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Iyer

Regions with significant populations
Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh
Languages
Mother tongue is Tamil with unique Iyer dialects. Knowledge of Sanskrit for religious reasons.
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Brahmin,Tamil people

Iyers (Tamil : அய்யர் Malayalam:അയ്യര) also called Sastri, Sarma or Bhattar is the name given to Hindu Brahmins of Tamil or Telugu origin who are followers of the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara. 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.

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 Pancha Dravida Brahmin 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 reservation policies and the Self-Respect Movement in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Origins

Iyers are South Indian Brahmins who reside in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Iyers are predominantly Smarthas or followers of the Smriti texts.

The term Iyer is derived from the term Ayya which is often used by Tamils to designate respectable people. The word Ayya is a Prakrit version of the Sanskrit word 'Arya' which means 'noble'.

Disputes concerning origin The kingdoms of deccan in particular alongside some kingdoms to north, south, east and west of India were from the beginning great enemies of chola/pallava emperors who ruled the subcontinent from ancient times. Punitive expeditions were dispatched to deccan regularly by successive emperors belonging to chola/pallava clans. It is understood that those kingdoms that they fought were what we can regard as axis of evil of those days. The wars were conducted with exceptional brutality that saw the invading forces slaughter any thing that they found in that territory. Man, woman, child, infant and animal. The fact that expeditions were undertaken with such impunity should definitely point to the excessive wickedness of those kingdoms. The chola/pallava epigraphists have often compared these expeditions to the great wars between gods and demonic races and also wars fought to crush the evil of the age of kali.Many of these kingdoms like their more well known successor the vijayanagar dynasty of the deccan have known to been in the same league as muslim kingdoms during medieval ages. The end of chola /pallava rule by the end of 13th century resulted in chaotic conditions. There were numerous wars . As a result what formed the demography during their rule had almost completely perished along with them. The vijayanagar dynasty which came to colonize the peninsular region, did so only by default. Apart from the vijayanagar dynasty , the colonists also consisted of those sponsored by the muslim kingdoms of deccan. All these colonizations are held to be strictly illegal and certainly they would have been tolerated in the previous periods. This insurgency was not without the help of local vested interests and rogues many of whom could be affiliated to pandyans.No ethnicity can be claimed by these migrants and also the fact that they were medieval colonists to south cannot be used as a distinguishing factor from others. These colonists along with their pagan nayak chiefs are responsible for many acts of criminal solicitation like land grabbing , intimidation, terror tactics , cheating , subversion,etc. The brahmin identity of many of those in the group who call themselves so can be questioned. Those who came after the rule of chola/pallava emperors do not have worship rights in any of the temples of ancient tamil country.They are also known to have indulged in acts of criminal solicitation like forgery and manipulation of evidences.. The present day srilankan “tamil” conflict and terrorism of LTTE can be seen as an out growth of this illegal migration from deccan during medieval times.This apart they also brought in some new customs like chariot festival in temples, celebration of festivals for an extended period with philanthropic practices etc. The chariot procession in temples was some thing unknown during the previous chola/pallava period. The ” annadanam “ practice in temples that is seen even now was prevalent during 17th century and can be considered an adoption of a similar philanthrophic act in buddhist shrines(as can e seen in srilanka). This makes one think that some “groups” like “vadamas” could also have been sramanas(buddhists and jains) of the past. Buddists and jains come from various sections of society like brahmins, farmers, traders, professionals etc. The sramans are known for their emphasis on education and many well known universities of past like nalanda were run by buddhist clergy. During the same period europeans were also dominant in India. Their industrialization led to large scale migration of working class. Even though the migrants came from many parts of India, the deccan people made the most of the oppurtunity. This affected and changed the demography by large. They introduced many western innovations. They brought to india western schooling system . The also brought products like chemicals, FMCGs, bakery, printing press etc. Even today iyengars are excellent bakers. The immigration from the Upper Deccan during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries is noted in the 'Malabarische Manual' and 'Conversations in Tranquebar' by the German missionary Zeigenblag who was stationed in the service of the Danish East India company at Tranquebar during the late 17th and early 18th centuries in his works. He observes that these immigrants were referred to as "Vadugas” a term stll prevalent in silanka(vaddugan).

 References

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 Sangam Age. 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 priests who ministered in temples known as "Gurukkals". 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.. 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.

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.

During the early medieval period, when Ramanuja founded Vaishnavism many Iyers adopted the new philosophical affiliation and were called Iyengars.

