Godrejsplender at 13:10, 21 November 2025

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{{Short description|Historical Indian land grant to Brahmins}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Redirect|Agrahara}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}

[[File:Bhaskararajapuram agraharam.jpg|thumb|right|200px| An ''Agraharam'' in [[Thanjavur District]], [[Tamil Nadu]]]]
[[File:Agraharam.jpg|right|thumb|An Agraharam from [[Tirunelveli]] assembled within the [[DakshinaChitra]] museum.]]
An '''''Agraharam''''' ({{Langx|Ta|அக்கிரகாரம் or அக்ரஹாரம்|Akkirakāram resp. Akrahāram}} or {{Langx|Sa|𑌅𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌾𑌰|Agrahāra}}) was a grant of land and royal income from it, typically by a king or a noble family in ancient [[Tamilakam]] and in modern times in southern part of [[India]], for religious purposes, particularly to [[Brahmin]]s to maintain temples in that land or a pilgrimage site and to sustain their families.<ref name="Talbot2001p89">{{cite book|author=Cynthia Talbot|title=Precolonial India in Practice: Society, Region, and Identity in Medieval Andhra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pfAKljlCJq0C|year=2001|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-803123-9|pages=89, 161, 169}}</ref><ref>AA Macdonnell, [http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/macdonell_query.py?page=9 A practical Sanskrit dictionary with transliteration, accentuation, and etymological analysis throughout]{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} London: Oxford University Press, page 9</ref> Agraharams were also known as {{Langx|ta|சதுர்வேதி மங்கலம்|Caturvēti Maṅkalam}} in ancient times. They were also known as ghatoka, and boya. Agraharams were built and maintained by dynasties such as the [[Pandya dynasty|Pandya]], [[Cholas]], [[Kadamba dynasty|Kadambas]], [[Pallavas]], [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagara]] and other [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]] dynasties since ancient times.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-05 |title=Sanskrit Education and Literature in Ancient and Medieval Tamil Nadu – DK Printworld (P) Ltd. |url=https://dkprintworld.com/product/sanskrit-education-and-literature-in-ancient-and-medieval-tamil-nadu/ |access-date=2023-04-08 |language=en-GB |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408102157/https://dkprintworld.com/product/sanskrit-education-and-literature-in-ancient-and-medieval-tamil-nadu/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

They were known by different names in different parts of India, like Sāsana in Odisha.
The name Agraharam originates from the fact that the agraharams have lines of houses on either side of the road and the temple to the village god at the centre, thus resembling a garland around the temple. According to the traditional [[Hindu architecture|Hindu practice of architecture]] and town-planning, an agraharam is held to be two rows of houses running north–south on either side of a road at one end of which would be a temple to [[Shiva]] and at the other end, a temple to [[Vishnu]]. An example is [[Vadiveeswaram]] in [[Tamil Nadu]].

With Brahmins taking up professions in urban areas and some migrating abroad, Agraharams are vanishing fast. Many of the traditional houses are giving way to concrete structures and commercial buildings. Agraharams were started in south India during the Pallava period since they followed [[Veda]]s. Initially, the Agraharam was maintained fully using royal patronage but later the Agraharam become a self-sustaining economy.

== History ==
An early example of an existing description of an ''agraharam'' has been found in a 3rd-century CE [[Sangam literature|Sangam poem]] called ''[[Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai]]''.<ref name="srinivasaiyengar">{{cite book |author=P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar |author-link=P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar |title=History of the Tamils from the Earliest Times to 600 A. D. |year=1929 |pages=388–389}}</ref><ref name="govindhanar1996">{{cite book |author=K. Govindhanar |url=https://www.tamilvu.org/library/nationalized/pdf/17-kagovindan/perumpanattrupadai_vilakkaurai.pdf |title=பெரும்பாணாற்றுப்படை – விளக்கவுரை |publisher=எழிலகம் |year=1996 |isbn=81-85703-17-5 |location=Chennai |page=131 |language=Ta |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615205051/https://www.tamilvu.org/library/nationalized/pdf/17-kagovindan/perumpanattrupadai_vilakkaurai.pdf |archive-format=PDF |archive-date=15 Jun 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> The poem is composed in the '''Akaval''' meter and consists of 500 lines.<ref>{{cite book|author=Kamil Zvelebil|title=The Smile of Murugan: On Tamil Literature of South India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=degUAAAAIAAJ|year=1973|publisher=BRILL|isbn=90-04-03591-5 |pages=56–57}}</ref>

