Vadama
Encyclopedia
Vadama meaning "Northerners" are a sub-sect of the Iyer
community of Tamil Brahmins. While some believe that their name is an indication of the fact that they were the most recent Brahmin migrants to the Tamil country others interpret the usage of the term "Vadama" as a reference to their strict adherence to the Sanskrit language and Vedic rituals which are of northerly origin . It may also be possible that Vadamas may be Brahmins whose origins lie in the Dravida region of northern Tamil Nadu. Like other Iyer communities, they follow the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara
. A significant proportion of the Vadama community adopted Vaishnavism
, and are thus believed to have given rise to the Vadagalai Iyengar community. The oldest historical references to Vadamas date from the first millennium AD. A large number of Vadamas migrated to Kerala
during the medieval period, so that Vadamas along with the Brahacharnam form the majority of the Kerala Iyer community. A section of the Vadama community also migrated north to the Telugu
country and Maharashtra
where they were known as "Dravidas
".
Vadamas have a martial tradition unlike most other Iyer communities. They are believed to have been the protectors of Brahmin villages or agraharams and served as administrators and advisors to Tamil
and Telugu
kings during the medieval and early modern period.
term 'Vadakku' meaning North, indicating the Northern origin of the Vadama Brahmins. This claim is supported by the fact that, unlike other subsects of Iyers, some Vadama pay oblations in their daily Sandhyavandanam
to the river Narmada
in Central India. However, what is not certain is whether 'North' refers to northern Tamil Nadu/Southern Deccan, or regions farther north. Other scholars are of the opinion that rather than the superficial indication of a northern origin for the people, the term "vadama" would rather refer to proficiency in Sanskrit
and Vedic
ritual, generally associated with the north prior to the first millennium A. D.
Intermarriage with other Iyer sects has been increasing in recent times, while earlier, most marriages were arranged only within the same subsect of Vadama. Such a degree of exclusion has become rather uncommon now. Exceptions did exist, such as the marriage of Kurratalwan's sons(Considered to be Vadama followers of Sri Vaishnavism), which took place outside the Vadama fold.
, came to be classified as Vadama.
between 750 and 800 AD. An interesting fact corroborating this migration may be had from the treatise called Natyashastra written by Bharata Muni, held by some to have been from Kashmir and by others to be from the south, formed the basis of the dance-form Bharatanatyam
which is particularly associated with Tamil Nadu. Art Historians such as Vasundhara Filliozat claim that there are inscriptional evidences to prove the continuous migration of teachers from Kashmir to South. Such scholars also state that some other South Indian Saivaite and Tantric traditions were also introduced by teachers from Kashmir.
It appears that the Sabhaiyar group of the Vadama, were present in the Chola Empire in the 9th century, since the grant of the "entire village of Chirri[dai]yarru excluding the kani of Samgappadi-kilan was made to the temple of Mahadeva at Tirumalpperu as a tax-free devadana in the 21st year [892 A.D.] of the reign of Chola Aditya I
and the administration of the charity was entrusted to the sabhaiyar of Puduppakkam in Purisanadu".
hold that their guru Ramanujacharya, born in the first quarter of the 11th century, was a Vadama by birth.
s of Warangal
in the early 14th century by the Tughlaqs. In response to the Moslem irruptions the Kingdom of Vijayanagar
was founded in 1336, and came to be locked in an existential struggle with the Bahmani Sultanate from 1347 to 1490, when the Moslem state broke up. This early period was marked by much strife, especially in the jehads of Taj ud-Din Firuz Shah
(1397–1422) and his brother Ahmad Shah I Wali
(1422–1435), when thousands of Hindus, especially Brahmins, were enslaved and temples of the northern Deccan desecrated. The oppression was also felt in the eastern peninsula as far as the Gajapati Kingdom
where, for instance in 1478, Muhammad Shah III Lashkari (1463–1482) demolished the Great Temple of Kondavid
u and was acclaimed as a ghazi
, for personally decapitating all the Brahmins. Such excesses induced Brahmins to seek refuge in the realms of Vijayanagar, where many were appointed karnams (bailiffs) in preference to other castes, from the reign of Harihara I
(1336–1357) onward.
, Golconda
, Ahmadnagar
and Berar
, the armies of Vijayanagar were successful in fending of invasions and restricting the Sultanates to Central India, especially in the reign of Krishnadeva Raya (1509–1529), who also began the practice of appointing Brahmins commanders of strategically important forts.
, in 1565, when Rama Raya of Vijayanagar was killed and the capital city razed to the ground. The land, in addition to being plundered by the combined armies of the Sultanates, came to be oppressed by renegade polygars and bandits whose rise commenced with the destruction of the central power. The Mogul
invasion of Peninsular India and the depredations of the Deccan by the Mahrattas under Shivaji also began early in the 17th century.