Iyers and the Aryan Invasion Theory

Iyer men and women are generally fairer in complexion to the average Tamilian and this, along with the meaning of the word "Iyer" itself are regarded as sufficient evidences of an "Aryan origin" for Tamil Brahmins. Moreover, some Iyer communities pay homage to the river Narmada instead of the South Indian river Cauvery in their rituals 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.

Recent genetic studies amongst Iyers of Madurai reveal close proximity to populations from Eurasian steppes of Central Asia. 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 tribal populations all emerged from the same source.

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 3% of the state's total population and are distributed all over the state. However, accurate statistics on the population of the Iyer community is unavailable.

They are concentrated mainly along the Cauvery Delta districts of Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur and Tiruchirapalli where they form almost 10% of the total population. In Northern Tamil Nadu they are found in the urban areas of Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Sriperumbudur and Vellore. They are almost non-existent in rural parts.

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. The most prominent Tirunelveli Iyer was Subramanya Bharathy, often regarded as the "national poet of Tamil Nadu". In Coimbatore, there are a large number of Kerala Iyers from Palakkad.

Telugu-speaking Smartha Brahmins, especially of the Mulukanadu sect, often identify themselves as Iyers. They are found all along coastal Andhra Pradesh and North Tamil Nadu. The fall of the Vijayanagar Empire in 1565 prompted large scale migrations from Vijayanagar as thousands of Telugu Brahmins moved southwards and settled in the districts of Tamil Nadu. 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 Tyagaraja, the Paramacharya of the Kanchi mutt and singer S.P.Balasubramanyam are prominent Iyers of Telugu origin.

Subsects

Iyers have many sub-sects among them, such as Vadama, Brahacharanam, Vathima, Sholiyar or Chozhiar , Ashtasahasram, Mukkani and Gurukkal. Each sub-sect is further subdivided according to the village or region of origin.

Iyers are also divided into different sects based on the Veda they follow. Iyers belonging to the Yajur Veda sect usually follow the teachings of the Krishna Yajur Veda.

The sect of Sivacharya or Gurukkal form the hereditary priesthood or in the Siva and Sakthi temples in Tamil Nadu. They are Saivites and adhere to the philosophy of Shaiva Siddhanta. They are well versed in Agama Sasthras and follow the Agamic rituals of these temples.

The Mukkani sub-sect of Iyers are traditionally helpers to the priests in the temples of Thiruchendur. Legend has it that the Mukkanis were the bhoothaganas, the demon bodyguards of Lord Siva and that they were given the responsibility for guarding Subrahmanya's shrines by Siva.. The Mukkanis predominantly subscribe to the Rig Veda.

Gotra or Lineage

See Also: Brahmin gotra system

Iyers, like all other Brahmins, trace their paternal ancestors 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.

Migrations

Migration to West Bengal

The oldest recorded migration of Tamil Brahmins is to West Bengal. They are known as Dākṣiṇātyas amongst Vaidika Brahmins. See Bengali Brahmins.

Though the date of migration is being debated, the general opinion is that they migrated during the period of the Senas. It is also possible that they arrived in the train of the Chola armies during Rajendra Chola's invasion which took place between 1021 and 1024 C.E. See Mahipala. 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

Over the last few centuries, a large number of Iyers have also migrated and settled in parts of Karnataka. The erstwhile Mysore state had been home to a significantly large Mulukanadu community. During the rule of the Mysore Maharajahs, a large number of Iyers from the then Madras province migrated to Mysore. The Ashtagrama Iyers are also a prominent group of Iyers in Karnataka.

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. According to anthropologists, two streams of migration actually took place:

• A wave of migrations from Tirunelveli and Ramnad districts of Tamil Nadu first to the erstwhile princely states of Travancore and Cochin and later to Palakkad and Kozhikode districts have resulted in the origin of an Iyer community in the Travancore and Cochin regions.
• There were also migrations rom Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu to Palakkad. Their descendants are known today as Palakkad Iyers.

Iyers in Travancore and Cochin regions

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

Due to their skill in culinary art, Iyers were initially employed mostly as cooks. They are generally credited with having introduced Tamil delicacies as idli, sambhar, dosa and vadai 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 Ramayyan Dalawa, who was the Prime Minister (Dewan or Dalawa) of Travancore State during the reign of Raja Marthanda Varma. Other prominent Iyers from Kerala include C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer, Malayattoor Ramakrishnan, V. R. Krishna Iyer and T. N. Seshan.

