TAMIL IYENGAR COMMUNITY.

Q: what are the subsects in tamil brahmin iyengar community and their significance?

A: The Tamil Brahmin Iyengar community is primarily divided into two main theological denominations and several geographic or historical sub-groupsbased on Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Ramanuja. 

Major Denominations (Sects)

Vadakalai (Northern School):

Significance: Follows the Sanskrit-heavy tradition and looks toward Vedanta Desika as a primary authority. They view attaining divine grace as requiring active human effort (Markata Nyaya or the "monkey school" principle, where a baby monkey holds onto its mother). Their caste mark (Thirunamam) is shaped like a 'U' with a central red line (Srichurnam). 

Thenkalai (Southern School):

Significance: Places greater emphasis on Tamil Divya Prabhandhamhymns and looks toward Manavala Mamunigal as a primary authority. They believe divine grace is completely unearned and given solely by God's choice (Marjala Nyaya or the "cat school" principle, where a mother cat carries her kitten). Their caste mark is shaped like a 'Y' extending down to the bridge of the nose. 

Geographic and Historical Sub-groups:

Hebbar Iyengars:

Significance: Settled mostly in Karnataka with mixed Tamil-Kannada ancestry. They traditionally speak a distinct dialect of Iyengar Tamil and have adapted local administrative and cultural traditions while maintaining strict Sri Vaishnavite practices. 

Mandayam Iyengars:

Significance: Originally migrated to the Mandya region of Karnataka. A notable historical marker of this sub-group is that they traditionally abstain from celebrating Diwali (Deepavali) in the conventional joyous manner to commemorate a tragic community massacre that occurred around 1773. 

Chozhiar / Other regional groupings:

Significance: Sub-divisions tied to native geographic roots within Tamil Nadu (such as parts of the Chola region), representing early or localised communities of Sri Vaishnavas who integrated regional temple worship with Abhaya Vedanta. 

Source: Google.

TAMIL IYER COMMUNITY.

Q: What are the subsects in tamil brahmin iyer community and their significance?

A: The Tamil Brahmin Iyer community—followers of the Smarta tradition and Advaita Vedanta philosophy—is traditionally divided into several major subsects based on migration history, linguistic and ritual traditions, and regional settlements. 

Major Subsects of the Iyer Community.

Vadama:

Meaning: "Northern" (referring either to being more recent migrants from the north or strict adherence to Sanskrit Vedic culture of northern origin).

Significance: Generally considered the largest subsect, traditionally viewed as strict upholders of Vedic rituals, Sanskrit learning, and scriptural traditions. They are further split into groups like Vada Vadama, Chola Vadama, Bhalasharma, and Inji Vadama. 

Brahacharnam:

Meaning: "Great feet" or "Great migration" (Bṛhatcharaṇam).

Significance: Historically known for deep scholarship, administration, civil service, and military/command roles (such as Chola-era commanders like Senapathi Krishnan Raman). They are divided into distinct regional and cultural sub-groups such as Milaganur, Kandiramanickam, Mangudi, and Pazhamaneri. 

Ashtasahasram:

Meaning: Named historically after a group or settlement related to "eight thousand" (Ashta-sahasram).

Significance: A smaller sub-community that follows the Taittirīya śākhā of the Kr̥ṣṇa Yajurveda and are traditionally Aparaśikhā (wearing their traditional hair tuft at the back of the head). They are further split into four traditional groups: Āttiyūr, Arivarpede, Nandivādi, and Satkulam. 

Vathima:

Significance: A distinct sub-group historically concentrated in a few specific traditional villages (such as Periyavalavadi and surrounding areas) in the erstwhile Tanjore and Palakkad belts, known for preserving distinct dialect nuances and community customs.

Kerala Iyers:

Significance: Iyers who migrated centuries ago from Tamil Nadu (such as from Kumbakonam and Thanjavur) into neighboring Kerala. While retaining Tamil Brahmin heritage, dialect, and Smarta traditions, they adapted to local cultural ecosystems, built their own agraharam temples, and developed a unique sub-identity. 

Other Specialized / Minor Groups:

Groups like Shivacharyas/Kurukkal or Kaniyalars/Kaniars have specialized hereditary ritual or temple service functions within the broader Smarta/Shaivite framework. 

Cultural and Historical Significance:

Philosophical Core: Almost all Iyer subsects unite under Smarta-Advaita, revering Adi Shankara and practicing Panchayatana puja (worship of five primary deities: Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, Ganesha, and Surya).

Social & Educational Role: Historically centered around the Cauvery delta and urban administrative hubs, Iyers played heavy roles in Vedic scholarship, classical Carnatic music, administration, law, and later modern science and literature (producing figures like C.V. Raman and S. Chandrasekhar).

Source: Google.

Giving advice to others.

It is human tendency to give unsolicited advice. People do not wish to seek advice from others. 

Normally, I don't advice anyone including my children, unless it is requested. However, there are certain exceptional cases. 

If I am impressed with the looks or body language or respectful words of a person, I advise them only three points.

1. For a school going student, I advise him to study well as education is important to him. 

2. For a college-going student, I say if he works hard for four years he can enjoy life for 40 years. If he enjoys for 4 years he will have to work hard for 40 years. I leave it to his choice.

3. If he is settled in life, whether married or not, I tell him to take care of his parents and to make them happy. 

4. If anyone seeks advice with all sincerity, I tell them “Do your duty without likes and dislikes, make your parents happy, help the poor and then pray to God.” Am I correct?

ACTION, INTENTION, AND LIFE.

ACTION AND INTENTION

To decide whether an act is good or bad, both action and intention should be considered. Of the two, the intention is important.

