Iyer

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Iyer
Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, a prominent Iyer vocalist
Total population
1901:415,931[1] 2004:< 2,400,000 (Estimated)[2][3]
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.
Religions
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Pancha-Dravida Brahmins, Tamil people

Iyers (Tamil : அய்யர் Malayalam:അയ്യര) also called Sastri^[4], 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^[5]. 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 ^[6] and the Self-Respect Movement in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Contents 1 Origins 1.1 Iyers and the Aryan Invasion Theory 2 Population and distribution 3 Subsects 4 Gotra or Lineage 5 Migrations 5.1 Migration to West Bengal 5.2 Migration to Karanataka 5.3 Migrations to Kerala 5.3.1 Iyers in Travancore and Cochin regions 5.3.2 Palakkad Iyers 5.4 Migrations to Sri Lanka 5.5 Recent Migrations 6 Religious Practices, Ceremonies and Festivals 6.1 Rituals 6.2 Festivals 6.3 Weddings 7 Lifestyle and Culture 7.1 Traditional Iyer Ethics 7.2 Traditional Attire 7.3 Iyers and Art 7.4 Food 8 Agraharams 9 Language of Iyers 10 Iyers Today 11 Social and political issues 12 Relations with other Communities 13 Portrayal in Popular Media 13.1 Positive Portrayals 14 Famous Iyers 15 References 16 See also 17 External links

[edit] Origins

Iyers are South Indian Brahmins who reside in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Iyers are predominantly Smarthas or followers of the Smriti texts^[7][8].

The term Iyer is derived from the term Ayya which is often used by Tamils to designate respectable people. The word Ayya is a Prakrit version of the Sanskrit word 'Arya' which means 'noble'.^[9][10][11]The word Ayya is also independantly derived from the Proto-Dravidian term denoting an elder brother.^[12]

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.^{[13][14][15][16]}. 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.^{[17][18][19][20][21][22]}

During the early medieval period, when Ramanuja founded Vaishnavism many Iyers adopted the new philosophical affiliation and were called Iyengars.^[23][24]

[edit] Iyers and the Aryan Invasion Theory

See also: Indo-Aryan Migration

Iyer men and women are generally fairer in complexion to the average Tamilian ^[25][26] and this, along with the meaning of the word "Iyer" itself are regarded as sufficient evidences of an "Aryan origin" for Tamil Brahmins.^[27] Moreover, some Iyer communities pay homage to the river Narmada instead of the South Indian river Cauvery in their rituals ^[28] and revere legends proposing a northern origin for their community. This issue is still being debated and researched by anthropologists, linguists and archaeologists alike. However, regardless of whether the "Aryan theory" of origin for Iyers is true or not, still it has often been a burning political issue in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Recent genetic studies amongst Iyers of Madurai reveal close proximity to populations from Eurasian steppes of Central Asia.^[29][30] However, the sharing of some haplotypes between the Iyers and some Southeast Asian populations suggests a migration through Southeast Asia to India.^[31] 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.^[32][19][33]

[edit] 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^[2]. However, accurate statistics on the population of the Iyer community is unavailable^[2].

They are concentrated mainly along the Cauvery Delta districts of Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur and Tiruchirapalli where they form almost 10% of the total population^[1]. In Northern Tamil Nadu they are found in the urban areas of Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Sriperumbudur and Vellore. They are almost non-existent in rural parts.

Iyers are also found in fairly appreciable number in Western and Southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Iyers of the far south are called Tirunelveli Iyers and speak the Tirunelveli Brahmin dialect. The most prominent Tirunelveli Iyer was Subramanya Bharathy, often regarded as the "national poet of Tamil Nadu". In Coimbatore, there are a large number of Kerala Iyers from Palakkad.

Telugu-speaking Smartha Brahmins, especially of the Mulukanadu sect, often identify themselves as Iyers 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.^[34] 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.

[edit] Subsects

Iyers have many sub-sects among them, such as Vadama, Brahacharanam, Vathima, Sholiyar or Chozhiar , Ashtasahasram, Mukkani and Gurukkal.^[35][36] Each sub-sect is further subdivided according to the village or region of origin.

Iyers are also divided into different sects based on the Veda they follow. Iyers belonging to the Yajur Veda sect usually follow the teachings of the Krishna Yajur Veda.^[37]

The sect of Sivacharya or Gurukkal form the hereditary priesthood or in the Siva and Sakthi temples in Tamil Nadu^[13][38]. 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.^[39]. The Mukkanis predominantly subscribe to the Rig Veda.

[edit] 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.^[40][41] 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.

[edit] Migrations

[edit] Migration to West Bengal

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

Though the date of migration is being debated, the general opinion is that they migrated during the period of the Senas.^[42] It is also possible that they arrived in the train of the Chola armies during Rajendra Chola's invasion which took place between 1021 and 1024 C.E. See Mahipala. Some historians have reported that the Adi Sura (Vira sena) who is supposed to have brought the five Brahmin families to Bengal was himself a Tamil Brahmin.

[edit] Migration to Karanataka

Over the last few centuries, a large number of Iyers have also migrated and settled in parts of Karnataka. The erstwhile Mysore state had been home to a significantly large Mulukanadu community. During the rule of the Mysore Maharajahs, a large number of Iyers from the then Madras province migrated to Mysore. The Ashtagrama Iyers are also a prominent group of Iyers in Karnataka^[43].

[edit] 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^[44][45]. 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.

[edit] 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^[44][46]. 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^[10]. The only exception is the district of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu which was formerly a part of Travancore state.

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

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

[edit] 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^[47][48] . Those who established themselves in the interior parts of Kerala lived in houses known as 'Madom'^[48][49].

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.^[50]

[edit] 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.^[51] Tamil Brahmins played an important historic role in the formation of the Jaffna Kingdom circa thirteenth century.^[52] (See Aryacakravarti dynasty)^[53]

[edit] 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^[6].

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.

[edit] Religious Practices, Ceremonies and Festivals

[edit] Rituals

Iyer rituals comprise rites as described in Hindu scriptures such as Apastamba Sutra attributed to Apastamba. The most important rites are the shodasa samskaras or the 17 essential Saṃskāra. Although many rites and rituals that were practiced in ancient times are no longer followed, some traditions are continued to this day^[54][55]

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^[56]. 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^[57]. 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^[57]. 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.^[58]

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.^[59][60] 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^[61][62] 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,^[63] 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^[64]. The death rites include a 13-day ceremony, and regular Tarpanam^[65](performed every month thereafter, on Amavasya day, or New Moon Day), for the ancestors. There is also a yearly shraarddha^[66], 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^[67].

[edit] 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.^[68][69]

[edit] 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.^[70]

[edit] Lifestyle and Culture

[edit] Traditional Iyer Ethics

Iyers are generally orthodox Hindus who adhere steadfastly to their customs and traditions. However, of recent, they have started leaving their traditional priestly duties for more secular vocations, causing contemporary Iyers to be more flexible than their parents and grandparents. They followed the Manusmriti (Hindu Code of Laws or The Institutes of Manu) and the Grihya Sutras of Apastamba and Baudhayana. The society is patriarchal but not feudal.^[71]

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^[72].

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).^[73]

The bathing was considered sufficiently purifying only if it confirmed to the rules of madi^[73]. 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^[73].

.

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^[76].

[edit] Traditional Attire

Iyer men traditionally wear veshtis, which cover them from waist to foot. These are made of cotton and sometimes silk. Veshtis are worn in different styles. They are worn in typical brahminical style during religious ceremonies. This style is popularly known as panchakacham^[77](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.^[78] 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.

[edit] Iyers and Art

See Also: Distinguished Iyers

For centuries, Iyers have taken a keen interest in preserving the arts and sciences^[79]. 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^{[80][81][82][83]}.

However, compared to dance, the contribution of Iyers in field of music has been considerably noteworthy^[84][85][86]. The Trinity of Carnatic Music were responsible for making some excellent compositions towards the end of the 18th century. In more recent times, Chembai Vaidyanatha Iyer and D. K. Pattammal have enthralled audiences with some soul-stirring renderings. Today, there are Iyers who give traditional renderings as well as playback singers in Indian films like S P Balasubrahmanyam, Hariharan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Nithyashree Mahadevan, Usha Uthup, Shankar Mahadevan, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Hamsika Iyer and Naresh Iyer . Iyers have also contributed considerably to drama, short story and temple architecture.