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

Palakkad Iyers

Iyers who migrated to the Palakkad district from the Chola kingdom to serve in the temples of Kerala are known as Palakkad Iyers. 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 temples as priests. The Palakkad Iyers resided in agraharams . Those who established themselves in the interior parts of Kerala lived in houses known as 'Madom'.

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 tenancy system.

Migrations to Sri Lanka

According to a primary source called Mahavamsa, Brahmins in general are known in written Sri Lankan history from the beginnings of Indic migrations to the island from about 500 BCE. Currently Tamil Brahmins are an important part of the Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic group in Sri Lanka. Tamil Brahmins played an important historic role in the formation of the Jaffna Kingdom circa thirteenth century. (See Aryacakravarti dynasty)

Recent Migrations

Apart from South India, Iyers have also migrated to and settled in places in North India. There are significantly large Iyer communities in Mumbai, Kolkata, Orissa 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 large numbers to the United Kingdom, Europe and the USA in search of better fortune. They are one of the fastest growing Asian communities in the US.

Religious Practices, Ceremonies and Festivals

Rituals

Iyer rituals comprise rites as described in Hindu scriptures such as Apastamba Sutra attributed to Apastamba. The most important rites are the shodasa samskaras or the 17 essential Saṃskāra. Although many rites and rituals that were practiced in ancient times are no longer followed, some traditions are continued to this day

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. 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 with a grand Hindu ritual. On the child's birthday (especially the first one) a Hindu 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 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, comprised 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 these days.The neophyte was expected to perform the Sandhya Vandanam ritual 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 Kalima to the Muslims and Ahunwar to the Zoroastrians. 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 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 shraarddha, 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

Iyers celebrate almost all Hindu festivals like Deepavali, Navratri, Pongal, Vinayaka Chaturthi, Janmāshtami, Tamil New Year, Sivarathri and Karthika Deepam.

However, the most important festival which is exclusive to Brahmins of South India is the Avani 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). 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.

Lifestyle and Culture

Traditional Iyer Ethics

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 Manusmriti (Hindu Code of Laws or The Institutes of Manu) and the Grihya Sutras of Apastamba and Baudhayana. The society is patriarchal but not feudal.

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.

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).

The bathing was considered sufficiently purifying only if it confirmed 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.

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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 Sanyasin. She had to stop wearing the kumkum/bindi on her forehead, and was recommended to smear her forehead with sacred ashes. All of these practices have diminished over the last few decades, and modern Iyer widows lead less orthodox lives.

Traditional Attire

Iyer men traditionally wear veshtis, which cover them from waist to foot. These are made of cotton and sometimes silk. Veshtis are worn in different styles. They are worn in typical brahminical style during religious ceremonies. This style is popularly known as panchakacham(from the sanskrit 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 madisar in Tamil. 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: Distinguished Iyers

For centuries, Iyers have taken a keen interest in preserving the arts and sciences. They undertook the responsibility of preserving the Bharata Natya Shastra, a monumental work on Bharatanatyam, the classical dance form of Tamil Nadu. During the early part of trhis century, dance was usually regarded as a degenerate art associated with devadasis. However, it was an Iyer woman, Rukmini Devi Arundale, 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.

However, compared to dance, the contribution of Iyers in field of music has been considerably noteworthy. The Trinity of Carnatic Music were responsible for making some excellent compositions towards the end of the 18th century. In more recent times, Chembai Vaidyanatha Iyer and D. K. Pattammal 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 S P Balasubrahmanyam, Hariharan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Nithyashree Mahadevan, Usha Uthup, Shankar Mahadevan, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Hamsika Iyer and Naresh Iyer . Iyers have also contributed considerably to drama, short story and temple architecture.

In the field of literature and journalism, the Iyer community has produced stalwarts like R. K. Narayan, R. K. Laxman, Subramanya Bharathy, Kalki Krishnamurthy, Ulloor Parameswara Iyer, and Cho Ramaswamy to name a few. The adoption of Western education at every stage has ensued their proficiency in the English language. They have also contributed in an equal amount to Tamil language and literature.There are innumerable hymns composed on different deities worshipped in the South such as Meenakshi, Amman, 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 Kollywood's greatest directors, K. Balachander and Mani Ratnam hail from the Iyer community. Gemini Ganesan was one of the greatest Tamil film actors of the black-and-white era along with Sivaji Ganesan and M. G. Ramachandran. At present, Ajith and Trisha are amongst the top five stars in Tamil cinema.

