,FEW SUB-SECTS AMONG IYERS AND TIME TO FORGET AND FORGE ONENESS AMONG BRAHMINS


Friends,

Although, we all know that there are many sub-sects among Brahmins and it is high time that we all should form a single unit as Brahmins, forgetting that one is Vadama, the other is Brahacharanam , the thired is Iyengar etc. I am giving hereunder some of the Sub-Sects among Iyers :-

(1) VADAMA : Vadamas think that they are superior among Brahmins since they believe that they are directly linked to ARYANS in the sense , that they are the refined people who came after the first migrated people to India. The word VADAMA derived from Vata Desha meaning North. It is believed that the Vadamas are the latest who arrived to Tamil Nadu. Further they also follow many Vaishnavate practices like Oordhwa Pundram. I have seen some Vadamas in Palakkad sporting a single Nama in Red Sindhr. Further, some wear Gopi Chandana like most Brahmins of West Pallassana. The deity in West Pallassana is Santhana Gopalakrishnaswamy and the ancestors West Pallassana Brahmins also brought an Idol of Devi, presumably of Mookambikai and it is believed that our ancestors migrated to Kerala from Karnatak side.I feel most of the Vadamas are converted from Vaishnavism , and have contributed a lot to propagate Shaivism and Devi Cult.. Among Vadamas there are many sub-sects like VADA VADAMAS, INCHI VADAMAS, CHOLADESA VADAMAS ETC. However many VADAMA Brahmins are converted from Vaishnavates like Iyengars and Madhwas.


(2) BRAHACHARANAM : I feel Brahacharanam might have derived from the Sanskrit word BRUHATH meaning Many or Huge Charanam means journey. In other words they came as a big group. We may call them comparing with Vadama Brahmins more Saivates. Among them there are many sub groups. Such as Mangudi, Pazhamaneri, Kolathur, Puthur
Dravidar, Sathyamangalam etc.

(3) ASHTASAHASRAM: This word is also etymologically a derivation from Sanskrit meaning “ A Group of Eight Thousand people “. They are also original salivates than Vadamas . There are few sub-groups among them like Shatkulam,Athiyur, Nandivadi etc. There are few Ashtasahasram Brahmins in Kerala

(4) VATHIMAL : Most of the Vathimas belong to 18 villages in Udayalur. Rathnamangalam
and Nannilam.. There are few Vathimal in Kerala too..

(5) CHOZHIYAR : Chozhiars believe that they are the descendants of Kautilya alias
Vishnugupta .who was the Chief Minister of Chandraguptha Maurya and who gave us the
famous ARTHA SHASTRA. Most of them are famous as cooks, and famous in decorating
idols and worked as Royal servants as ministers etc. They are from Tirukatiyur,
Puthalur,Avadiar Koil etc. I feel they are similar to the Deekshitars of Chidambaram, since
both sports MUN KUTUMAI


(6) MUKKANIS : Some Brahmins feel that Mukkanis are converted Brahmins by Parasurama.
Accoding to them no Brahmin came forward to take the Parasurama Ksethra since no body
wanted to take Mathru Hathya Dosha. However Mukkanis are proud to say that they
are the Bhootha Ganas of Lord Shiva. Ravana was an ardent Shiva Bhaktha. He followed Rig
Veda which i9s the oldest among the Vedas. Most of the Mukkanis are also follow Rig Veda
only. However they take the responsibility of guarding the Lord Subramanya Temple at
Thiruchendur and also perform such duties as helping the priests. Why I onnected them to
Ravana is because both belong to Rig Veda and akin to Tamil Brahmins of Sri Lanka.
Parasurama was a jungle person or the first man as described in Dasavathara which I consider as
evolutionary theory propounded by the Hindus. I do not know, whether Mukkanis arethe
descendants of Parasurama or not. However, there is a possibility.

(7) DEEKSHITHARS : Deekshithars are the priests of Chithambaram Temple. They sport
MUNKUTUMAI like Chozhiyars hence I feel they are originally chozhiars but are superior
as thy think since their forefathers were Vedic scholars who had performed Yagna sacrifices and many of them performed also Agnihothram.

Friends, like the above there are some more like Kurukkal or Gurkkal who are the priest of Lord Shiva Temples only, then Kaaniyaalaars , Prathama Saakis who are followers of Shukla Yajur Veda. Apart from this , in north India , there are many sub-sects among Brahmins like, DIKSHIT, DWIVEDI, CHATHURVEDI, TRIVEDI etc.

It is high time , since the olden days have changed and the Sects among Brahmins have no relevance now, we should shun these sub-sects and should promote marriages between all sects among Iyers and also promote marriages between all sorts of brhmins like Iyer Namboothiri, Iyer Iyengar, Iyer, Madhwas, Iyer, North Indian Brahmins etc otherwise we will stand no where in the present situation where Brahmins are hated by one and all for no reason, and every where we are being subjudicated. In this regards, The Akhila Bharatha Brahmana Sabha has taken lot of initiative and we must all become members of it and make it a success.

P.R.RADHAKRISHNAN