A combination of these belligerent powers and the desolation they helped create appears to have made the relative peace offered in the far south of the country under the Hindu kings of Travancore
, Madurai, Tanjore and Mysore
, far more desirable and induced many Hindus to migrate there. A fact supporting this idea, we have from English chroniclers in the 17th century, who state that their procurement of goods along the Western Concan
and Canara
coasts, suffered severely after the Mogul invasions and the mass depopulation of the peninsula they caused. Another statement often encountered in their annals is that the economic growth of the factory at Fort St. George, Madras was in a large measure attributable to the fact that many people chose to settle there to escape the chaotic conditions farther north. When we consider, in conjunction with these two facts, Fort St. George's position as a newly-established, well-fortified and growing settlement in Aurangzeb's time, and therefore a secure refuge, a mass exodus southwards seems to have occurred in the period in question.
The relatives and family members of C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, a Vadadesa Vadama, believed that they were descended from Brahmins of the Desh
region of Maharashtra
and Madhya Pradesh
who migrated to Chittoor
district of Andhra Pradesh
from where they migrated to the northern part of Tamil Nadu in the 16th century where they were granted the village of Chetpet
by a local chieftain.
. Throughout the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century there was intense political rivalry between the Vadamas and the Brahacharanams for the domination of Brahmin villages called agraharams.
is generally believed to have been born a Vadama. Under his tutelage, numerous Vadamas adopted Vaishnavism and are believed to have given rise to the Vadakalai Iyengar community. The transformation of the Vadama Ramanuja into a Sri Vaishnava, which happened concurrently with his education and increasing philosophic investigation, gave rise to a Tamil proverb - "Vadamam muthi Vaishnavam", i.e. a "Vadama ripens into a Vaishnava". Edgar Thurston
recounts at the beginning of the 20th century, the widespread prevalence of inter-marriage between Vaishnavite converts from the Thummagunta Dravida sub-group and Smartha girls from the same sub-sect. Thurston also recounts that Vadamas often observed death pollution in some Vaishnavite families and vice versa.
in temples in Tamil Nadu, are Vadama, though not recognised as such by the community, since they have certain practices that are prohibited for the Vadama.
There is also evidence that some South Indian brahmins settled in Kashmir. The actual sect of their origin is not known.
migrated in the 13th and 14th centuries, from Saurashtra to the banks of the River Cauvery in Tamil Nadu
, whence some of them migrated to Andhra Pradesh, by all accounts before the 18th century.
, in his thesis Caste, class, and power: changing patterns of stratification in a Tanjore village, describes them as the biggest mirasidars among the Iyer community. They may also have organised the agraharams' defence in turbulent times for though there were not many who joined the army, they were not specifically forbidden to take to arms. A proverb still prevalent amongst the Iyers indicating the supposed short-temper of Vadama Brahmins, may be indicative of their martial past. They were among the Brahmin nobles and administrators under the Nayaka, Travancore and Vijayanagar rulers. Administrative practices adopted by them were strictly in accordance with those prescribed in the Hindu Dharma-Shastras, as may be observed from the records of the kings themselves.
But, as with other Brahmins, their primary duties were to study the Vedas, teach them and perform the ceremonies they entailed. The vast majority of them, until the 19th century, were household priests with some even being temple-priests, particularly in Travancore.
Many were great scholars and served in the courts of kings. Nilakanta Dikshitar was a minister to Thirumalai Nayak of Madurai.
In the 19th century, as with other Iyers, many of the Vadama joined, the judiciary of British India as lawyers and judges, or served in the Indian Civil and Revenue Services
. Many others continued in the service of the kings of the princely states of Travancore
, Mysore
, Pudukottai, and Ramnad
.
. However, others like Appayya Dikshitar
's family applied only Vibhuti, being staunch devotees of Shiva
. While it was more common in former times, the use of Gopi Chandanam continues, being replaced by Vibhuthi otherwise. Some Vadamas also sported the Vaishnavite namam. They were known as kutthunamakarar.
The Vadama traditionally claim to be superior to other classes of Iyers. One ritualistic difference from other Iyers, arises in their having to recite the following verse in honour of the River Narmada
, and to ward of serpents, as part of their Sandhyavandanam
:
Also, in some parts of Kerala, as Nambudiri Brahmacharis
were not commonly found, a Brahmachari belonging to the Vadadesa Vadama was required to pour water into the hands of a Nambudiri sanyasi as part of the rituals connected with the latter's breakfast.
Vadamas have also significantly contributed towards popularizing and propagating the worship of Lord Shiva and Devi.
Iyer
Iyer is the title given to the caste of Hindu Brahmin communities of Tamil origin. Most Iyers are followers of the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara...
community of Tamil Brahmins. While some believe that their name is an indication of the fact that they were the most recent Brahmin migrants to the Tamil country others interpret the usage of the term "Vadama" as a reference to their strict adherence to the Sanskrit language and Vedic rituals which are of northerly origin . It may also be possible that Vadamas may be Brahmins whose origins lie in the Dravida region of northern Tamil Nadu. Like other Iyer communities, they follow the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...
