Iyer
365517
226026200
2008-07-16T14:26:40Z
Weeliljimmy
4072667
[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 226026157 by [[Special:Contributions/122.162.103.153|122.162.103.153]] ([[User talk:122.162.103.153|talk]])
{{Infobox Ethnic group
|image = [[Image:Chembai.jpg|thumb|center|[[Chembai|Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar]], a prominent Iyer vocalist]]
|group = Iyer
|poptime = <p align="justify">[[1901]]:415,931<ref name="pop2" /><br>[[2004]]:< 2,400,000 (Estimated)<ref name="pop" /><ref>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</ref>
|popplace = Indian states of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Kerala]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]]|langs = [[Mother tongue]] is [[Brahmin Tamil|Tamil]] with unique Iyer dialects. Knowledge of [[Sanskrit]] for religious reasons.
|rels = [[Hinduism]]
|related = [[Panch-Dravida|Pancha-Dravida Brahmins]], [[Tamil people]]
|Iyer
**[[Vadama]]
*** Nai
*** Sabhayar
*** Lohitha
*** Inji
*** Thummagunta Dravida
*** Choladesha
*** Vadadesha
**[[Vadhima|Vathima/Madhimas]]
*** Pathinettu Gramaththu
*** Udayalur
*** Nannilam
*** Rathamangalam
**[[Gurukkal|Dikshitars]]
**[[Sholiyar]]
***[[Thilai Muayiravar]]( முவாயிரவர்)
***Thirukkatiyoor
***woraiyur(virupashipuram)
***thruvannikovil ayyairavar (ஆயிரவர்)
***Madalur
***Visalur
***Puthalur
***senganur
***Avadayar Kovil [[munnoothioruvar]](முன்னூற்றிஓருவர்)
**Brhatcharanam
***Kandramanicka
***Malanadu
***Nilaganur
***Mangudi
***Palamaneri
***Musanadu
***Kolaththur
***Maruthancheri
***Rajagambiram
***Satyamangalam
***Puroor Dravida
***Tiruvannamalai
**Ashtasahasram
***Aththiyoor
***Arivarpade
***Nandivadi
***Shatkulam
**Hiranyakesigal
**Mukkani
**Kaniyalar
**[[Sanketis]]
***Kaushikas
***Bettadapuras
***Mattur Sanketis
***Sengottai Sanketis(Tamil sankethis)
***Prathamashakhis
**[[Gurukkal]] [saivtes ]
***Tiruvalangad
***Kanchipuram
***Thirukkazhukundram
** *Other [[Smartha]] Brahmin communities include:
** the [[Namboothiri|Namboodiris]] of Kerala
**the [[Mulukanadu]] community of AP, Karnataka & TN
**the [[Velanadu]] community of coastal Andhra Pradesh
**the [[Niyogi|Arvel Niyogi]] community of Andhra Pradesh
**the [[Telangana]] community of Andhra Pradesh
**the [[Badaganadu]] community of Karnataka
**the [[Kota brahmin]] community of Karnataka
**the Hoysala Kannada community of Karnataka
*[[Iyengar]]
*[[Madhwa]]
}}
'''Iyers''' ([[Tamil language|Tamil]] : அய்யர் [[Malayalam Language|Malayalam]]:അയ്യര) also called '''Sastri'''<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-524792/sastri Sastri, or Ayyar (Hindu honorific title), ''Encyclopedia Brittanica'']</ref>, '''Sarma''' or '''Bhattar''' is the name given to [[Hindu]] [[Brahmins]] of [[Tamil people|Tamil]] or [[Telugu people|Telugu]] origin who are followers of the ''[[Advaita Vedanta|Advaita]]'' philosophy propounded by [[Adi Shankara]]<ref>[http://www.4dham.com/go2/Iyer.html 'Iyers' from Uttarakhand Information Centre website]</ref><ref name="universalhistory_1781_109">[[#universalhistory_1781|An Universal History]], Pg 109</ref><ref name="universalhistory_1781_110">[[#universalhistory_1781|An Universal History]], Pg 110</ref>. 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 [[Brahmin communities#Pancha-Dravida|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_in_India#Caste_Based_Reservations_in_Tamil_Nadu|reservation policies]] <ref name="Tambram" /> and the [[Self-Respect Movement]] in the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]].
