Vadama

Vadama
*வடமா*
Regions with significant populations
	Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh
Languages
	Brahmin Tamil
Religion
	Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
	Iyer, Tamil people

Vadama (Tamil "Northerners") are a sub-section of the Iyer group of Tamil Brahmins.

Etymology of the term

The term Vadama may have originated from the Tamil term 'Vadakku' meaning North, indicating the Northern origin of the Vadama Brahmins^[1]. 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.^[2]. It is not certain is whether 'North' refers to northern Tamil Nadu/Southern Deccan, or regions further 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, associated with the north prior to the first millennium.^[3]^[4]

Sub-categories

They have further sub-categories among themselves based on the region or place of origin. They are:

Vadadesa Vadama (Vadamas of the northern country)
Choladesa Vadama^[5]^[6](Vadamas of the Chola country)
Sabhaiyar(member of the conference (Sabha))
Injee^[4] 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, which took place outside the Iyer fold. ^[7]

Origins

Some historians hold that all Brahmins who migrated to the far-south during and after the age of the Gupta Emperors, came to be classified as Vadama.^[8]

First Millennium A.D.

There is a perception that some Kashmir-linked Vadama settled in Tirunelveli between 750 and 800 AD. This has been suggested based on an inscription at the temple of Tiruvalishvaram one of the earliest Nataraja temples in South India^{[citation needed]}. 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^[9].Art Historians such as Vasundhara Filliozat claim that there are inscriptional evidences to prove the continuous migration of teachers from Kashmir to South^[9]. Such scholars also state that some other South Indian Saivaite and Tantric traditions were also introduced by teachers from Kashmir.^[9]

It appears that the Sabhaiyar group of the Vadama, were present in the Chola Empire in the ninth 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.^[10]

The Srivaishnava hold that their guru Ramanujacharya was born a Vadama. It would appear from his biography, that his family had settled well into the region around modern-day Arcot and spoke Tamil at home. Though the exact period of his existence is subject to speculation, it is unequivocally agreed upon that he lived in the 10th-11th century A.D. thus indicating the likelihood of a substantial Vadama presence by the 11th century.

Second Millennium A.D.

A tradition from Kerala holds that the Vadama amongst the Palghat Iyers came in fleeing the destruction created by the armies of Alauddin Khilji, and directly settled in Kerala, rather than taking the more common, albeit more circuitous, route of most Palghat Iyers, of sojourning in the Tanjore and Madurai areas before migrating there.^{[citation needed]} This might, perhaps, be on account of the Sultan's armies taking the route to, and reaching Madurai, before turning back north by way of Trichinopoly. It is also noteworthy to observe that the Tugluq armies, which followed the route of the Khilji invasions, succeeded in setting up the short-lived Madurai Sultanate, in the early 14th century, thus giving additional reason for Hindus to avoid Madurai. However, since most Kerala Iyers migrated from different regions of modern Tamil Nadu into Kerala in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries in the reign of the Kerala Varmans and many Palghat Vadama trace their origin to the same families and villages as many Tanjore Vadama, the origins of this tradition are uncertain.

According to some traditions, a large number of Dikshits from Thrayambak (near Nasik) on the banks of the river Godavari fled Thrayambak at the onslaught of the Muslim rulers and found refuge in Vijayanagar kings. They then migrated further south enjoying the patronage of the rulers of Kancheepuram and Vellore. With Nilakanta Dikshitar being gifted Paalaamadai and other villages by Thirumala Naick of Madurai, Dikshitar invited his kin to come and share his gift. Most of the Vadadesa Vadamas of Tirunelveli can trace their origins to the two families of Nilakanta Dikshitar and Srinivasa Dikshitar. These families migrated to other villages in the course of time and are found in large numbers in Kadayam, Gangaikondan, Cheranmahadevi, Pathamadai, Paalaamadai and Tharuvai amongst several others. ^{[citation needed]}

Instability prevailed in Peninsular India in the aftermath of the establishment of the Moslem sultanates in the Deccan and the Mogul invasion of Peninsular India in the reign of Aurangzeb. It must also be remembered that it was early in the reign of Aurangzeb that the depredations of the Deccan by the Mahrattas under Shivaji began. A combination of these belligerent powers and the desolation they helped create may 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 could have induced many Hindus to migrate there. A fact supporting this idea, we have from English chroniclers in the 1600s, is that their procurement of goods along the west coast of India, along the Concan and Canara coasts, suffered severely after the Mogul invasions and the mass depopulation of the peninsula they caused ^[11]. 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 ^[11]. 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.

An interesting point which provides an insight into Vadama origins, is that the Vadama who migrated to what are today Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh in the 17th century called themselves Dravida Brahmins.^[12]

Other Communities

It is also not uncommon for many Iyengars even to this day, especially Vadakalai Iyengars, to claim this community as their origin.^[13] Also, Some of the Gurukkal 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.^[4]

There is also evidence that some South Indian brahmins settled in Kashmir. The actual sect of their origin is not known. ^[14]

There is a perception that some Aarama Dravida Brahmins of Andhra Pradesh hold that their ancestors 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. ^[15] If the ancestors of the Aaraama Dravida, were indeed Vadama, it would appear that a section of the Vadama came to the Tamil lands from Saurashtra in the 13th-14th centuries.

Traditional occupation

They are held to have been the land-lords and head-men of the Brahmin villages called agraharams^[16]. They may also have organised the agraharams' defence in turbulent times^[16]. A proverb still prevalent amongst the Aiyers indicating the supposed short-temper of Vadama Brahmins, may be indicative of their martial past.^{[citation needed]} 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 and the writings of travellers, most prominently Ibn Battuta and Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.