. A significant proportion of the Vadama community adopted Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
, and are thus believed to have given rise to the Vadagalai Iyengar community. The oldest historical references to Vadamas date from the first millennium AD. A large number of Vadamas migrated to Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
during the medieval period, so that Vadamas along with the Brahacharnam form the majority of the Kerala Iyer community. A section of the Vadama community also migrated north to the Telugu
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
country and Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
where they were known as "Dravidas
Dravid (Surname)
Dravid is a surname found in the Deshastha Brahmin community in the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka of India. The Dravids are believed to be Tamil Brahmins from Southernmost parts of India, who migrated to the northern kingdoms in western and central parts of India sometime...
".
Vadamas have a martial tradition unlike most other Iyer communities. They are believed to have been the protectors of Brahmin villages or agraharams and served as administrators and advisors to Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
and Telugu
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
kings during the medieval and early modern period.
Etymology of the term
The term Vadama may have originated from the TamilTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
term 'Vadakku' meaning North, indicating the Northern origin of the Vadama Brahmins. This claim is supported by the fact that, unlike other subsects of Iyers, some Vadama pay oblations in their daily Sandhyavandanam
Sandhyavandanam
Sandhyavandanam is a religious practice performed by Hindu men initiated into the rite by the ceremony of Upanayanam, and instructed in its execution by a Guru . Sandhyavandanam consists of excerpts from the Great Vedas that are to be recited thrice daily...
to the river Narmada
Narmada River
The Narmada , also called Rewa is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third largest river that completely flows within India after Ganges and Godavari...
in Central India. However, what is not certain is whether 'North' refers to northern Tamil Nadu/Southern Deccan, or regions farther north. Other scholars are of the opinion that rather than the superficial indication of a northern origin for the people, the term "vadama" would rather refer to proficiency in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Vedic
Vedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
ritual, generally associated with the north prior to the first millennium A. D.
Sub-categories
Vadamas are further sub-divided into five categories- Vadadesa Vadama (Vadamas of the northern country)
- Choladesa Vadama(Vadamas of the Chola countryChola NaduChola Nadu is a region of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. It encompasses the lower reaches of the Kaveri River and its delta, and formed the cultural homeland and political base of the Chola Dynasty which ruled most of South India and parts of Sri Lanka and South-East Asia between the 9th and...
) - Sabhaiyar(member of the conference (Sabha))
- Injee and
- Thummagunta Dravida.
Intermarriage with other Iyer sects has been increasing in recent times, while earlier, most marriages were arranged only within the same subsect of Vadama. Such a degree of exclusion has become rather uncommon now. Exceptions did exist, such as the marriage of Kurratalwan's sons(Considered to be Vadama followers of Sri Vaishnavism), which took place outside the Vadama fold.
History
Some historians hold that all Brahmins who migrated to the far-south during and after the age of the Gupta EmperorsGupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the...
, came to be classified as Vadama.
First millennium A.D.
There is a perception that some Kashmir-linked Vadama settled in TirunelveliTirunelveli
Tirunelveli , also known as Nellai , and historically as Tinnevelly, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Tirunelveli District and the sixth biggest city in Tamil Nadu...
between 750 and 800 AD. An interesting fact corroborating this migration may be had from the treatise called Natyashastra written by Bharata Muni, held by some to have been from Kashmir and by others to be from the south, formed the basis of the dance-form Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam
Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
which is particularly associated with Tamil Nadu. Art Historians such as Vasundhara Filliozat claim that there are inscriptional evidences to prove the continuous migration of teachers from Kashmir to South. Such scholars also state that some other South Indian Saivaite and Tantric traditions were also introduced by teachers from Kashmir.
It appears that the Sabhaiyar group of the Vadama, were present in the Chola Empire in the 9th century, since the grant of the "entire village of Chirri[dai]yarru excluding the kani of Samgappadi-kilan was made to the temple of Mahadeva at Tirumalpperu as a tax-free devadana in the 21st year [892 A.D.] of the reign of Chola Aditya I
Aditya I
Aditya I , the son of Vijayalaya, was the first great Chola king of South India who extended the Chola dominions by the conquest of the Pallavas.- Pallava Civil War :...
and the administration of the charity was entrusted to the sabhaiyar of Puduppakkam in Purisanadu".
11th to the 14th century
The SrivaishnavaSrivaishnava
Sri Vaishnava is a universal term among Hindus for worshippers of Vishnu. They are not limited to any part of India. Over its long history, Sri Vaishnavism has influenced nearly every aspect of Indian religious life.- Overview :...
hold that their guru Ramanujacharya, born in the first quarter of the 11th century, was a Vadama by birth.
14th and 15th centuries
Instability prevailed in Peninsular India in the aftermath of the defeat of the Yadavas of Deogiri and KakatiyaKakatiya
The Kakatiya dynasty was an Indian dynasty that ruled most parts of what is now Andhra Pradesh, India from 1083 CE to 1323 CE, with Orugallu , now Warangal , as its capital. Orugallu is also called 'Eka Sila Nagaram'...
s of Warangal
Warangal
Warangal is a city and a municipal corporation in Warangal district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Warangal is located northeast of the state capital of Hyderabad and is the administrative headquarters of Warangal District. This district is a combination of three cities: Warangal,...
in the early 14th century by the Tughlaqs. In response to the Moslem irruptions the Kingdom of Vijayanagar
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
was founded in 1336, and came to be locked in an existential struggle with the Bahmani Sultanate from 1347 to 1490, when the Moslem state broke up. This early period was marked by much strife, especially in the jehads of Taj ud-Din Firuz Shah
Taj ud-Din Firuz Shah
Taj ud-Din Firuz Shah was the ruler of the Bahmani Sultanate from 1397 to 1422. He was determined to make the Deccan region the cultural centre of India. He inducted a large number of Hindus in his administration on a large scale...
(1397–1422) and his brother Ahmad Shah I Wali
Ahmad Shah I Wali
Ahmed Shah Al Wali Bahamani ruled the Kingdom of Bidar from 1422 to 1436 and was a great patron of arts and culture. He brought artisans from Iran, including the metal-worker Abdulla-bin-Kaiser, who was the father of bidriware, the inlaying of zinc alloy with silver and gold.Ahmed Shah's, and his...
(1422–1435), when thousands of Hindus, especially Brahmins, were enslaved and temples of the northern Deccan desecrated. The oppression was also felt in the eastern peninsula as far as the Gajapati Kingdom
Gajapati Kingdom
The Gajapatis were a medieval Hindu dynasty that ruled over Kalinga , large parts of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, and the eastern and central parts of Madhya Pradesh and the southern parts of Bihar from 1434-1541. Gajapati dynasty was established by Kapilendra Deva in 1434...
where, for instance in 1478, Muhammad Shah III Lashkari (1463–1482) demolished the Great Temple of Kondavid
Kondavid
Kondaveedu Fort is located in Kondaveedu village in the Narasaraopet taluk of Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a hill fortress located above m.s.l. Apart from this main fort, there are two other forts nearby. All three forts are now in ruins.Kondaveedu Fort was constructed by...
u and was acclaimed as a ghazi
Ghazw
Ghazi or ghazah is an Arabic term that means "to raid/foray." From it evolved the word "Ghazwa" which specifically refers to a battle led by the Islamic prophet Muhammad.In English language literature the word often appears as razzia, deriving from French, although it probably...
, for personally decapitating all the Brahmins. Such excesses induced Brahmins to seek refuge in the realms of Vijayanagar, where many were appointed karnams (bailiffs) in preference to other castes, from the reign of Harihara I
Harihara I
Harihara I , also called Hakka ಹಕ್ಕ and Vira Harihara I, was the founder of the Vijayanagara empire. He was Bhavana Sangama’s eldest son, belonged to the Kuruba clan and was founder of the Sangama dynasty, the first among the four dynasties that ruled Vijayanagara...
(1336–1357) onward.
Early 16th century
After the division of the Bahmani Sultanate in 1490, into the Sultanates of BijapurAdil Shahi
The Adil Shahi or Adilshahi dynasty ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur in the Western area of the Deccan region of Southern India from 1490 to 1686. Bijapur had been a province of the Bahmani Sultanate , before its political decline in the last quarter of the 15th century and eventual break-up in 1518...
, Golconda
Golconda
Golconda may be:Places:* Golkonda, ruined city and fortress in India* Golconda, Illinois, town in the United States* Golconda, Nevada, former town in the United StatesOther:* Golconda...
, Ahmadnagar
Ahmadnagar
Ahmadnagar is located in Gujranwala DistricTt, Punjab, Pakistan.-References:...
and Berar
Berar Sultanate
-Berar in Ancient History:Subah Berar and Gondwana the Vidarbha region known as Gulshan-e-Berar in medieval period since Khilji dynasty to mughal period according Aine-Akbari and Alimgeer Namah report the berar is hole Fourteen sarkar...
, the armies of Vijayanagar were successful in fending of invasions and restricting the Sultanates to Central India, especially in the reign of Krishnadeva Raya (1509–1529), who also began the practice of appointing Brahmins commanders of strategically important forts.
16th and 17th centuries
Relative peace prevailed until the Battle of TalikotaBattle of Talikota
The Battle of Talikota , a watershed battle fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Deccan sultanates, resulted in a rout of Vijayanagara, and ended the last great Hindu kingdom in South India...
, in 1565, when Rama Raya of Vijayanagar was killed and the capital city razed to the ground. The land, in addition to being plundered by the combined armies of the Sultanates, came to be oppressed by renegade polygars and bandits whose rise commenced with the destruction of the central power. The Mogul
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
invasion of Peninsular India and the depredations of the Deccan by the Mahrattas under Shivaji also began early in the 17th century.
