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Revision as of 03:11, 26 July 2004 by Ambarish (talk | contribs) (clarify thenkalai/vadakalai schism)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Iyengar is the name of a community of Brahmins of India whose members 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-communities of Thenkalai and Vadakalai due to a 13th century schism between the followers of Pillai Lokacharya and those of Vedanta Desika respectively.
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: XXXX Mayavaram: 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
- Srinivasa Aiyangar Ramanujan
- Ariyakkudi T. Ramanuja Iyengar
- Rajaji
- B.K.S. Iyengar
- T.T. Krishnamachari
- T.V. Sundaram Iyengar
- J. Jayalalithaa
- Krishnamachari Srikkanth
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.