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. 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. 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, and is accordingly eschewed by the Iyers.

Agraharams

In ancient times, Iyers, along with Iyengars and other Tamil Brahmins, lived in exclusive Brahmin quarters of their village or town known as an 'agraharam'(in Sanskrit Agram means tip or end and Haram means Shiva). Shiva and Vishnu temples were usually situated at the ends of an agraharam. In most cases, there would also be a fast-flowing stream or river nearby.

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.

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.

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.

Language of Iyers

See also: 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 Braahmik or Brahmin Tamil, but is more popularly known by its colloquial term "Iyer baashai" or "language of Iyers". Brahmin Tamil is highly Sanskritized and has often invited ridicule from Tamil nationalists due to its extensive usage of the Sanskrit vocabulary. However, with Brahmins moving out of their agraharams to urban centres or migrating to foreign countries, Brahmin Tamil is being increasingly discarded and is facing the prospect of extinction. The Palakkad Iyers have a 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 Sankheti.

Apart from Tamil, Iyers in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala are also fluent in the local languages of their state i.e. Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, respectively. Iyers who reside in Mumbai and North India are well-versed in Hindi and English.

Iyengars speak a separate dialect of Tamil called Iyengar Tamil.

Iyers Today

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.

In addition to their earlier occupations, Iyers today have diversified into a variety of fields — their strengths particularly evident in the fields of Mass Media, 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.

Social and political issues

See Also:Accusations of Casteism and Other Controversies

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 the political, administrative, judicial and intellectual 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 Justice Party . In the early days,the Justice Party functioned on a principled high-ground as a representative organization of non-Brahmins of the Madras Presidency 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 Brahmins and other upper castes like the Mudaliars, Pillais and Chettiars. 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 a majority of Tamils who were Dravidian based on Robert Caldwell's writings . See Iyers and the Aryan Invasion Theory. The ensuing anti-Brahmin propaganda and the rising unpopularity of the Rajaji Government left an indelible mark on the Tamil Brahmin community ending their political aspirations forever. 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.

Accusations of Casteism and Other Controversies

See Also: Brahminism,Anti-Brahminism,Caste-Based Reservations in Tamil Nadu

The legacy of Iyers have often been marred by accusations of racism and counter-racism against them by non-Brahmins and vice versa. The Manusmriti forbids Brahmins from eating with individuals of particular castes (particularly the Scheduled Castes) 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.

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. 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.

Grievances and alleged 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, in combination with the depressed economic and social conditions of non-Brahmins, 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.

However, with the destruction of Brahmin monopoly over the services and introduction of adequate representation for other communities, anti-Brahmin feelings did not subside. On the contrary, they were fully exploited by politicians, who often indulged in anti-Brahmin rhetoric primarily in order to get non-Brahmin votes. 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, Tamil Brahmins began to migrate en masse to other states in India and foreign countries in search of livelihood. 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.

Another important accusation hurled upon Iyers was that they were Sanskritists who entertained a distorted and contemptuous atitude towards Tamil language, culture and civilization

Professor George L. Hart in a speech in 1997 on Tamil, Brahmins, & Sanskrit rubbishes the claims of anti Brahmins that Brahmins favored Sanskrit to Tamil.

Here are some facts:

1. Brahmins are only 2% of the population, yet they have contributed much more to Tamil literature than their number would indicate.

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.

Dalit 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.

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.