A combination of these belligerent powers and the desolation they helped create appears to have made the relative peace offered in the far south of the country under the Hindu kings of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, Madurai, Tanjore and Mysore
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
, far more desirable and induced many Hindus to migrate there. A fact supporting this idea, we have from English chroniclers in the 17th century, who state that their procurement of goods along the Western Concan
Konkan
The Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...
and Canara
Canara
Canara can refer to:* Kanara – a region in Karnataka, India* Ovidiu – a town in Constanţa County, Romania...
coasts, suffered severely after the Mogul invasions and the mass depopulation of the peninsula they caused. Another statement often encountered in their annals is that the economic growth of the factory at Fort St. George, Madras was in a large measure attributable to the fact that many people chose to settle there to escape the chaotic conditions farther north. When we consider, in conjunction with these two facts, Fort St. George's position as a newly-established, well-fortified and growing settlement in Aurangzeb's time, and therefore a secure refuge, a mass exodus southwards seems to have occurred in the period in question.
The relatives and family members of C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, a Vadadesa Vadama, believed that they were descended from Brahmins of the Desh
Desh
Desh meaning "country"), is a region of Maharashtra state in central India.Desh is bounded on the west by the Western Ghats or Sahyadri range, on the north by the Kandesh and on the east by the Marathwada regions of Maharashtra, and on the south by the state of Karnataka...
region of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
and Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
who migrated to Chittoor
Chittoor
Chittoor also known as Chittur, is a City and municipal corporation located in the Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is conveniently located on major highways linking the cities of Bangalore and Chennai....
district of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
from where they migrated to the northern part of Tamil Nadu in the 16th century where they were granted the village of Chetpet
Chetpet
This page is about Chetpet village in Thiruvannamalai. See Chetput for the Chennai suburb.Chetpet is a panchayat town in Thiruvanaamalai district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.-Demographics:...
by a local chieftain.
17th century to the present
During the 19th century, the Vadamas along with other Tamil Brahmins made ample use of the opportunities provided by British rule to dominate the civil services, legislature and the judiciary in the Madras PresidencyMadras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. Throughout the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century there was intense political rivalry between the Vadamas and the Brahacharanams for the domination of Brahmin villages called agraharams.
Iyengar communities
The Vaishnavite spiritual leader RamanujaRamanuja
Ramanuja ; traditionally 1017–1137, also known as Ramanujacharya, Ethirajar , Emperumannar, Lakshmana Muni, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete...
is generally believed to have been born a Vadama. Under his tutelage, numerous Vadamas adopted Vaishnavism and are believed to have given rise to the Vadakalai Iyengar community. The transformation of the Vadama Ramanuja into a Sri Vaishnava, which happened concurrently with his education and increasing philosophic investigation, gave rise to a Tamil proverb - "Vadamam muthi Vaishnavam", i.e. a "Vadama ripens into a Vaishnava". Edgar Thurston
Edgar Thurston
Edgar Thurston CIE was a British museologist and ethnographer working in colonial Southern India. In 1885 he was appointed to the Madras Government Museum, where he held the role of Superintendent...
recounts at the beginning of the 20th century, the widespread prevalence of inter-marriage between Vaishnavite converts from the Thummagunta Dravida sub-group and Smartha girls from the same sub-sect. Thurston also recounts that Vadamas often observed death pollution in some Vaishnavite families and vice versa.
Gurukkal Brahmins
Some of the GurukkalGurukkal
See different meaning for the word Gurukkal.*Gurukkal Brahmins - A sub-sect of Vadamas not recognized as one amongst them and whose duties are to worship at Temples....
in temples in Tamil Nadu, are Vadama, though not recognised as such by the community, since they have certain practices that are prohibited for the Vadama.
There is also evidence that some South Indian brahmins settled in Kashmir. The actual sect of their origin is not known.
Aarama Dravidulu
There is a perception that the ancestors of some Aarama Dravidulu Brahmins of Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
migrated in the 13th and 14th centuries, from Saurashtra to the banks of the River Cauvery in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, whence some of them migrated to Andhra Pradesh, by all accounts before the 18th century.
Traditional occupation
They are held to have been the land-lords and head-men of the Brahmin villages called agraharams. Sociologist André BéteilleAndre Béteille
Andre Béteille is one of India's leading sociologists and writers. He is particularly well known for his studies of the caste system in South India...
, in his thesis Caste, class, and power: changing patterns of stratification in a Tanjore village, describes them as the biggest mirasidars among the Iyer community. They may also have organised the agraharams' defence in turbulent times for though there were not many who joined the army, they were not specifically forbidden to take to arms. A proverb still prevalent amongst the Iyers indicating the supposed short-temper of Vadama Brahmins, may be indicative of their martial past. They were among the Brahmin nobles and administrators under the Nayaka, Travancore and Vijayanagar rulers. Administrative practices adopted by them were strictly in accordance with those prescribed in the Hindu Dharma-Shastras, as may be observed from the records of the kings themselves.
But, as with other Brahmins, their primary duties were to study the Vedas, teach them and perform the ceremonies they entailed. The vast majority of them, until the 19th century, were household priests with some even being temple-priests, particularly in Travancore.
Many were great scholars and served in the courts of kings. Nilakanta Dikshitar was a minister to Thirumalai Nayak of Madurai.