==Origins==
Iyers are [[South India]]n Brahmins who reside in the states of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Kerala]], [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Karnataka]]. Iyers are predominantly [[Smartism|Smarthas]] or followers of the [[Smriti]] texts<ref>[http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/smartism/definition.html ''Smarthism'']</ref><ref>''People of India'' by Kumar Suresh Singh, B.V.Bhanu, Pg.1873</ref>.
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 language|Tamil]], [[Telugu]] and [[Malayalam]].<ref>Indrapala, K (2007), ''The evolution of an ethnic identity: The Tamils in Sri Lanka C. 300 BCE to C. 1200 CE''. Colombo:Vijitha Yapa. ISBN 978-955-1266-72-1. p.374</ref> Yet others derive the
word Ayya as a [[Prakrit]] version of the Sanskrit word '[[Arya]]' which means '[[noble]]'.<ref>[http://starling.rinet.ru/cgi-bin/response.cgi?single=1&basename=\data\drav\sdret&text_recno=175&root=config Etymology of the term 'Ayya' from Starling database]</ref><ref name="Kerala Iyers">[http://www.keralaiyers.com/history?PHPSESSID=4935ec87b8f426ff0233383ea3ad5de3 History of Kerala Iyers from Kerala Iyers website]</ref><ref>[http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/concepts/arya.asp The Meaning and Significance of Arya]</ref>
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 period|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 "[[Gurukkal Brahmins|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.<ref name="Gurukkal">[http://www.chennaionline.com/columns/DownMemoryLane/diary169.asp An article on Gurukkals]</ref><ref>[http://tamilartsacademy.com/journals/volume3/articles/Vedas%20and%20Vedic%20Saivas%20in%20TN.html Nataraja and Vedic Concepts as Revealed by Sekkizhar]</ref><ref>[http://www.chennaionline.com/columns/DownMemoryLane/diary172.asp An article on the Dikshitars of Chidambaram]</ref><ref>[http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/dec252005/2174.pdf An interesting article on Sage Agastya and his association with the Tamil land]</ref>. 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.<ref>[http://micheldanino.voiceofdharma.com/tamilculture.html An Article which argues that the Tamil Brahmins have been closely associated with Tamil Culture since the earliest period of recorded history]</ref><ref>[http://koenraadelst.bharatvani.org/articles/aid/aryanpolitics.html The Politics of the Aryan Invasion Debate]</ref><ref name="Encyclopedia" /><ref name="Manickam">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</ref><ref>SLATER, G. (1924). The Dravidian element in Indian culture. London, E. Benn.</ref><ref>[http://www.saxakali.com/southasia/dravidian_india.htm Extracts from T.R.Sesha Iyengar's "Dravidian India"]</ref>
During the early medieval period, when [[Ramanuja]] founded [[Vaishnavism]] many Iyers adopted the new philosophical affiliation and were called [[Iyengars]].<ref>[http://www.salagram.net/parishad6.htm Information on Ramanujar who was born a Vadama Iyer]</ref><ref>[http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/smartism/smarthas-who-split-away-from-their-sect.html
''Smarthas who split away from their sect'']</ref>
===Iyers and the Aryan Invasion Theory===
{{See also|Indo-Aryan Migration|Aryan Invasion Theory (history and controversies)}}
{{Synthesis|section|date=July 2008}}
Iyer men and women are generally fairer in complexion to the average Tamilian <ref>WHEELER, J. T. (1861). Madras in the olden time: being a history of the presidency from the first foundation. Madras, Printed for J. Higginbotham by Graves and co.
