Iyer

Iyer

Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, a prominent Iyer vocalist
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
Pancha-Dravida Brahmins, Tamil people, Iyengar, Madhwa

Iyer (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.

Etymology

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. There are number of etymologies for the word Ayya, generally it is thought to be derived from Proto-Dravidian term denoting an elder brother. It is used in that meaning in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Yet others derive the word Ayya as a Prakrit version of the Sanskrit word 'Arya' which means 'noble'. "Ayar" is also the name of a Tamil Yadava sub-caste. During the British Raj, Christian clergymen were also occasionally given the honorific surname "Ayyar".

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

It has also been recorded that in the past, the Nayak kings of Madurai have held the title "Aiyar" while Brahmins have borne titles as Pillai or Mudali.

Origin

Regional origin

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. During the early medieval period, when Ramanuja founded Vaishnavism many Iyers adopted the new philosophical affiliation and were called Iyengars.The Valluvars are believed to be the descendants of the earliest priests of the Tamil country.

There is also ample evidence to suggest that a large number of individuals of non-Brahmin communities could have been invested with the sacred thread and ordained as temple priests.

Though, Iyers have been classified as a left-hand caste in ancient times, Schoebel, in his book History of the Origin and Development of Indian Castes published in 1884, spoke of Tamil Brahmins as "Mahajanam" and regarded them, along with foreign migrants, as outside the dual left and right-hand caste divisions of Tamil Nadu.

Racial origin

Iyer men and women are slightly different in physical makeup and complexion to the average Tamilian and this, along with the social practices and customs of Iyers are regarded as 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. Iyer marriage rites, especially, are a mixture of some customs regarded Aryan and some considered Dravidian. 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. Other genetic researches have found close similarities between recent migrants and Bengali Brahmins. However, the sharing of some haplotypes between the Iyers and some Southeast Asian populations suggests a migration through Southeast Asia to India. 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 the mitochondrial DNA (maternal) of Indian caste and tribal populations all emerged from the same source.

Edgar Thurston classified Iyers as mesocephalic with an average cephalic index of 74.2 and average nasal index of 95.1 based on the anthropological survey he had conducted in the Madras Presidency. The Kerala Iyer was found to have a cephalic index of 74.5 and nasal index of 92.9.

Population and distribution

Though Iyers are distributed almost evenly all over the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, an extensive majority resides in the Chola Nadu region of Tamil Nadu comprising the delta of the River Cauvery (indicated by the shaded portion in the map) which is the traditional home of the Tamil Brahmin population

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 Bharathi, 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 in Tamil Nadu. 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, Brahacharnam or Brahatcharanam, Vathima, Sholiyar or Chozhiar , Ashtasahasram, Mukkani and Gurukkal.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 Rudraksha beads

Vadama

See also: Vadama

The Vadamas regard themselves the most superior of Smartha Brahmins. The word "Vadama" is derived from the Tamil word Vadakku meaning North. Due to this reason, it is widely speculated that the Vadamas could have been the latest of the Brahmin settlers of the Tamil country. At the same time, however, the honorific title Vadama could also be used simply to denote the level of Sanskritization and cultural affiliation and not as evidence for a migration at all.

Many Vadamas follow a number of Vaishnavite religious beliefs and practices. They sport the urdhvapundram mark on their forehead unlike other sects of Iyers. A large section of the Iyengar community is believed to be made of converted Vadamas. There are also vadamas who were involved in the revival of saivism and shaktism in Tamil Nadu. . One such saint Appayya Dikshitar set about to prove that Ramayana and Mahabharata were written in order to bring glory to Lord Shiva.

The Vadamas are classified into Vadadesa Vadama, Choladesa Vadama, Sabhaiyar, Inji and Thummagunta Dravida.

Vathima

See also: Vathima

The Vathimas are few in number and are confined mostly to eighteen villages in Thanjavur district. They are sub-divided into Pathinettu Gramathu Vathima or Vathima of the eighteen villages, Udayalur, Nannilam and Rathamangalam.

