Jump to content

Dikshitar: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
No edit summary
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
Ge-eN-De (talk | contribs)
No edit summary
Line 49: Line 49:
}}
}}


'''Dīkṣitars''' (Tamil: தீக்ஷிதர்) or '''Thillai Vazh Anthaanar''' are a Vedic Shaiva Brahmin servitor community of [[Tamil Nadu]] who are based mainly in the town of [[Chidambaram]]; they were originally the ritual arbiters of imperial legitimacy in the [[Chola Empire]], ritually crowning successive monarchs.Chidambaram Dikshitars are not to be confused with [[Smartha]](especially the [[Vadamas]]) or [[Sri Vaishnava]] brahmins in south India who also sometimes carry the surname Dikshitars owing to their performance of [[Yajnas]] and not due to any relationship with Chidambaram.<ref>Mahadevan, T. P. (2016). On the Southern Recension of the Mahābhārata, Brahman Migrations, and Brāhmī Paleography. Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies, 15(2), 1-146.</ref>
'''Dīkṣitars''' (Tamil: தீக்ஷிதர்) or '''Thillai Vazh Anthaanar''' are a Vedic Shaiva Brahmin servitor community of [[Tamil Nadu]] who are based mainly in the town of [[Chidambaram]]; they were originally the ritual arbiters of imperial legitimacy in the [[Chola Empire]], ritually crowning successive monarchs. [[Smartha]](especially the [[Vadamas]]), [[Sri Vaishnava]] and other brahmins in South India also carry the surname Dikshitars, but are different then Chidambaram Dishitar.<ref>Mahadevan, T. P. (2016). On the Southern Recension of the Mahābhārata, Brahman Migrations, and Brāhmī Paleography. Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies, 15(2), 1-146.</ref>


They are an exclusive group of Brahmans learned in the Vedas and ''Yagnas''(sacrifices) who also serve as the hereditary trustees of the [[Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram|Nataraja temple]] in [[Chidambaram]]. They are also called ''Thillai Muvayiravar'' or the ''Three Thousand of Thillai''<ref>{{cite book|author=B. Natarajan|title=The city of the cosmic dance: Chidambaram, Volume 2 of Southern art series|publisher=Orient Longman|year=1974|page=128}}</ref> Every Dikshitar once he is married becomes as of right a trustee and ''archaka'' of the [[Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram|Nataraja temple]]. A practice unique to the community is that the priests wear the tuft of hair in front of the head similar to the [[Nambudiri|Nambuthiri]] Brahmans of [[Kerala]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Viravanallur Gopalier Ramakrishna Ayyar|title=The Economy of a South Indian Temple: (Sankara Parvati Prize Essay of the Madras University)|publisher=Annamalai University|year=1946|page=50}}</ref>
They are an exclusive group of Brahmans learned in the Vedas and ''Yagnas''(sacrifices) who also serve as the hereditary trustees of the [[Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram|Nataraja temple]] in [[Chidambaram]]. They are also called ''Thillai Muvayiravar'' or the ''Three Thousand of Thillai''<ref>{{cite book|author=B. Natarajan|title=The city of the cosmic dance: Chidambaram, Volume 2 of Southern art series|publisher=Orient Longman|year=1974|page=128}}</ref> Every Dikshitar once he is married becomes as of right a trustee and ''archaka'' of the [[Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram|Nataraja temple]]. A practice unique to the community is that the priests wear the tuft of hair in front of the head similar to the [[Nambudiri|Nambuthiri]] Brahmans of [[Kerala]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Viravanallur Gopalier Ramakrishna Ayyar|title=The Economy of a South Indian Temple: (Sankara Parvati Prize Essay of the Madras University)|publisher=Annamalai University|year=1946|page=50}}</ref>

Revision as of 05:38, 7 October 2019

For individuals with the surname, see Dikshit
Dīkṣitar
தீக்ஷிதர்
1909 photograph depicting the traditional Dīkṣitar munkuḍumi, alternately known as pūrvaśikhā, and in English, a forelock
ClassificationPancha Dravida
VedaṚgveda (Āśvalāyana recension)
Yajurveda (Baudhāyana recension)
ReligionsSrouta Shaiva Siddhanta ,Vedic Shaivism
LanguagesSanskrit (scriptural) , Tamil (vernacular),Telugu (vernacular)
CountryIndia
Original stateTamil Nadu
EthnicityIndo Aryan
Related groupsIyer Brahmin, Nambūdiri Brahmin, Śōḻiya Brahmin
Kingdom (original)Chola Empire

Dīkṣitars (Tamil: தீக்ஷிதர்) or Thillai Vazh Anthaanar are a Vedic Shaiva Brahmin servitor community of Tamil Nadu who are based mainly in the town of Chidambaram; they were originally the ritual arbiters of imperial legitimacy in the Chola Empire, ritually crowning successive monarchs. Smartha(especially the Vadamas), Sri Vaishnava and other brahmins in South India also carry the surname Dikshitars, but are different then Chidambaram Dishitar.[1]

They are an exclusive group of Brahmans learned in the Vedas and Yagnas(sacrifices) who also serve as the hereditary trustees of the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram. They are also called Thillai Muvayiravar or the Three Thousand of Thillai[2] Every Dikshitar once he is married becomes as of right a trustee and archaka of the Nataraja temple. A practice unique to the community is that the priests wear the tuft of hair in front of the head similar to the Nambuthiri Brahmans of Kerala.[3]

References

  1. ^ Mahadevan, T. P. (2016). On the Southern Recension of the Mahābhārata, Brahman Migrations, and Brāhmī Paleography. Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies, 15(2), 1-146.
  2. ^ B. Natarajan (1974). The city of the cosmic dance: Chidambaram, Volume 2 of Southern art series. Orient Longman. p. 128.
  3. ^ Viravanallur Gopalier Ramakrishna Ayyar (1946). The Economy of a South Indian Temple: (Sankara Parvati Prize Essay of the Madras University). Annamalai University. p. 50.

See also