, Pg. 22 -- Speaks about "fair-complexioned Brahmins"</ref><ref>[http://books.google.co.in/books?id=i_itXz-egoMC&printsec=frontcover#PPA295,M1 ''Encyclopaedia of Dalits in India'' By Mamta Rajawat, Pg 295] -- Mentions a Tamil proverb: "''dark Brahmins and fair paraiyans are improper''"</ref> and this, along with the social practices and customs of Iyers are regarded as evidences of an "Aryan origin" for Tamil Brahmins.<ref>[http://www.shelterbelt.com/KJ/kharyans.html The Coming of Aryans and Brahmins into Kerala by Dr.Zacharias Thondy]</ref><ref name = "ptsrinivasaiyengar_p55">[[#ptsrinivasaiyengar|P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar, Pg 55]]</ref><ref name = "ptsrinivasaiyengar_p56">[[#ptsrinivasaiyengar|P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar, Pg 56]]</ref> Moreover, some Iyer communities pay homage to the river Narmada instead of the South Indian river Cauvery in their rituals <ref>[www.experiencefestival.com/a/Iyer_-_Origins/id/1518747 Article on ''Iyer origins'']</ref> 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. <ref name = "ptsrinivasaiyengar_p57">[[#ptsrinivasaiyengar|P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar, Pg 57]]</ref><ref name = "ptsrinivasaiyengar_p58">[[#ptsrinivasaiyengar|P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar, Pg 58]]</ref>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 [[Eurasia]]n [[steppes]] of [[Central Asia]].<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/5220/brahmin_dna_study1.htm HLA affinities of Iyers, a Brahmin population of Tamil Nadu, South India].</ref><ref>[http://www.genome.org/cgi/content/full/11/6/994 Genetic Evidence on the Origins of Indian Caste Populations]</ref> However, the sharing of some haplotypes between the Iyers and some Southeast Asian populations suggests a migration through Southeast Asia to India.<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/5220/brahmin_dna_study1.htm]</ref> 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.<ref>[http://hpgl.stanford.edu/publications/AJHG_2003_v72_p313-332.pdf The Genetic Heritage of the Earliest Settlers Persists Both in Indian Tribal and Caste Populations]</ref><ref name="Encyclopedia">[http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Iyer_-_Origins/id/1518747 An analysis of the different theories of origin for Iyers and similarities with other Tamils]</ref><ref>[http://www.hinduonnet.com/2006/06/24/stories/2006062412870400.htm ''People in north and south India belong to the same gene pool: ICHR Chairman'' by T.S. Ranganna]</ref>
== 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<ref name="pop">[http://www.vedah.net/manasanskriti/Brahmins.html#Brahmin_Population Percentage of Brahmin Population]</ref>. However, accurate statistics on the population of the Iyer community is unavailable<ref name="pop" />.
They are concentrated mainly along the [[Cauvery]] Delta [[districts]] of [[Mayiladuthurai]], [[Thanjavur District|Thanjavur]] and [[Tiruchirapalli District|Tiruchirapalli]] where they form almost 10% of the total population<ref name="pop2">GHURYE, G. S. (1990). Caste and race in India. Bombay, Popular Prakashan, Pg. 393</ref>. In Northern Tamil Nadu they are found in the [[urban area]]s 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 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.<ref>[http://www.narthaki.com/info/articles/art108.html Brahmin Exodus from Vijayanagar and the Bhagavathar Melas of Melattur]</ref> 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.Balasubrahmanyam|S.P.Balasubramanyam]] are prominent Iyers of Telugu origin.
== Subsects ==
Iyers have many sub-sects among them, such as [[Vadama]], Brahacharanam, [[Vadhima|Vathima]], [[Sholiyar]] or [[Sholiyar|Chozhiar]] , Ashtasahasram, Mukkani and [[Gurukkal Brahmins|Gurukkal]].<ref>[http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/people/brahmins/list.htm A List of Brahmin communities from kamat.com]</ref><ref>LEACH, E. R. (1960). Aspects of caste in south India, Ceylon, and north-west Pakistan. Cambridge [Eng.], Published for the Dept. of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University Press.</ref> Each sub-sect is further subdivided according to the village or region of origin.
Iyers are also divided into different sects based on the [[Vedas|Veda]] they follow. Iyers belonging to the [[Yajur Veda]] sect usually follow the teachings of the Krishna Yajur Veda.<ref>[http://www.vedah.net/manasanskriti/Brahmins.html#Major_Brahmin_Castes 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]</ref>
The sect of Sivacharya or Gurukkal form the hereditary priesthood or in the Siva and Sakthi temples in Tamil Nadu<ref name="Gurukkal" /><ref>[http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Sivacharya/id/62071 From Dictionary of Hinduism]</ref>. 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.<ref>[http://www.keralaiyers.com/subsects Article on Mukkanis]</ref>. 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 ''[[rishi]]s'' or sages.<ref>[http://vedabase.net/g/gotra Definition of the word 'gotra']</ref><ref>[http://www.gurjari.net/ico/Mystica/html/gotra.htm A description of the ''gotra'' system]</ref> Accordingly they are classified into eight ''[[gotra]]s'' 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 '''{{IAST|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 [[Sena dynasty|Senas]].<ref>[http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/K_0315.htm An article on the origin of Bengali Brahmins which hints at possible migration of Brahmins from the south to the north]</ref> It is also possible that they arrived in the train of the [[Chola]] armies during [[Rajendra Chola|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 Presidency|Madras province]] migrated to Mysore. The [[Ashtagrama Iyer]]s are also a prominent group of Iyers in Karnataka<ref>[http://www.ashtagrama.com/wst_page2.html A brief history of Ashtagrama Iyers from Ashtagrama Iyer website]</ref>.