Brahacharnam

See also: Brahatcharanam

Brahacharnam is a corruption of the Sanskrit word Brahatcharnam means "the great sect". Brahacharnams are more Saivite than Vadamas and are sub-divided into Kandramaicka, Milanganur, Mangudi, Pazhamaneri, Musanadu, Kolathur, Marudancheri,Sathyamangalam and Puthur Dravida.

Ashtasahasram

The Ashtasahasrams are, like the Brahacharnams, more Saivite than the Vadamas. They are further sub-divided into Aththiyur, Arivarpade, Nandivadi and Shatkulam..

Dikshitar

A Dikshitar from Chidambaram

The Dikshitars are based mainly in the town of Chidambaram and according to legend, have descended from three thousands individuals who migrated from Varanasi. They wear their kudumi in front of their head like the Nairs and Nambudiris of Kerala.

Chozhiar or Sholiyar

The Sholiyars serve as priests, cooks or decorate idols in Hindu temples. According to legend, they are believed to have descended from Chanakya, the minister of Chandragupta Maurya. They are divided into Tirukattiur, Madalur, Visalur, Puthalur, Senganur, Avadiyar Koil.

Gurukkal

See also: Gurukkal Brahmins

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.

Gurukkals are sub-divided into Tiruvalangad, Conjeevaram and Thirukkazhukunram.

Mukkani

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.

Kaniyalar

The Kaniyalar are a little known sub-sect of Iyers. A large number of Kaniyalars serve as cooks and menial servants in Vaishnavite temples. Hence, they sport the namam like Vaishnavite Iyengars.

Prathamasaki

The Prathamasakis form another little-known sub-sect of Iyers. They follow the White Yajur Veda. According to Hindu legend, in remote antiquity, the Prathamasakis were cursed by God to spend one hour every day as Parayars and hence they are known as "Madhyana Paraiyans" in Tanjore district and are regarded inferior by other sects of Brahmins.

Edgar Thurston also mentions another sect of Iyers called Kesigal or Hiranyakesigal. However, this sub-sect appears to have disappeared or merged into the larger Vadama community with the passage of time.

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.

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 Karnataka

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 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. During the 19th century, Iyers, like Malayali Nambudhiris, even adopted the Malayali practice of sambandham though the numbers contacting such alliances were very low

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 16 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 from South India performing the Sandhya Vandhanam, 1913

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

See also: Hindu 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

See also: Hindu 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

See also: Culture of Tamil Nadu

Traditional Iyer ethics

File:Mvsivan.jpg

A traditional-looking Iyer -- M.V.Sivan, a prominent vocalist from the 19th century

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.

File:Iyer.jpg

An Iyer man dressed in traditional clothes for a Hindu ritual

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.

As alcoholic beverages are prohibited according to the Manusmriti, Iyers have taken a special liking for coffee

.

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

Tamil Brahmins (Iyers and Iyengars) in traditional veshti and angavastram at a convention of the Mylai Tamil Sangam, circa early 1900s

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 gajam 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

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

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 20th 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 Bharathi, 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 diet of Iyers comprise mainly of Tamil vegetarian cuisine, comprising rice

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.

Consumption of food is also accompanied by a ritual called annasuddhi, literally meaning 'purification of rice'. Involving a few invocations and sprinkling of water, the ritual is considered essential before partaking of food, in traditional Iyer households.

Agraharam

Agraharam

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

A Tamil Brahmin couple, circa 1945

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

File:P. S.jpg

This portrait of Sir P. S. Sivaswami Iyer depicts the grand and aristocratic lifestyle led by Tamil Brahmins during the British Raj

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.

The recent decision by the Tamil Nadu government to appoint non-Brahmin priests in Hindu temples had created a controversy of sorts, even leading to violence in the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram.

Criticism

Relations with other communities

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.

Sir T. Muthuswamy Iyer, the first Indian judge of the Madras High Court, once made the controversially casteist remark:

Hindu temples were neither founded nor are kept up for the benefit of Mahomedans, outcastes and others who are outside the scope of it

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.