1. An Act with good intention and good action is always good.

2. An Act with good intention but with bad action is also good.

Eg. You find a scorpion near a lady. You pull her away to save her from the scorpion. Pulling the lady is bad action but the intention to save her is good. So the act is good.

3. An Act with bad intention but with good action is bad.

Eg. You have a soiled currency. No one is accepting it. You give it to a blind beggar.  Giving money to the beggar is a good action but the intention to give away the soiled note is bad intention. Hence the act is bad.

4. An Act with bad intention and bad action is always bad.

LIFE

To lead a good life, we must first get rid of evil thoughts in our mind, speech, and conduct. We must be continuously engaged in developing good thoughts and doing good deeds prescribed by the Sastras.

A sanyasi was asked how he overcomes the promptings of lust [kaama]. He replied that whenever kaama knocked at his mind's door, it found him so busy that it went away on its own accord.

An idle mind is the devil's workshop. If we are always busy with good deeds, evil thoughts will not come near us. 

In the very process of doing good deeds, evil automatically vanishes from our mind. Doing good-deeds keeps us constantly thinking of God and thereby we earn His grace all the time.

I don’t help my wife!!!!

A friend came to my house for coffee. We talked about life. In the middle of the conversation, I told him "please wait for some time as I have to wash the dishes in the kitchen". 

He was surprised. He then said: "I am glad you help your wife but I do not help because my wife does not praise me".

I told him that I did not "help" my wife. Actually, my wife does not need any help, she only needs a partner. I am a partner at home. 

I clean the house because I live here. I cook because I want to eat. I wash the dishes because I use those dishes. I help my children as a father. I wash, spread or fold clothes because the clothes are mine and my children. I am part of the house. 

I asked my friend when was the last time did you praise your wife and said "thank you, sweetheart! You are fantastic" 

Does that sound absurd to you? When you expected her to praise, you never thought about praising her, because you thought everything was her job. Perhaps you have been taught that all this must be done without your moving the little finger. 

Praise her as you wanted to be praised, in the same way, with the same intensity. Give her a hand, behave like a true companion, not as a guest who only comes to eat, sleep, bathe and satisfy needs. 

Feel at home. It is your house. The real change in the society should begin from the home, let us teach our children the real meaning of responsibility.

Why girl’s marriage is delayed?

Earlier, girls were married at a very young age and there were objections to it. It was then enacted that 18 for girls and 21 for boys as the ideal age for marriage. 

Nowadays, parents find it difficult to get their daughters married even at the age of 30. What are the reasons for the delay? 

1. Demand for dowry etc is the main reason for the delay in marriage.

2. In a family where there are no sons, the daughter has to take responsibility.

3. When the daughter is the eldest, she has to help her father in bringing up other children.

4. If the girls are better educated, it is difficult to get suitable boys.

5. Middle-class parents are financially weak after meeting her educational expenses.

6. In poor families, the daughters have to work to earn their own wedding expenses.

7. Girls, after getting employment, do not wish to lose their independence.

8. Some girls are modern and outspoken which the boy's parents resent.

9. Boys working in foreign countries prefer only girls working there.

Due to these factors, the marriage of the girl is delayed. Please note that many people are not aware of Downs Syndrome, a chromosomal imbalance, leading to mental disorder in children born due to late marriage in women. More the age of the girl, more the chances. It is directly proportional to the age of the girl. 

Secondly, the girls are not aware of blessings of becoming a mother. 

So every effort should be made to get the girls married at least by the age of 25.

PALINDROME.

When you read a word from the left or from the right, if the pronunciation is the same, then it is called PALINDROME.

எந்த ஒரு வார்த்தையை வாசிக்கும் பொழுதும் வலமிருந்து இடமாகவோ அல்லது இடம் இருந்து வலமாகவோ எப்படி வாசித்தாலும் எழுத்துக்கள் மாறாமல் ஒன்றுபோல் வார்த்தைகள் அமைவது இதற்குப் பெயர்தான் ‘பேலின்ட்ரோம்’ (PALIMDROME)  என்பதாகும்.

தமிழில் இதுவரை நான் அறிந்த பாலின்ட்ரோம் வார்த்தைகள்!

1. விகடகவி 2.மாவடு போடுவமா, 3.துவளுவது 4.தாளாதா 5.வா தாத்தா 

வா! 6. மாலா போலாமா, 7. தேருவருதே 8. மேகமே 9. வாடவா 10. தாத்தா

11. கலைக 12. வினவி 13. யானை பூனையா, 14. யானையா பூ யானையா,

15. பாப்பா 16. தேருவருதே 17. தந்த 18. மாறுமா 19. தேயுதே 20. மேளதாளமே.

21. மாடு ஓடுமா 22. கலைக 23. கலக 24. மோருபோருமோ, 25. போ வாருவா

 போ. 27. மாடமா 28. மாதமா 29. மானமா 30. மாயமா 31. கற்க 32. மாமா

33. காக்கா 34. சிவா வாசி

ஆங்கிலத்தில் இதுவரை நான் அறிந்த (PALIMDROME) வார்த்தைகள் !

1: civic 2: Dewed 3: deified 4: dad 5: mom 6: devoved 7: Hannah 8: peeweep 9: repaper 10: 

kayak 11: minim 12: radar 13: murdrum 14: Malayalam 15: madam 16: lemel 17: level 18: 

racecar 19: radar 20: redder 21: bob 22: pop 23: tot 24: refer 25: reviver 26: rotator 27: 

rotavator 28: stats 29: solos 30: tenet 31: terret 32: testset 33: Kinikinikm 34: Wassamassaw

35: Yreka Bakery 36: Navan 37: Cain: a maniac. 38: A Toyota. 39: Race fast, safe car. 40. 

Eve 41.Level 42.Deed 43.Rotor 44.Civic 45.Eye 46.Nun 47.Toot.