=== 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<ref name="Kerala" /><ref>[http://www.keralaiyers.com/migrationtheories Migration theories about Kerala Iyers from Kerala Iyers website]</ref>. 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<ref name="Kerala">[http://www.kuzhalmannamagraharam.info/articles/kerala-iyer-history.html History of Kerala Iyers]</ref><ref>[http://www.keralaiyers.com/migration An article on Migration of Kerala Iyers from Kerala Iyers website]</ref>. 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 [[Nambudiri|Namboothris]]<ref name="Kerala Iyers" />. The only exception is the district of [[Kanyakumari district|Kanyakumari]] in Tamil Nadu which was formerly a part of [[Travancore|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 [[racial integration|integrated]] into Kerala society even while retaining their ancestral traditions. Their mother tongue is a dialect of [[Brahmin Tamil|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]]<ref>[http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2005/11/12/stories/2005111200510400.htm ''A colourful festival from a hoary past'' by G. Prabhakaran, Article in ''The Hindu Metro Plus'' dated Nov 12, 2005]</ref><ref name="agraharams">[http://kbspalakkad.org/palakkad/palakkad.htm Article on Palakkad District from the website of Kerala Brahmana Sabha, Palakkad]</ref> . Those who established themselves in the interior parts of Kerala lived in houses known as 'Madom'<ref name="agraharams" /><ref>[http://www.samooham.com/ A brief description of a ''Madhom'' from the website of Ernakulam Gramajana Samooham]</ref>.
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.<ref>[http://niyamasabha.org/codes/bus_1_1.htm Landmark Legislations of the Kerala Government]</ref>
=== Migrations to Sri Lanka ===
According to a [[primary source]] called [[Mahavamsa]], Brahmins in general are known in written [[Sri Lanka]]n 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.<ref>CIVATTAMPI, K. (1995). Sri Lankan Tamil society and politics. Madras, New Century Book House, Pg.3, ISBN 812340395X 9788123403953</ref> Tamil Brahmins played an important historic role in the formation of the [[Jaffna Kingdom]] circa thirteenth century.<ref>Gnanaprakasar, S ''A critical history of Jaffna'', p.96</ref> (See [[Aryacakravarti dynasty]])<ref>Pathmanathan, ''The Kingdom of Jaffna'',p.1-13</ref>
=== 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<ref name="Tambram" />.
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 scripture]]s such as [[Apastamba|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<ref>[http://www.commsp.ee.ic.ac.uk/~pancham/Articles/The%20Sixteen%20Samskaras.pdf An article on the Sixteen Samskaras or duties of Iyers].</ref><ref>[http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part16/chap8.htm Kamakoti.org on the duties of Iyers]</ref>
[[Image:Brahmins ablution.gif|thumb|250px|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'''<ref>[http://www.subhakariam.com/samskara/jatakarma.htm A description of the Jatakarma ceremony]</ref>. 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<ref name="Ayush Homam">[http://www.parentmap.com/content/view/498/276/ ''Welcoming Baby; Birth rituals provide children with sense of community, culture'' by Lisette Austin, May 21, 2005, Article in ParentMap.com]</ref>. On the child's birthday (especially the first one) a Hindu ritual is performed to ensure longevity. This ritual is known as [[homas| Ayushya Homam]]. This ceremony is held on the child's birthday reckoned as per the Tamil calendar based on the position of the [[nakshatra]]s or stars and not the [[Gregorian calendar]]<ref name="Ayush Homam" />. 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.<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/parasu41/ayushya.html A Brief Description of the significance and Procedure for Ayushya Homam]</ref>
A second initiation (for the male child in particular) follows when the child crosses the age of seven<ref name="universalhistory_1781_107">[[#universalhistory_1781|An Universal History]], Pg 107</ref>. This is the [[Upanayana]] ceremony during which a [[Brahmin|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]]<ref name="universalhistory_1781_107" />. 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.<ref>[http://www.gurjari.net/ico/Mystica/html/upanayanam.htm An Explanation of the Concept of ''Upanayana'']</ref><ref>[http://www.boloji.com/hinduism/047.htm Rites and Rituals of Iyers]</ref> 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 Vandana]]m ritual<ref>[http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu6yffRFHMHAA5ihXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTExbTV0dDR1BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkAwRsA1dTMQ--/SIG=12i54k7sd/EXP=1192415007/**http%3a//www.tiehh.ttu.edu/gopal/2005%2520Upakarma%2520vidhi.pdf A Description of the Sandhya Vandanam]</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4ePf_0i_Tg You Tube Video on Sandhya Vandanam]</ref> 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]],<ref>[http://www.gayathrimanthra.com/contents/gayathri/gayathrimanthram.html The Meaning of the Gayatri Manthra and its Description]</ref> which is as sacred to the Hindus as the [[Kalima]] to the [[Muslims]] and [[Ahuna Vairya|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 [[Historical Vedic religion|Vedic]] rites, usually within a day of the individual's death<ref>[http://www.beliefnet.com/story/78/story_7894_2.html Transition Rituals -- Death Rites for Major World Religions]</ref>. The death rites include a 13-day ceremony, and regular ''[[Tarpanam]]''<ref>[http://www.vadhyar.com/Tarpanam.php A description of the different kinds of ''Tarpanams'' and their procedure]</ref>(performed every month thereafter, on [[Amavasya]] day, or New Moon Day), for the ancestors. There is also a yearly ''[[Shraadh|shraarddha]]''<ref>[http://www.experiencefestival.com/shraddha A definition of the word ''Shraddha'' and a description of the ritual]</ref>, 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<ref>[http://www.hindugateway.com/library/rituals/ ''The Journey of a Lifebody'' by David M.Knipe, ''Hindugateway.com'']</ref>.
=== Festivals ===
Iyers celebrate almost all Hindu festivals like [[Deepavali]], [[Navratri]], [[Pongal]], [[Vinayaka Chaturthi]], [[Janmaashtami|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.<ref>[http://www.panchangam.com/avani.htm A description of Avani Avittam from panchangam.com]</ref><ref>[http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/rituals/upakarma/ Upakarma Procedure]</ref>
=== 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.<ref> [http://www.sawnet.org/weddings/tamil_vedic.html A complete description of a typical Iyer marriage]</ref>
== Lifestyle and Culture ==
=== Traditional Iyer Ethics ===
[[Image:Mvsivan.jpg|thumb|left|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.<ref>[http://titus.fkidg1.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/ind/aind/ved/yvs/apgs/apgs.htm Apastamba Grihya-Sutras Transliterated in English]</ref><!--removing possible copyvio image[[Image:Paramacharya.jpg|thumb|left|Shankaracharya of Kanchi, Jagadguru Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, also known as "Paramacharya"]] . -->
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.<ref name="universalhistory_1781_104">[[#universalhistory_1781|An Universal History]], Pg 104</ref> They were mandated to avoid the consumption of intoxicants, including alcohol and tobacco<ref name="Manusmriti" /><ref name="universalhistory_1781_104" />.
[[Image:Iyer.jpg|thumb|right|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).<ref name="Madi">[http://www.icsi.berkeley.edu/~snarayan/anthro-pap/subsection3_4_1.html An Interesting Article on ''madi'' as practised by Brahmins]</ref>
The bathing was considered sufficiently purifying only if it confirmed to the rules of ''madi''<ref name="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<ref name="Madi" />.
[[Image:Madras Kappi.jpg|thumb|left|As alcoholic beverages are prohibited according to the ''Manusmriti'', Iyers have taken a special liking for coffee <ref>[http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=way&autono=314701 ''An oasis of vegetarian calm'', Article by S Lakshmi, ''Business Standard'', New Delhi,February 23, 2008]</ref><ref>[http://www.hinduonnet.com/mag/2001/12/23/stories/2001122300030400.htm ''The Art of Slurping'', Article in ''The Hindu'' dated December 23, 2001]</ref>]].