However, the very concept of "Brahmin atrocities" is refuted by some Tamil Brahmin historians who are keen to dismiss it as fictitious. 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. 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 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.

Contemptuous attitude towards Tamil language and culture

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

However, a detailed study of the history of Tamil literature proves this accusation wrong. The renowned Dravidologist Kamil Zvelebil, in his book Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature, even goes to the extent of saying that the Brahmin was chosen as a scapegoat to answer for the decline of Tamil civilization and culture in the medieval and post-medieval periods. Agathiar, usually identified with the legendary Vedic sage Agastya is credited with compiling the first rules of grammar of the Tamil language. . Tolkappiar who wrote Tolkappiam, the oldest extant literary work in Tamil is believed to be a Tamil Brahmin and a disciple of Agathiar. Moreover, individuals like U. V. Swaminatha Iyer and Subramanya Bharathi have made invaluable contributions to the Dravidian Movement. Parithimar Kalaignar was the first to campaign for the recognition of Tamil as a classical language.

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.

Portrayal in popular media

There have been extensive portrayals of Iyers in popular media, most of them, positive and a few negative. This is because despite the fact that Tamil Brahmins form just 3% of the Tamil population their distinct culture and unique practices and strange habits make them strong targets of criticism,both positive and negative.

Positive Portrayals

In literature and print media

There have been references to Brahmins even in the earliest period of Tamil literature. Most of these early books were written by Brahmins. A sage named Gautama who served in the court of Senguttuvan's predecessor is praised in the Tamil work Silappatikaram. The Tolkāppiyam, which belongs to an earlier era, speaks of "the victorious Brahmin". One of the poems in the Puṟanāṉūṟu written by one Mulam Kilar of Avur praises the learning and character of a Brahmin Kauniyan Vinnam Tayan of Cholanadu. The poem praises his efforts and those of his ancestors in combating the penetration of Buddhism in the Tamil land. Kauniyan Vinnam Tayan is also praised for the faithful performance of sacrifices.

The Thirukkural stresses the importance of the Brahmin and his duties to the welfare of the state.

The Tamil novel had its beginnings in Mayuram Vedanayakam Pillai's Pratapa Mudaliar Charitram which appeared in 1879. The second tamil novel was Kamalambal Charitram written by B. R. Rajam Iyer in 1893 and the third was Padmavathi Charitram written by A. Madhaviah in 1898. Both these novels portray the lives of Brahmins in rural parts of Madras Presidency.

In R. K. Narayan's famous book Swami and Friends he depicts the vagaries in the school-life of a young Iyer boy, Swaminathan, and how he and his family, especially his father, W. S. Srinivasan, deal with them. The book provides an interesting insight into father-son relations in traditional Iyer households in the early twentieth century, besides providing details of day-to-day life. Along with the text of the tale, the sketches to accompany it, by R. K. Laxman, in early editions, provide a wealth of information about the latter.

In films

Iyers have been positively portrayed in Hindi films as Tere Mere Sapne. Malayalam films such as Iyer the Great and the Sethurama Iyer series and the Tamil movie Iyer IPS have fictitious Iyer characters in the lead.

There have always been movies in Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi portraying Iyer society and traditional values in a positive manner. The black-and-white era saw Tamil films as Thyagabhoomi and Vietnam Veedu.

Negative Portrayals

In Literature and Print Media

One of the oldest works to pour sharp criticism on Tamil Brahmins was Tirumanthiram, a treatise on yoga whose author regards Brahmins as "foolish and gluttonous". According to J. H. Hutton, there was opposition to Brahmins from Tamils as early as the 13th century AD

During the Raj, anti-Brahminism was actively propagated by both British administrators as well as writers. J. H. Nelson, a popular administrator and writers, spoke of non-Brahmins as superior and degraded Tamil Iyers and Iyengars. Charles E. Gover's The Folk Tales of South India is replete with anti-Brahmin rhetoric. He remarks:

The Brahmans have corrupted what they could not destroy

Bishop Robert Caldwell, regarded as one of the instigators of the Dravidian Movement was vociferous in his attacks on Tamil Brahmins. V. Kanakasabhai Pillai, in his 1904 book, The Tamils 1800 years ago, holds Brahmins responsible for making a conscious attempt to "foist their system on the Tamils". Hindu savant Maraimalai Adigal who founded the Pure Tamil Movement, in a book called Vellalar Nagareegam or The Civilization of the Vellalars published in 1923, said that the classification of Vellalars as Sudras were a part of an Aryan-Brahmin conspiracy and launched veiled attack on Brahmin historians and intellectuals.

From 1930 onwards, with the rise of Periyar and the Justice Party, anti-Brahminism intensified to larger proportions. The periodicals and newspapers of the Justice Party such as Viduthalai and Justice launched scathing attacks on Brahmins. The works of Periyar as well as C. N. Annadurai's Aryamayai ridicules the rituals and practices of Brahmins and accuses them of propagating casteism and superstitions. Periyar's pattern of anti-Brahmin rhetoric was absorbed by his followers and the Dravidar kazhagam, the cultural organization that he established continues to indulge in vehement anti-Brahmin rhetoric in its magazines and periodicals, though popular support and enthusiasm for their anti-Brahmin tirade has died down with the passage of time.

There have also been novels criticizing the patriarchal nature of Tamil Brahmin society and critically portraying the plight of Brahmin women A. Madhaviah, one of the earliest Tamil novelists, launched a sharp criticism of the sexual exploitation of young girls by older men in the 19th century upper caste society. His English novel Clarinda tells the story of a Brahmin woman who is saved from sati by a British soldier. She falls in love with the soldier and converts to Christianity on the death of her lover. In his Tamil novel Muthumeenakshi penned in 1903, he describes the plight of a Brahmin child widow. The story ends on a happy note with the remarriage of the widow as per her wishes. Ameen Merchant's The Silent Raga depicts the life of women in an agraharam as a gruesome endeavour.

In recent times, apart from sporadic outbursts of anti-Brahmin sentiment in newspapers and television, anti-Brahminism has largely subsided. Anti-brahmin sentiment reached intense proportions on the occasion of the arrest of the Kanchi Shankaracharya and when Periyar's statue in Srirangam was defaced by activists of the Hindu Munnani.

In Films

There have been an extensively large number of Indian movies in which Brahminical practices and customs have been ridiculed. Some of the early Tamil films ridiculing the Brahminical orthodoxy as Nandanar (1935) and Seva Sadanam (1938) were by the Tamil Brahmin director K. Subrahmanyam. Nandanar was based on the tale of a rich Brahmin landlord called Vedhiyar who illtreated his farm-workers.The movie ends with Vedhiyar falling on the feet of a farmhand Nandan who worked in his fields on realizing that the latter was blessed by the Hindu god Nataraja. This scene generated a huge controversy as orthodox Brahmins objected to Vedhiyar falling on the feet of Nandan as Vedhiyar was incidentally played by Viswanatha Iyer who was a Brahmin in real life and Nandan was played by K. B. Sundarambal who belonged to a lower caste. In Subrahmnayam's Seva Sadanam, one of the actors Natesa Iyer drew flak from the Brahmin orthodoxy for acting in a controversial scene wherein he throws away his sacred thread.

When C. N. Annadurai and a few top leaders of the Dravidar Kazhagam left the organization and formed a new political party called Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and decided to contest elections, they viewed mass media as the most important tool to carry the ideology and principles of their new party to the masses. As a result, a number of films were made condemning what they regarded as "Brahmin oppression" and advocating social reform and atheism. The first important film attacking the Brahmin orthodoxy was Parasakthi which was a resounding hit and launched the career of Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan. The film featured a controversial scene wherein a temple priest tries to rape a woman and was considered for a ban. However, the film became popular with the masses and triggered an era wherein many more films supporting the Dravidian ideology were made. Vedham Pudhidhu by Bharathiraja was one of the biggest hits of the 1980s. The story revolved around a non-Brahmin boy who poses as a Brahmin and learns Sanskrit and the Vedas from a respected Brahmin priest. In the process, he falls in love with the priest's daughter and the duo prepare to elope when confronted by opposition from the society. In recent times, Iyers have been portrayed as conservative and narrow-minded in films as Avvai Shanmugi and Kannamoochi Yenada.

