationalism and Ethnicity: An Interpretation of Tamil Cultural History and Social Order. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 978-0-86132-136-0.
  • Pathmanathan, Sivasubramaniam (1974). The Kingdom of Jaffna:Origins and early affiliations. Colombo: Ceylon Institute of Tamil Studies. pp. 171–173.
Brahmin communities
Assamese Brahmins Illustration_from_the_Daily_Prayers_of_the_Brahmins_(1851)_by_Sophie_Charlotte_Belnos,_digitally_enhanced_by_rawpixel-com_16, Hindu "Om" symbol
Bengali Brahmins
Bihari Brahmins
Garhwali Brahmins
Kannada Brahmins
Kashmiri Brahmins
Madhva Brahmins
Malayali Brahmins
Marathi Brahmins
Manipuri Brahmin
Maithil Brahmin
Nepali Brahmins
Punjabi Brahmins
Odia Brahmins
Saraswat Brahmins
Tamil Brahmins
Telugu Brahmin
Tuluva Brahmin
See also
Categories: