| Total population |
|---|
| Unknown |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Tamil Nadu, Kerala |
| Languages |
|
Brahmin Tamil, Telugu, Kannda |
| Religion |
| Related ethnic groups |
Gurukkal is Tamil plural form of the Sanksrit word "Guru" - Spiritual Teacher. These are the brahmins who acted as gurus to medieval king like Rajaraja I and brought many kings in to the fold of saivism.
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There is no documented evidence on when exactly adi saiva brahmins, today called gurukkal, came to Tamil Nadu, but there are records which indicate that brahmins were in the Tamil regions since very ancient times.Whether these ancient brahmins were gurukkal or chozhiar or other sects can only be speculated.In general whenever the word adi saiva brahmin is indicated, it most certainly refers to gurukkal or a related sect.
The kings of Tamil Nadu were attracted by these learned pundits and made them their Asans or teachers. These teachers also were given several powers by them. Apart from this, several villages were given to them as grants, free of cost and free of tax. These were called Brahmodayams or Chadurvedimangalams. Possibly in a much later period they were renamed Agraharams. Though new to the culture and language, these new migrants learned the language of the country and the ancient books mention many great poets among them in the courts of some famous kings. These early migrants also brought the concept of Gothras. Bharadwaja, Koundinya, Kasyapa, Kaushika, and Atreya Gothras are mentioned in the early sangam literature. They initially did not name themselves as they do in modern times after the Gods they worship but tended to use their Gothra in their names. Some of the examples of the early names were Kauniyan Vinnantayan (Kaundinya), Palai Gautamanar (Gautama), Ilankausikanar (Kausika), Kallil Athreyanar (Atreya), and Bharadwaji Nachinarkiniyanar (Bharadwaja).
They were strict vegetarians, teetotalers, and spoke a specialized dialect of Tamil among themselves. Their houses had a "well-washed-scrubbed-courtyard" and mostly a cow and a calf were tied to a post in front of their houses and dog and fowls were assiduously kept out. The Brahmin of those times had sixfold duties viz. learning of Vedic texts, teaching of Vedas, performing yagnas (called velvi in Tamil), helping others perform yagnas, giving of gifts and taking of gifts. Among the earliest schools of Vedas started by them were the Ghatika in Kanchi and the Vedic School in a village called Ennayiram. The sangam literature mentions a famous Brahmin named Punjarurkavunian Vinnandayan who is supposed to have performed many Vedic sacrifices during those times.
Among the later migrants were the Vadamas, so called by others who have already settled as Northerners. There were other smaller sub groups like Vathimas. Many of these migrants whose main occupation was learning Vedas and performing Yagnas took to Temple worship in Tamil Nadu by gaining proficiency in agama Sastras. These were called "Gurukkal (gurukuls)" in general and some of these prominent groups were again grouped in to Sholiyars. Since the initial migrants felt that these people have committed a big mistake by taking up Temple Worship, they were looked down by the other groups.
Some scholars opine that Sivacharyas were settlers from North India and Rajendra I who conquered Western Bengal and North India. V.S. Pathak says in his book, Saivism in Early medieval India, as known from archaeological sources: Rajendra Chola saw the best of the Saivas in Northern India when he came to take a bath in the Ganges and carried them to settle in his own country in Kanchi and elsewhere in the chola land. Jnanasambandhar is said to have been a brahmin from the Kaundinya gotra. Again Thirumular is said to come from the North and he was said to an associate of Agastya. Thirumular was one of the eight foremost disciples of Rishi Nandinatha some 4,500 years ago. Thirumular taught the monistic school of Saiva Siddhanta, known as Advaita Isvaravada Saiva Siddhanta. This is the original Saiva Siddhanta, which Meykandar later broke away from and formed the now more well-known Dualistic Saiva Siddhanta school.
Rajaraja – I and the later Kings were given diksha by the Madhya Gouda desa Sivacaryas (Adisaiva Gurus - originally immigrants from Kashmir). Rajaraja's Guru Isanasivadeva donated the swarna kalasam to Sri Brihadeeswara temple, Tanjore. Srikantasiva was the Guru of Vikarama Chola. He wrote the famous Saiva Bhashya on the Sutras of Badarayana. Isvarasiva, author of Siddhantaratnakaram was the Rajaguru of Kulotunga III.
The Acaryas of the various ati-margas like, Kapalika, Lakukisa- Pasupata, Somasiddhanta and Kalamukha were also called as Sivacaryas.
The Gurukkal Brahmins are further sub-divided into Tiruvalangad, Conjeevaram, and Thirukkazhukunram.[1]
They follow an almost extinct "Baudhayana" (which namboodiris also follow) sutras unlike Apastambha followed by most of other smarthas. It is to be noted that baudhayana sutra is older to a more strict Apastambha and it is similar to Gautama sutras. Most of the them follow Krishna Yajurveda like majority of the South Indian Brahmins. Nowadays sutras are not heard outside Abhivadams. Havyaka Brahmins of karnataka and kerala also follow boudhayana sutras. However, when certain rituals, like Avani Avittam (when the Brahmins renew their sacred threads) are performed, those following baudhayana sutra, recite more elaborate mantras and perform more involved rituals still today.
[2] http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/07/03/stories/1303017e.htm
[4] http://tamilartsacademy.com/journals/volume3/articles/Vedas%20and%20Vedic%20Saivas%20in%20TN.html