In the 19th century, as with other Iyers, many of the Vadama joined, the judiciary of British India as lawyers and judges, or served in the Indian Civil and Revenue Services
Indian Revenue Service
The Indian Revenue Service , abbreviated as IRS, is the revenue service of the Government of India. It is a Central Civil Service...
. Many others continued in the service of the kings of the princely states of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, Mysore
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
, Pudukottai, and Ramnad
Ramanathapuram
Ramanathapuram , also known as Ramnad, is a city and a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Ramanathapuram district.-Tourism:...
.
Religious practices
While the religious rituals of the Vadama are, in almost all respects, identical with those of other Iyers, there are a few minor deviations from them. One of these lies in the practice of some men applying Gopi Chandanam, an yellow pigment of mineral origin similar in appearance to that obtained from sandalwood, on the forehead, instead of VibhuthiVibhuti
Vibhuti is a word that has several meanings in Hinduism.-Sacred ash:Vibhuti is the sacred ash used in religious worship in Hinduism. The main ingredient of Vibuthi is a special kind of wood, but several other substances, such as milk and ghee, prescribed in scriptures are also added...
. However, others like Appayya Dikshitar
Appayya Dikshitar
Appayya Dikshita , 1520–1593 CE, was a performer of yajñas as well as an expositor and practitioner of the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy but however, with a focus on Shiva or Siva Advaita.-Life:...
's family applied only Vibhuti, being staunch devotees of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. While it was more common in former times, the use of Gopi Chandanam continues, being replaced by Vibhuthi otherwise. Some Vadamas also sported the Vaishnavite namam. They were known as kutthunamakarar.
The Vadama traditionally claim to be superior to other classes of Iyers. One ritualistic difference from other Iyers, arises in their having to recite the following verse in honour of the River Narmada
Narmada River
The Narmada , also called Rewa is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third largest river that completely flows within India after Ganges and Godavari...
, and to ward of serpents, as part of their Sandhyavandanam
Sandhyavandanam
Sandhyavandanam is a religious practice performed by Hindu men initiated into the rite by the ceremony of Upanayanam, and instructed in its execution by a Guru . Sandhyavandanam consists of excerpts from the Great Vedas that are to be recited thrice daily...
:
- Narmadayai namah pratah Narmadayai namo nisi
- Namostu Narmade tubhyam pahi mam visa-sarpatah
Also, in some parts of Kerala, as Nambudiri Brahmacharis
Brahmacharya
Brahmacharya is one of the four stages of life in an age-based social system as laid out in the Manu Smrti and later Classical Sanskrit texts in Hinduism. It refers to an educational period of 14–20 years which starts before the age of puberty. During this time the traditional vedic sciences are...
were not commonly found, a Brahmachari belonging to the Vadadesa Vadama was required to pour water into the hands of a Nambudiri sanyasi as part of the rituals connected with the latter's breakfast.
Vadamas have also significantly contributed towards popularizing and propagating the worship of Lord Shiva and Devi.
In popular culture
- In the television series KrishnadasiKrishnadasiKrishnadasi is a Tamil Television series which was directed by Prabhu Nepal between 2000 and 2002. The cast was made of Gemini Ganesan, Nalini Ramarajan, Nagesh, Vietnam Veedu Sundaram, Ranjitha and Aravind Akash....
, Rudramoorthi Dikshitar (portrayed by Gemini GanesanGemini GanesanRamaswami Ganesan , popularly known as Gemini Ganesan , was an Indian actor. He was nicknamed "Kadhal Mannan" of Tamil cinema for the romantic roles he played in movies....
), one of the main characters, sports a Gopi chandanam, thereby suggesting that he was a Vadama.
- In the television series AlaigalAlaigalAlaigal was a Tamil soap opera directed by Sundar K. Vijayan and starring Durga, Raaghav, Venu Arvind, Jayachitra and Vadivukkarasi in the lead roles. It was telecasted in Sun TV from 2002 to 2004...
, the young Ranga sports a gopi chandanam mark on his forehead.
Religion
- Appayya DikshitarAppayya DikshitarAppayya Dikshita , 1520–1593 CE, was a performer of yajñas as well as an expositor and practitioner of the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy but however, with a focus on Shiva or Siva Advaita.-Life:...
and nephew Neelakanta Deekshitar legendary scholars who re-established Advaita philosophy's predominance in the South belonged to the Vadadesa Vadama sect and migrated from places near Nasik. They were especially patronised by the rulers of VelloreVelloreVellore It is considered one of the oldest cities in South India and lies on the banks of the Palar river on the site of Vellore Fort. The city lies between Chennai and Bangalore and the Temple towns of Thiruvannamalai and Tirupati...
and MaduraiMaduraiMadurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
, Chinnabomma Nayak and Tirumalai Nayak, respectively. - Srinivasa Dikshitar of Thoopil (near Conjeeveram), father-in-law of Appayya Dikshitar of Adayapalam.