Famous Iyers

See Distinguished Iyers

References

1. ^ Google Book on Caste and Race in India by G.S. Gurye, Pg. 393
2. ^ Percentage of Brahmin Population
3. 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
4. Sastri, or Ayyar (Hindu honorific title), Encyclopedia Brittanica
5. 'Iyers' from Uttarakhand Information Centre website
6. ^ BRIEF CASE: Tambram's Grouse by Rohit Vishwanath, The Times of India, 23 June 2007
7. Smarthism
8. People of India by Kumar Suresh Singh, B.V.Bhanu, Pg.1873
9. Etymology of the term 'Ayya' from Starling database
10. ^ History of Kerala Iyers from Kerala Iyers website
11. The Meaning and Significance of Arya
12. ^ An article on Gurukkals
13. Nataraja and Vedic Concepts as Revealed by Sekkizhar
14. An article on the Dikshitars of Chidambaram
15. An interesting article on Sage Agastya and his association with the Tamil land
16. An Article which argues that the Tamil Brahmins have been closely associated with Tamil Culture since the earliest period of recorded history
17. The Politics of the Aryan Invasion Debate
18. ^ An analysis of the different theories of origin for Iyers and similarities with other Tamils
19. ^ 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
20. The Dravidian Elements in Indian Culture by Gilbert Slater
21. Extracts from T.R.Sesha Iyengar's "Dravidian India"
22. Information on Ramanujar who was born a Vadama Iyer
23. [http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/smartism/smarthas-who-split-away-from-their-sect.html Smarthas who split away from their sect]
24. Madras in the Olden Time by J. Talboys Wheeler, Pg. 22 -- Speaks about "fair-complexioned Brahmins"
25. Encyclopaedia of Dalits in India By Mamta Rajawat, Pg 295 -- Mentions a Tamil proverb: "dark Brahmins and fair paraiyans are improper"
26. The Coming of Aryans and Brahmins into Kerala by Dr.Zacharias Thondy
28. HLA affinities of Iyers, a Brahmin population of Tamil Nadu, South India.
29. Genetic Evidence on the Origins of Indian Caste Populations
30. The Genetic Heritage of the Earliest Settlers Persists Both in Indian Tribal and Caste Populations
31. People in north and south India belong to the same gene pool: ICHR Chairman by T.S. Ranganna
32. Brahmin Exodus from Vijayanagar and the Bhagavathar Melas of Melattur
33. A List of Brahmin communities from kamat.com
34. Aspects of Caste in South India, Ceylon, and North-West Pakistan by E. R. Leach; University Press, 1962
35. Rev. M.A.Sherring, in the 1860s, divided Brahmins into 2000 sub-castes and further, into gothras and segregated the gothras by the Vedas which they follow
36. From Dictionary of Hinduism
37. Article on Mukkanis
38. Definition of the word 'gotra'
39. A description of the gotra system
40. An article on the origin of Bengali Brahmins which hints at possible migration of Brahmins from the south to the north
41. A brief history of Ashtagrama Iyers from Ashtagrama Iyer website
42. ^ History of Kerala Iyers
43. Migration theories about Kerala Iyers from Kerala Iyers website
44. An article on Migration of Kerala Iyers from Kerala Iyers website
45. A colourful festival from a hoary past by G. Prabhakaran, Article in The Hindu Metro Plus dated Nov 12, 2005
46. ^ Article on Palakkad District from the website of Kerala Brahmana Sabha, Palakkad
47. A brief description of a Madhom from the website of Ernakulam Gramajana Samooham
48. Landmark Legislations of the Kerala Government
49. Civattampi, K Sri Lankan Tamil society and politics, p.3
50. Gnanaprakasar, S A critical history of Jaffna, p.96
51. Pathmanathan, The Kingdom of Jaffna,p.1-13
52. An article on the Sixteen Samskaras or duties of Iyers.
53. Kamakoti.org on the duties of Iyers
54. A description of the Jatakarma ceremony
55. ^ Welcoming Baby; Birth rituals provide children with sense of community, culture by Lisette Austin, May 21, 2005, Article in ParentMap.com
56. A Brief Description of the significance and Procedure for Ayushya Homam
57. An Explanation of the Concept of Upanayana
58. Rites and Rituals of Iyers
59. A Description of the Sandhya Vandanam
60. You Tube Video on Sandhya Vandanam
61. The Meaning of the Gayatri Manthra and its Description
62. Transition Rituals -- Death Rites for Major World Religions
63. A description of the different kinds of Tarpanams and their procedure
64. A definition of the word Shraddha and a description of the ritual
65. The Journey of a Lifebody by David M.Knipe, Hindugateway.com
66. A description of Avani Avittam from panchangam.com
67. Upakarma Procedure