There have also been a few non-Tamil films in which Iyers have been portrayed in a negative way. The portrayal of Iyers in Aparna Sen's Mr and Mrs Iyer can be viewed as negative, but it also shows a positive change in one's outlook due to the dramatic events that occurred.

Famous Iyers

See Distinguished Iyers

References

• Ghurye, G. S. (1991). Caste and Race in India. Bombay: Popular Prakashan. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Iyengar, P. T. Srinivasa (1929). History of the Tamils from the Earliest Times to the Present Day. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• The Moden part of an universal history from the Earliest Account of Time, Vol XLIII. London: Oxford University. 1765. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• E. Gover, Charles (1871). The Folk songs of Southern India. Madras: Higginbotham & Co. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Thurston, Edgar (1909). Castes and Tribes of Southern India Volume I - A and B. Madras: Government Press. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• W. Clothey, Fred (2006). Ritualizing on the Boundaries: Continuity and Innovation in the Tamil Diaspora. University of South Carolina. ISBN 1570036470, ISBN 9781570036477. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Naicker, P. V. Manickam (1917). The Tamil Alphabet and its Mystic Aspect. ISBN 8120600207.
• Slater, Gilbert (1924). The Dravidian Elements in Indian Culture. E. Benn Limited.
• Sarma, Dorilal (1998). Brahmana Vamso ka Itihasa (in Hindi). Rashtriya Brahmana Sabha.
• Day, Francis (1861). Cochin, Its Past and its Present. Madras: Gantt Brothers. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Pathmanathan (1978). The Kingdom of Jaffna. Arul M. Rajendran.
• Zvelebil, Kamil (1973). The Smile of Murugan on Tamil Literature of South India. BRILL. ISBN 9004035915.
• V. Zvelebil, Kamil (1992). Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature. BRILL. ISBN 9004093656. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |author link= ignored (|author-link= suggested) (help)
• Aiyangar, S. Krishnaswami (1919). Some Contributions of South India to Indian Culture. University of Calcutta.
• E. V. Ramasami (March 27, 1929). "Is this Nationalism?" (PDF). The Revolt.
• W. B. Vasantha Kandasamy, F. Smarandache, K. Kandasamy, Florentin Smarandache. "E. V. Ramasami's Writings and Speeches". Fuzzy and Neutrosophic Analysis of Periyar's Views on Untouchability. American Research Press. Retrieved 2008-08-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Ghosh, G. K. (2003). Brahmin Women. Firma KLM. ISBN 8171021077. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

Further reading

• Pandian, M. S. S. Pandian (2007). Brahmin & Non-Brahmin : genealogies of the Tamil political present. ISBN - 8178241625.
• 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. 978-0820411088.
• Sadananda (1939). Origin and Early History of Śaivism in South India. University of Madras.
• Figueira, Dorothy Matilda (2002). Aryans, Jews, Brahmins: Theorizing Authority Through Myths of Identity. SUNY Press. ISBN 0791455319, ISBN 9780791455319.
• Sharma, Rajendra Nath (1977). Brahmins Through the Ages: Their Social, Religious, Cultural, Political, and Economic Life. Ajanta Publications.
• Pillai, K. N. Sivaraja. Agastya in the Tamil land. University of Madras.
• Subramaniam, Kuppu (1974). Brahmin Priest of Tamil Nadu. Wiley.

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

• The Tamil Brahmin forum
• The Kerala Iyer community website
• Website of Kuzhalmannagraharam, a Kerala Iyer Agraharam
• Website of Anikode Agraharam near Palakkad