- Sundara Swamigal, a Hindu religious exponent of the mid-19th century and philosophical mentor of the famed Carnatic musician Maha Vaidyanatha IyerMaha Vaidyanatha IyerMaha Vaidyanatha Sivan was a composer of Carnatic music. He was a great exponent of extemporaneous singing. He also composed a ragamalika with all the 72 melakartha ragas....
- Avadayakkal, a Saivite saint
- The Vaishnava saints RamanujaRamanujaRamanuja ; traditionally 1017–1137, also known as Ramanujacharya, Ethirajar , Emperumannar, Lakshmana Muni, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete...
, Tirumalai Nambi and MudaliyandanMudaliyandanSwami Mudaliyandan was a Hindu Vaishnava religious figure who lived in the 11th century CE.Swami Mudaliyandan was a relative, disciple and associate of Sri Ramanuja, the codifier of the philosophy of Srivaishnavism....
were born Vadama. - Swami SivanandaSwami SivanandaSwami Sivananda Saraswati was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism...
of Divine Life Society, Rishikesh, a direct descendant of Neelakanta Deekshitar
Government, Administration and Justice
- Govinda Dikshitar, Prime Minister of the Madurai Nayak kingdom. Served under Sevappa Nayak, Achutha Nayak and Raghunatha Nayak.
- Ramayyan DalawaRamayyan DalawaRamayyan was the Dewan of Travancore state, India, during 1737 and 1756 and was responsible for the consolidation and expansion of that kingdom after defeating the Dutch in the Battle of Colachel under the rule of Maharajah Marthanda Varma Kulasekhara Perumal, the maker of Modern Travancore.-Early...
, Dewan of TravancoreTravancoreKingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
State, in the reign of Maharajah Marthanda VarmaMarthanda VarmaMarthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
Kulasekhara Perumal - Sir T. Muthuswamy IyerT. Muthuswamy IyerSir Thiruvarur Muthuswamy Iyer KCIE was an Indian lawyer who, in 1877, became the first native Indian to be appointed as judge of the Madras High Court. He also acted as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court in 1893....
(1832–1895), Indian lawyer, first Indian Judge of the Madras High CourtMadras High CourtThe Madras High Court is a senior court located at Chennai , in India. The court buildings, which are believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world, are located near the beach, in one of the city's major business districts.... - Sir S. Subramania AiyerS. Subramania IyerSir Subbier Subramania Iyer KCIE was an Indian lawyer, jurist and freedom fighter who, along with Annie Besant, founded the Home Rule Movement. He was popularly known as the "Grand Old Man of South India"....
(1842–1924), Jurist, first Indian Chief Justice of the Madras High Court - Sir C. P. Ramaswami IyerSir C. P. Ramaswami IyerSachivottama Sir Chetpat Pattabhirama Ramaswami Iyer, KCSI, KCIE , also called "C. P.", was an Indian lawyer, administrator and politician who served as the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency from 1920 to 1923, Law member of the Executive council of the Governor of Madras from 1923 to 1928,...
(1879–1966), Advocate General of Madras PresidencyMadras PresidencyThe Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
in the 1920s, penultimate Dewan of Travancore - Ramesh KallidaiRamesh KallidaiRamesh Kallidai is the Secretary General of the Hindu Forum of Britain which is the largest umbrella body representing British Hindus. Ramesh Kallidai was the first Secretary General of the organisation and has continued in this role while introducing different projects and raising the profile of...
, Former Secretary General Hindu Forum of Britain and Advisor to the British Government - C. V. Runganada SastriC. V. Runganada SastriCalamur Viravalli Runganada Sastri was an Indian interpreter, civil servant and polyglot who was known for his mastery over Indian and foreign languages.- Early life :...
(1819–1881), Indian interpreter, civil servant and polyglot who was known for his mastery over Indian and foreign languages. Maternal great-grandfather of C. R. Pattabhiraman. - V. VenkayyaV. VenkayyaRai Bahadur Valaiyattur Venkayya was an Indian epigraphist and historian. He served as the Chief Epigraphist to the Government of India from 1908 to 1912.- Early life :...
(1864-1912), Indian epigraphist. Chief Epigraphist to the Government of India 1908-12.
Politics
- S. A. Swaminatha IyerS. A. Swaminatha IyerRai Bahadur S. A. Swaminatha Iyer ,also known as Thanjavur Swaminatha Iyer or simply S. A. S, was an Indian lawyer, theosophist, administrator and freedom fighter from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.- Early life :...
(d. 1899), Indian lawyer and freedom-fighter - V. V. S. Iyer (1881–1925) Tamil scholar and freedom fighter
- C. R. PattabhiramanC. R. PattabhiramanChetpet Ramaswami Iyer Pattabhiraman was an Indian lawyer, politician and statesman from the Indian National Congress. He was the eldest son of Indian statesman C. P. Ramaswami Iyer...