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 nineteenth 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 Naick of Madurai. Sri Visakam Thirunal Rama Varma of Travancore had several Vadama in his court as Tharka Sastrys, whose duty was to advise the king.^{[citation needed]}

In the nineteenth 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.^[17]

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 Vibhuthi. However, there were some others like Appayya Dikshitar's family who 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.

The Vadama traditionally claim to be superior to other classes of Iyers^[18]. However it was not uncommon for other brahmin sects to talk proudly about their own superiority. 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:

Narmadayai namah pratah Narmadayai namo nisi Namostu Narmade tubhyam pahi mam visa-sarpatah^[19]

Also, in some parts of Kerala, as Nambudiri Brahmacharis were not commonly found^[20], 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.^[21]

Eminent Vadama

Syama Sastri, one of the doyens of Carnatic Music, a descendant of a group of Vadadesa Vadama who fled Conjeeveram in the wake of a Muslim attack.^[22]^[23]
Sundara Swamigal, a Hindu religious exponent of the mid 19th century and philosophical mentor of the famed Carnatic musician Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer^[24]
Gopalakrishna Bharathi, his father Ramaswami Bharathi and grandfather Kothandarama Bharathi, a family of eminent Carnatic musicians^[25]^[26]
Ramaswamy Dikshitar (1735-1817?) and his son Muthuswamy Dikshitar, eminent Carnatic musicians^[27]
Avadayakkal, a Saivite saint ^[28]
Appayya Dikshitar 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 Vellore and Madurai, Chinnabomma Nayak and Tirumalai Nayak, respectively.^[29]
Srinivasa Dikshitar of Thoopil (near Conjeeveram), father-in-law of Appayya Dikshitar of Adayapalam.
The Vaishnava saints Ramanuja^[30], Tirumalai Nambi^[31] and Mudaliyandan ^[31] were born Vadama.
TVS Giri - Founder of Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, now called GIRI Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).
Sir S. Subramania Aiyer, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court ^{[citation needed]}

References

^ "South Indian Studies", Harogadde Manappa Nayak, Balakrishnan Raja Gopal, T. V. Mahalingam, Geetha Book House, 1990
^ "Journal of the Asiatic Society", India Asiatic Society, 1832
^ "Peasant state and society in medieval South India", Burton Stein, Oxford University Press, 1980
^ ^a ^b ^c All About Hinduism
^ "Caste in Indian Politics", R. Kothari, Orient Longman, 2004
^ "Inequality and Its Perpetuation: A Theory of Social Stratification", Victor Salvadore D' Souza, University of California Press, 1981
^ Srivaishnavism
^ "History of Tamilnad", N. Subrahmanian, Koodal Publishers, Tamil Nadu, 1977
^ ^a ^b ^c Art and Culture in Ancient Kashmir
^ What Is India News Service
^ ^a ^b "A New Account of the East Indies", Captain Alexander Hamilton, published 1739, A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch, London
^ "Rahul Dravid - A Biography", Vedam Jaishankar (ISBN 817476481X). Publisher: UBSPD Publications, January 2004
^ "Rural Society in Southeast India", Kathleen Gough, Cambridge University Press, 1982
^ http://vitasta.org/2001/1.6.html This website references Kalhana's Rajatarangini which says that some Dravid Brahmins were settled at Sempora when Raja Jaya Simha (1128-1149) ruled over Kashmir
^ http://www.vepachedu.org/manasanskriti/aaraamadraavida.html This reference quotes "Aaraamadraavida Vamsacharitra," written (1935) by Anantapadmanaabham Dvivedula (1888-1947), published by Venkataramarao Dvivedula, Samkhavaram, Andhra Pradesh - 533446.
^ ^a ^b "Journal of the Andhra Historical Society", Andhra Historical Research Society, Rajahmundry, Madras Presidency, 1929
^ "From Landlords to Software Engineers: Migration and Urbanization among Tamil Brahmans", C. J. Fuller and Haripriya Narasimhan, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2008
^ "Tanjore District Handbook", Madras Record Office, Madras, India, 1957
^ Vedic Vocalisation and the Regional Languages from the Chapter "Siksa", in Hindu Dharma : kamakoti.org:
^ Frequently Asked Questions
^ "Castes and Tribes of South India", Edgar Thurston and K. Rangachari, Government Press, 1909
^ "Indian Music", Bigamudre Chaitanya Deva, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, 1974
^ "Facets of Indian Culture", Ramanuja Srinivasan, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1962
^ "A Dictionary of South Indian Music and Musicians", P. Sambamoorthy, Indian Publishing House, 1952
^ "Studies in Arts and Sciences", S. Thiruvenkatachari, Ram Bros., 1978
^ "Bharati and the Fine Arts", T. S. Parthasarathy, publ. in "Shanmukha", 1982
^ "Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini" by Nārāyaṇatīrtha, Balasubrahmanya Natarajan, Balasubrahmanyam Venkataraman, Balasubrahmanyan Ramachandran, Mudgala Trust, 1990
^ A Kali Yuga woman saint
^ 'Sri Appayya Dikshita', N. Ramesan, Srimad Appayya Dikshitendra Granthavaliu Prakashana Samithi, Hyderabad, India, 1972
^ Ramanuja
^ ^a ^b "History of Sri Vaishnavism in the Tamil Country: Post-Ramanuja", N. Jagadeesan, Koodal Publishers, 1977