68. A complete description of a typical Iyer marriage
69. Apastamba Grihya-Sutras Transliterated in English
70. ^ "The Laws of Manu", Translated by Wendy Doniger and Brian K. Smith, published 1991, Penguin Books. Chapter 11, Verses 94 to 98
71. ^ An Interesting Article on madi as practised by Brahmins
72. An oasis of vegetarian calm, Article by S Lakshmi, Business Standard, New Delhi,February 23, 2008
73. The Art of Slurping, Article in The Hindu dated December 23, 2001
74. Brahmin Women by G.K. Ghosh and Shukla Ghosh. Kolkata, Firma KLM, 2003, viii, 171 p., $19. ISBN 81-7102-107-7
75. How to Wear a Pancha Kachham, WikiHow
76. An article on madisar
77. List of distinguished Iyers
78. Roles and Rituals for Hindu Women By Julia Leslie, Pg. 154
79. How Natyam danced its way into the Academy, Article by Lakshmi Viswanathan in The Hindu dated Dec 1, 2006
80. The revivalist role in classical Bharatha Natyam by Subashini Pathmanathan
81. Article on Bharatanatyam
82. Great composers of Carnatic music
83. From the Tanjore Court to the Madras Music Academy: A Social History of Music in South India by Lakshmi Subramanian ISBN-10: 0195678354
84. The Popularity of Carnatic Music by Raghavan Jayakumar
85. ^ The Origin of the Non-Brahmin Movement,1905-1920 by K.Nambi Arooran
86. Caste in Indian Politics by Rajni Kothari,Pg 254
87. ^ Forum on Caste and the Tamil Nation
88. In Tamil Renaissance and Dravidian Nationalism 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."
89. The Hindu Attitude Towards Vegetarianism -- explains why Brahmins are vegetarian
90. South Indian Vegetarian Cuisine
91. Website of Kuzhalmannagraharam, a Kerala Iyer Agraharam
92. Website of Anikode Agraharam near Palakkad
93. An article on 'The Hindu' on Agraharams
94. Description of life in an Agraharam (from a personal account)
95. Description of an Agraharam from 'Simply South' by Lalitha Sridhar, Business Line, Aug 6, 2001
96. A list of different dialects of Tamil from ethnologue.com
97. Streams of Language: Tamil Dialects in History and Literature Note on the Proposed International Conference on Dialects
98. brief discussion on brahmins within caste system
99. Aryans and Tamils, The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol.IV, Page 296
100. 'Periyar was against Brahminism, not Brahmins' -- Interview with Gnana Rajashekharan in Rediff.com
101. Towards a Non Brahmin Millenium - From Iyothee Thass to Periyar - V.Geetha, and S.V. Rajadurai, 1998
102. The Rise of Caste in the Dravida Land, An article by Amrith Lal
103. Dalits in Reverse, an article from Indian magazine The Outlook
104. Are Brahmins the Dalits of Today
105. Brahmins and Eelamists by V.Thangavelu -- 2001
106. Gail Omvedt(2006),Dalit Visions: The Anti-caste Movement and the Construction on an Indian Identity,Orient Longman,ISBN 8125028951
107. 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
108. Lloyd I. Rudolph and Suzanne Hoeber Rudolph, The Modernity of Tradition: political development in India P78,University of Chicago Press 1969, ISBN 0226731375
109. C. J. Fuller,The Renewal of the Priesthood: Modernity and Traditionalism in a South Indian Temple P117, Princeton University Press 2003 ISBN 0691116571
110. A.Ramaiah, Untouchability and Inter Caste Relations in Rural India:The Case of Southern Tamil Villages
111. 'Education is the means of social mobility', Rediff News, May 30, 2006
112. Drive out “anti-Tamil, evil forces” - DMK, Chennai Online News Service
113. Aryan vs Dravidian — Lord Rama vs E V Ramaswamy ??? By: V Sundaram, IAS, Retd
114. 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.
115. Dravidian Movement and Dalits by Gail Omvedt

See also

• Tamil people
• Iyengar
• Forward Castes
• Palakkad Iyers
• Ashtagrama Iyer
• Kannada Iyers
• Vishwakarmas
• Anti-Brahminism
• Mulukanadu
• Agastya
• Smartha
• Aryan Invasion Theory (history and controversies)

External links

• http://www.keralaiyers.com/
• http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/
• Ashtagrama.com, information on Ashtagrama Iyers, a sub group of Iyers from Karnataka.
• sankethi.com, information on Sankethis, a sub group of Iyers from Karnataka.
• Thummagunta Dravida Iyers, Information on Thummagunta Dravida Brahmins, a sub-sect of Vadama Iyers from Thummagunta in Nellore District, AP.
• Advaita Vedanta research centre, and hosts articles and mailing-lists on the subject; see also Advaita.

• Iyers
• Indian castes
• Indian family names
• Kinship and descent
• Social groups of India
• Ethnic groups in India
• Tamil Brahmins