This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Ambarish (talk | contribs) at 08:44, 27 May 2004 (Add word origin; Copy-edit; Temples are irrelevant (in the present context of the article)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 08:44, 27 May 2004 by Ambarish (talk | contribs) (Add word origin; Copy-edit; Temples are irrelevant (in the present context of the article))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Iyengars are a community of Brahmins of India that profess the Visishtadvaita philosophy codified by Ramanuja. The word Iyengar (Anglicised from the Tamil ஐயங்கார்(Aiyaṅkār)) could be derived from the Tamil word Aiyā (used as a term of respect), which in turn derives from the word Arya. It could also mean "people entrusted with five tasks", referring to the five duties that traditional Iyengars perform (see ).
Although most Iyengars speak Tamil, there are also large numbers of Kannada speaking Iyengars in southern Karnataka (popularly known as Bangalore Iyengars), as well as smaller numbers of Telugu-speakers in southern Andhra Pradesh. Today, Iyengars are divided into two sub-castes of Vadakalai and Thenkalai due to a 13th century schism between the followers of Pillai Lokacharya and those of Vedanta Desika.
This article covers the Iyengars as an ethnic group.
Iyengar |
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| Classification: | Ethnic group/ Caste/Community of South India | |
| Total population: | 2004: (approx) 1,000,000 (roughly 1% of Tamilians) | |
| Significant populations in: | Chennai: XXXXMayavaram: XXXXPalghat: XXXX |
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| Language | Mother tongue is Tamil with unique Iyengar accent and dialect. Knowledge in Sanskrit for religious/traditional reasons. | |
| Related ethnic groups | Brahmin Iyengar |
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Some Famous Iyengars
The following were born Iyengars but denied their casteist identity later in life. In some cases, it may even be debatable whether it is appropriate to mention their names here.