In the field of literature and journalism, the Iyer community has produced stalwarts like R. K. Narayan, R. K. Laxman, Subramanya Bharathy, Kalki Krishnamurthy, Ulloor Parameswara Iyer, and Cho Ramaswamy to name a few. The adoption of Western education at every stage has ensued their proficiency in the English language^[87][88]. They have also contributed in an equal amount to Tamil language and literature^[89][90].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.

[edit] Food

See Also: Tamil cuisine

The main diet of Iyers is composed of vegetarian food^[91], 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^[92]. 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^[72], 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.

[edit] Agraharams

In ancient times, Iyers, along with Iyengars and other Tamil Brahmins, lived in exclusive Brahmin quarters of their village or town known as an 'agraharam'(in Sanskrit Agram means tip or end and Haram means Shiva). Shiva and Vishnu temples were usually situated at the ends of an agraharam. In most cases, there would also be a fast-flowing stream or river nearby.^[93][94][95]

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.^[96][97]

[edit] 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^[98][99].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.

[edit] Iyers Today

Akin to Bengali Brahmins, the Brahmins of South India were one of the first communities to be Westernized. However, this was restricted to their outlook on the material world. They have retained their Smartha traditions despite almost two centuries of western influence^[6].

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.

[edit] Social and political issues

See Also:Accusations of Casteism and Other Controversies

Since ancient times, Iyers, as members of the privileged priestly class, exercised a near-complete domination over educational,religious and literary institutions in the Tamil country ^{[100] [101]}. 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^[87] . 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 ^[102]. 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. ^{[103][104][105][106][107][108] [109][110][111]}

[edit] 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.[112]

”

Grievances and alleged instances of discrimination by Brahmins are believed to be the main factors which fuelled the Dravidian Movement^[87]. 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 ^[87]. 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.^[113]

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^[114][115]. 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.^[6] 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 Sathyagraha. 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, 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^[20][116]

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.^[89]

“

Here are some facts: 1. Brahmins are only 2% of the population, yet they have contributed much more to Tamil literature than their number would indicate. 2. The purest (i.e. least Sanskritized) Tamil was written by the medieval Saiva Brahmin commentators on Tamil. For example, Parimelazakar translates the yoga asanas into Tamil, and the only way anyone can figure out what he is saying is to read the sub commentary (by Gopalakrishnamachari), who gives the original Sanskrit terms. You will find no Tamil any purer than that of Naccinarkkiniyar et al. 3. Brahmins have contributed to Tamil from Sangam times. Kapilar is one of the greatest Tamil poets. 4. Yes, of course Brahmins have had their own political agenda to push. They have been responsible for many things that I feel are entirely unconscionable. But is this any different from the other high castes? I have heard many many stories of high non-Brahmin castes killing and abusing Dalits. You can't blame the Brahmins for this. 5. You cannot blame the Brahmins for Sanskritizing Tamil. Tenkalai Aiyengars often use Tamil words where most non-Brahmins use Sanskrit ones. The Sanskrtization of Tamil is a very old process and cannot be understood except in an all-South-Asian context. The Bengali used in Bangladesh is highly Sanskritized, and the Muslims are quite proud of their language. The fact is, Sanskrit was the lingua franca of South Asia for intellectual purposes, much as Latin was in Europe. Buddhists used it, Jains used it, much as Spinoza, a Jew, wrote his philosophical treatises in Latin. The Tamil of Ramalinga Swamigal, a non-Brahmin, is highly Sanskritized.

”

Dalit leader and founder of political party Pudiya Tamizhagam, Dr.Krishnasamy admits that the Anti-Brahmin Movement had not succeeded up to the expectations and that there continues to be as much discrimination of Dalits as had been before.

“

So many movements have failed. In Tamil Nadu there was a movement in the name of anti-Brahmanism under the leadership of Periyar. It attracted Dalits, but after 30 years of power, the Dalits understand that they are as badly-off - or worse-off - as they were under the Brahmans. Under Dravidian rule, they have been attacked and killed, their due share in government service is not given, they are not allowed to rise.[117]

”

[edit] 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.

[edit] Positive Portrayals

Iyers have been positively portrayed in Hindi films as Tere Mere Sapne. Malayalam films such as Iyer the Great^[118] and Sethurama Iyer and the Tamil movie Iyer IPS ^[119]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.

[edit] Famous Iyers

See Distinguished Iyers

[edit] References

[edit] 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)

[edit] External links

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