(1906–2001), Indian lawyer and politician; Indian M.P.Member of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(1967–1977). Eldest son of Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer - V. S. Krishna IyerV. S. Krishna IyerV. S. Krishna Iyer was an Indian politician and independence movement activist from the state of Karnataka. He had served as a Member of Parliament of 8th Lok Sabha for Bangalore South from 1984 to 1989.- Career :...
, Indian politician and freedom-fighter; Indian M.P.Member of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(1984–1989) - Rama RamanathanRama RamanathanRama Ramanathan is an Indian politician from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam who served as a Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for Kumbakonam from 1991 to 1996.- References :...
(b. 1964), Member of Legislative Assembly, Tamil Nadu, India (1991–1996). - Mani Shankar AiyarMani Shankar AiyarMani Shankar Aiyar is a former Indian diplomat who resigned from foreign service and became a politician working for Rajiv Gandhi in 1989-1991. He is a member of the Indian National Congress party and was the Minister of Panchayati Raj until he lost his seat in the 2009 Election...
(b. 1941), Indian politician from the Indian National Congress. Union Minister of Panchayat Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports.
Warfare
- RamaiyanRamaiyanRamaiyan, Ramayyan or Ramappaiyyan was a general who served under the Madurai Nayak king Thirumalai Nayak. He is the subject of the Tamil ballad Ramayyan Ammanai.- Personal life :...
(c. 17th century AD), general in the service of Thirumalai NayakThirumalai NayakThirumalai Nayak ruled Madurai between 1623 to 1659 CE. He was the most notable of the thirteen Madurai Nayak rulers in the 17th century. His contributions are found in the many splendid buildings and temples of Madurai. His kingdom was under constant threat from the armies of Delhi Sultanate and...
. Led the Madurai Nayak troops in the 1639 war against the Sethupathi of RamnadRamnad estateThe Ramnad Estate is a permanently settled Zamindari estate in the Ramnad subdivision of the Madura district of the erstwhile Madras Presidency in British India. It comprises the southern and eastern parts of Madura district.The estate was ruled by a Zamindar who bore the title "Raja"...
. Subject of the balladBalladA ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
Ramayyan Ammanai.
The Arts
- Syama SastriSyama SastriSyama Sastri is one of the most renowned composers of Carnatic music. He was the eldest of the so-called Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two. A major source for his biography is a chapter in P. Sambamoorthy's book, Great Composers, 69-94...
, one of the doyens of Carnatic Music, a descendant of a group of Vadadesa Vadama who fled ConjeeveramKanchipuramKanchipuram, or Kanchi, is a temple city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district...
in the wake of a Muslim attack. - Ramaswamy Dikshitar (1735-1817?) and his son Muthuswamy Dikshitar, eminent Carnatic musicians
- Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha AyyarKonerirajapuram Vaidyanatha AyyarKonerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Ayyar was a Carnatic vocalist from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.- Early life :Vaidyanatha Ayyar was born in 1878 to Narayana Ayyar and Sitalakshmi in the Vathima village of Konerirajapuram in a Vadama Iyer family...
(1878–1921), renowned Carnatic vocalist - Gopalakrishna BharathiGopalakrishna BharathiGopalakrishna Bharati was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He wrote a katAkALatcEpam , NantanAr Carittiram , two other works in this genre, and many independent kritis....
, his father Ramaswami Bharathi and grandfather Kothandarama Bharathi, a family of eminent Carnatic musicians - M. D. RamanathanM. D. RamanathanManjapara Devesa Ramanathan affectionately called MDR was a Carnatic music composer and vocalist.-Early life:...
(1923–1984), composer/vocalist - JayaramJayaramJayaram is an Indian film actor who mainly acts in Malayalam and Tamil films. He is also a chenda percussionist and mimic artist. In 2011, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contribution towards the arts.-Early life:...
(b. 1964) Tamil and Malayalam film actor - Arvind SwamyArvind SwamyArvind Swamy is a former Indian film actor. He has acted in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi. Popular movies to his credit include Roja, Bombay, Minsaara Kanavu, Indira, Devaraagam, Alaipayuthey.- Early life :...
(b. 1967) Tamil and Hindi actor and entrepreneur. - SoundaryaSoundaryaSoundarya was a film actress who appeared in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam films. She acted in more than 90 films, most of them in Telugu. She was killed in a plane crash near Bangalore.-Film career:...
(1971–2004), South Indian film actress. An Ashtagrama Iyer. - Umayalpuram K. SivaramanUmayalpuram K. SivaramanUmayalpuram Kasiviswanatha Sivaraman is an Indian mridangam player. He was awarded with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honor, on the occasion of the country's 61st Republic Day observance on January 26, 2010 and received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Kerala in...
(b. 1935), Carnatic musician and mridangist - Delhi KumarDelhi KumarDelhi Kumar is a Tamil stage, television and film actor who is known for performing supporting roles in teleserials like Metti Oli and Engey Brahmanan. He has also acted in a few Tamil films, such as Kannathil Muthamittal and Enthiran . He is the father of Tamil film actor Arvind Swamy....
, Tamil television and film actor. Father of Arvind Swamy.