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<ref>''Brahmin Women'' by G.K. Ghosh and Shukla Ghosh. Kolkata, Firma KLM, 2003, viii, 171 p., $19. ISBN 81-7102-107-7</ref>.
=== Traditional Attire ===
[[Image:MylaiTamizhSangam.jpg|thumb|right|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 ''[[veshti]]s'', 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'''<ref>[http://www.wikihow.com/Wear-a-Pancha-Kachcham ''How to Wear a Pancha Kachham'', WikiHow]</ref>(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.<ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050123/society.htm#2 An article on ''madisar'']</ref> 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]]''
[[Image:DKPattammal-DKJayaraman-young.jpg|thumb|left|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<ref>[http://www.rramakrishnan.com/Articles/Tamil/Great-I.txt List of distinguished Iyers]</ref>. They undertook the responsibility of preserving the [[Natya Shastra of Bharata|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 [[devadasi]]s. 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<ref>''Roles and Rituals for Hindu Women'' By Julia Leslie, Pg. 154</ref><ref>[http://www.hindu.com/ms/2006/12/01/stories/2006120100180600.htm ''How Natyam danced its way into the Academy'', Article by Lakshmi Viswanathan in ''The Hindu'' dated Dec 1, 2006]</ref><ref>[http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/03/01/art03.asp ''The revivalist role in classical Bharatha Natyam'' by Subashini Pathmanathan]</ref><ref>[http://www.indembassyathens.gr/Culture/dance/BNatyam.htm Article on ''Bharatanatyam'']</ref>.
However, compared to dance, the contribution of Iyers in field of music has been considerably noteworthy<ref>[http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Carnatic_music_-_Some_Artists/id/1298515 Great composers of Carnatic music]</ref><ref>''From the Tanjore Court to the Madras Music Academy: A Social History of Music in South India'' by Lakshmi Subramanian ISBN-10: 0195678354</ref><ref>[http://www.karnatik.com/article001.shtml ''The Popularity of Carnatic Music'' by Raghavan Jayakumar]</ref>. The Trinity of Carnatic Music were responsible for making some excellent compositions towards the end of the 18th century. In more recent times, [[Chembai|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 S. Parameswara Iyer|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<ref name="Non-Brahmin Movement" /><ref>''Caste in Indian Politics'' by Rajni Kothari,Pg 254</ref>. They have also contributed in an equal amount to Tamil language and literature<ref name="Hart" /><ref>In [http://www.tamilnation.org/books/History/nambi.htm ''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."</ref>.There are innumerable hymns composed on different deities worshipped in the [[South India|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 Kumar|Ajith]] and [[Trisha Krishnan|Trisha]] are amongst the top five stars in Tamil cinema.
=== Food ===
''See Also: [[Tamil cuisine]]''
[[Image:Tamil Sappadu.jpg|thumb|left|The diet of Iyers comprise mainly of Tamil vegetarian cuisine, comprising rice]]
The main diet of Iyers is composed of vegetarian food<ref>[http://www.ivu.org/congress/wvc57/souvenir/raghunathan.html The Hindu Attitude Towards Vegetarianism -- explains why Brahmins are vegetarian]</ref>, 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<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/8826/list.htm South Indian Vegetarian Cuisine]</ref>. 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<ref name="Manusmriti">"The Laws of Manu", Translated by Wendy Doniger and Brian K. Smith, published 1991, Penguin Books. Chapter 11, Verses 94 to 98</ref><ref name="universalhistory_1781_104" />, 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.
== Agraharams ==
[[Image:Agraharam.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Agraharam]]
In ancient times, Iyers, along with [[Iyengars]] and other [[Tamil Brahmins]], lived in exclusive Brahmin [[Quarter (country subdivision)|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.<ref>[http://www.kuzhalmannamagraharam.info/ Website of Kuzhalmannagraharam, a Kerala Iyer Agraharam]</ref><ref>[http://www.anikode.com Website of Anikode Agraharam near Palakkad]</ref><ref>[http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/02/23/stories/2004022301910300.htm An article on 'The Hindu' on ''Agraharams'']</ref>
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.<ref>[http://www.saibaba.ws/teachings/goalguide/goalguide03.htm Description of life in an Agraharam (from a personal account)]</ref><ref>[http://www.blonnet.com/2001/08/06/stories/100672a4.htm Description of an Agraharam from 'Simply South' by Lalitha Sridhar, Business Line, Aug 6, 2001]</ref>
==Language of Iyers==
{{wikibooks|Brahmin Tamil}}
''See also: [[Brahmin Tamil]]''
[[Tamil language|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<ref>[http://www.ethnologue.com/14/show_language.asp?code=TCV A list of different dialects of Tamil from ethnologue.com]</ref><ref>[http://www.ifpindia.org/ecrire/upload/dialects_conference_note.pdf Streams of Language: Tamil Dialects in History and Literature Note on the Proposed International Conference on Dialects]</ref>.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 [[Tanittamil Iyakkam|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 [[Sankethi language|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 language|English]].
Iyengars speak a separate dialect of Tamil called Iyengar Tamil.
==Iyers Today==
[[Image:Tamil brahmin couple circa 1945.jpg|thumb|left|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<ref name="Tambram" />.
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:[[Iyer#Accusations of Casteism and Other Controversies|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 <ref>[http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/fall97/adra-pin.htm, brief discussion on brahmins within caste system]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.tamilnation.org/heritage/vivekananda.htm Aryans and Tamils, The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol.IV, Page 296]</ref>. 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 (India)|Justice Party]]<ref name="Non-Brahmin Movement">[http://www.tamilnation.org/caste/nambi.htm The Origin of the Non-Brahmin Movement,1905-1920 by K.Nambi Arooran]</ref> . 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 [[Brahmin]]s and '''other upper castes''' like the [[Mudaliar]]s, [[Pillai]]s and [[Chettiar]]s. [[E.V.Ramasami Naicker|Periyar]], who took over as Justice Party President in the 1940s, changed its name to [[Dravidar Kazhagam|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 <ref>[http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/apr/30inter.htm 'Periyar was against Brahminism, not Brahmins' -- Interview with Gnana Rajashekharan in ''Rediff.com'']</ref>. See [[#Iyers and the Aryan Invasion Theory|Iyers and the Aryan Invasion Theory]]. The ensuing [[Anti-Brahminism|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.
<ref>Towards a Non Brahmin Millennium - From Iyothee Thass to Periyar - V.Geetha, and S.V. Rajadurai, 1998</ref><ref>[http://www.ambedkar.org/News/Riseof.htm The Rise of Caste in the Dravida Land, An article by Amrith Lal]</ref><ref>[http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20050411&fname=Brahmins+(F)&sid=1 Dalits in Reverse, an article from Indian magazine ''The Outlook'']</ref><ref>[http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/may/23franc.htm Are Brahmins the Dalits of Today]</ref><ref>[http://www.ambedkar.org/News/hl/Brahmins%20and%20Eelamists.htm Brahmins and Eelamists by V.Thangavelu -- 2001]</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=nvSapw8i6k8C&pg=PA95&dq=Anti-Brahmanism&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=dvE4djhCdWEN3Siy24RioEdu-bs Gail Omvedt(2006),Dalit Visions: The Anti-caste Movement and the Construction on an Indian Identity,Orient Longman,ISBN 8125028951]</ref>
<ref>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</ref><ref>
Lloyd I. Rudolph and Suzanne Hoeber Rudolph, The Modernity of Tradition: political development in India P78,University of Chicago Press 1969, ISBN 0226731375
</ref><ref>C. J. Fuller,The Renewal of the Priesthood: Modernity and Traditionalism in a South Indian Temple P117, Princeton University Press 2003 ISBN 0691116571
</ref>
== Relations with other Communities ==
''See Also: [[Brahminism]],[[Anti-Brahminism]],[[Reservations in India#Caste Based Reservations in Tamil Nadu|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.
{{cquote|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.<ref>[http://www.tamilnation.org/caste/ramaiah.htm#Untouchability_in_villages A.Ramaiah, ''Untouchability and Inter Caste Relations in Rural India:The Case of Southern Tamil Villages'']</ref>}}
Grievances and alleged instances of [[discrimination]] by Brahmins are believed to be the main factors which fuelled the [[Self-Respect Movement|Dravidian Movement]]<ref name="Non-Brahmin 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 <ref name="Non-Brahmin Movement" />. 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 [[administration|administrative services]] which the Brahmin had previously held.<ref>[http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/may/30spec.htm 'Education is the means of social mobility', ''Rediff News'', May 30, 2006]</ref>
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<ref>[http://chennaionline.com/colnewsnew/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7B78F9F6AF-607D-44B3-8E54-C7D3152CA09F%7D&CATEGORYNAME=Chennai ''Drive out “anti-Tamil, evil forces” - DMK'', Chennai Online News Service]</ref><ref>[http://www.blogs.ivarta.com/india-usa-blog-column42.htm ''Aryan vs Dravidian — Lord Rama vs E V Ramaswamy ???'' By: V Sundaram, IAS, Retd]</ref>. 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.<ref name="Tambram">[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Tambrams_Grouse/articleshow/2142389.cms BRIEF CASE: Tambram's Grouse by Rohit Vishwanath, The Times of India, 23 June 2007]</ref> 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. Their claim is supported by the fact that a number of Iyers participated in the [[Vaikom Satyagraha]]. Also, 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, [[C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer|Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer]] who was an Iyer. Also, the Iyers used to regularly allow the entry of the ''Konars'', traditionally cow-herds, into their houses, which was not the case with several other upper castes. The reason given for this is the maintenance of several cows, in the ''kottil'' area behind the house, by well-to-do Iyers.
Another important accusation hurled upon Iyers was that they were Sanskritists who entertained a distorted and contemptuous atitude towards Tamil language, culture and civilization<ref name="Manickam" /><ref>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.</ref>
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.<ref name="Hart">[http://www.tamilnation.org/forum/aryan/index.htm Forum on Caste and the Tamil Nation]</ref>
{{cquote|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.
{{cquote|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.<ref>[http://www.ambedkar.org/gail/Dravidianmovement.htm Dravidian Movement and Dalits by Gail Omvedt]</ref>}}
== 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 cutkure and unique practices and strange habits make them strong targets of criticism,both positive and negative.
=== Positive Portrayals ===
Iyers have been positively portrayed in Hindi films as [[Tere Mere Sapne (1996 film)|Tere Mere Sapne]]. Malayalam films such as ''Iyer the Great''<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0271572 Characters in Malayalam movie 'Iyer the Great' from IMDB]</ref> and [[Sethurama Iyer]] and the Tamil movie ''Iyer IPS'' <ref>[http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/review/7425.html 'Iyer IPS' Move Review from ''indiaglitz.com'']</ref>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 (1939 film)|Thyagabhoomi]]'' and ''[[Vietnam Veedu]]''.
== Famous Iyers ==
See [[Distinguished Iyers]]
==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}
== References==
* <cite id=ptsrinivasaiyengar>Iyengar, P. T. Srinivasa. (1929). ''History of the Tamils from the Earliest Times to the Present Day''.</cite>
* <cite id=universalhistory_1781>[http://books.google.co.in/books?id=WS0IAAAAQAAJ&printsec=titlepage&dq=The+modern+part+of+an+universal+history ''The Modern part of an Universal History from the Earliest Accounts to the present time'', Vol VI., 1781]</cite>
==See also==
{{Portal|Society}}
* [[Tamil people]]
* [[Iyengar]]
* [[Forward Castes]]
* [[Palakkad Iyers]]
* [[Ashtagrama Iyer]]
* [[Sanketis|Kannada Iyers]]
* [[Vishwakarmas]]
* [[Anti-Brahminism]]
* [[Mulukanadu]]
* [[Agastya]]
* [[Smartha]]
* [[Aryan Invasion Theory (history and controversies)]]
==External links==
* http://www.keralaiyers.com/
* http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/
* [http://www.Ashtagrama.com/ Ashtagrama.com], information on Ashtagrama Iyers, a sub group of Iyers from Karnataka.
* [http://www.sankethi.com/ sankethi.com], information on Sankethis, a sub group of Iyers from Karnataka.
* [http://www.thummagunta.org/ Thummagunta Dravida Iyers], Information on Thummagunta Dravida Brahmins, a sub-sect of Vadama Iyers from Thummagunta in Nellore District, AP.
* [http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/ Advaita Vedanta research centre], and hosts articles and mailing-lists on the subject; see also [[Advaita]].
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