'''(1) Iyengar's Version — in ''Akaval'' meter'''

{{blockquote|செழுங்கன் றியாத்த சிறுதாட் பந்தர்ப்
பைஞ்சேறு மெழுகிய படிவ நன்னகர் 
மனையூறை கோழியொடு ஞமலி தன்னுது 
வளைவாய்க் கிள்ளை மறைவிளி பயிற்று 
மறைகாப் பாள ருறைபதிச் சேப்பீற் 
பெருநல் வானத்து வடவயின் விளங்குஞ் 
சிறுமீன் புரையுங் கற்பி னறுநுதல் 
வளைக்கை மகடூஉ வயினரறிக் தட்ட 
சுடர்க்கடைப் பறவைப் பெயர்ப்படு வத்தஞ் 
சேதா நறுமோர் வெண்ணெயின் மாதுளத் 
துருப்புறு பசுங்காய்ப் போழொடு கறிகலந்து 
கஞ்சக நறுமுறி யளைஇப் பைந்துணர் 
நெடுமரக் கொக்கி னறுவடி விதிர்த்த 
தகைமாண் காடியின் வகைபடப் பெறுகுவிர்.

Ceḻuṅkaṉ ṟiyātta ciṟutāṭ pantarp
paiñcēṟu meḻukiya paṭiva naṉṉakar 
maṉaiyūṟai kōḻiyoṭu ñamali taṉṉutu 
vaḷaivāyk kiḷḷai maṟaiviḷi payiṟṟu 
maṟaikāp pāḷar uṟaipatic cēppīṟ 
perunal vāṉattu vaṭavayiṉ viḷaṅkuñ 
ciṟumīṉ puraiyuṅ kaṟpiṉ naṟunutal 
vaḷaikkai makaṭū'u vayiṉaraṟik taṭṭa 
cuṭarkkaṭaip paṟavaip peyarppaṭu vattañ 
cētā naṟumōr veṇṇeyiṉ mātuḷat 
turuppuṟu pacuṅkāyp pōḻoṭu kaṟikalantu 
kañcaka naṟumuṟi yaḷai'ip paintuṇar 
neṭumarak kokkiṉ naṟuvaṭi vitirtta 
takaimāṇ kāṭiyiṉ vakaipaṭap peṟukuvir.|author=P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar quotes the original author {{Langx|ta|உருத்திரங் கண்ணனார்|Uruttiraṅ Kaṇṇaṉār|links=no|label=none}}|title={{Langx|ta|பெரும்பான்|Perumpāṉ|links=no|label=none}} II (297-310)|source=<ref name="srinivasaiyengar" />}}

'''(2) Iyengar's Translation'''

{{blockquote|The houses had in front of them, a shed with short legs to which were tied fat calves; the houses were washed with cowdung and had idols (inside them). Domestic fowl and dogs did not approach them. It was the village of the guardians of the Veda who teach its sounds to the parrots with the bent mouth. If you (bard) reach (the place), fair faced bangled ladies who are as chaste as (Arundhathi) the little star which shines in the north of the bright, broad sky, will after sunset feed you on the well-cooked rice named after the bird (explained by the commentator as the rice called ''irasanam'') along with slices of citron boiled in butter taken, from the buttermilk derived from red cows and scented with the leaves of the karuvembu, and mixed with pepper-powder, and the sweet-smelling tender fruit plucked from the tall mango tree and pickled.|author=P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar|source=<ref name="srinivasaiyengar" />}}

'''(3) Modern editorial Tamil rendering (Govindhanar, 1996)'''

{{blockquote|செழும் கன்று யாத்த சிறுதாள் பந்தர் 
பைஞ் சேறு மெழுகிய படிவ நல் நகர், 
மனை ஊறை கோழியோடு ஞமலி துன்னாது, 
வளைவாய்க் கிள்ளை மறைவிளி பயிற்றும் 
மறை காப்பாளர் உறை பதிச் சேப்பின், 
பெருநல் வானத்து வடவியன் விளங்கும் 
சிறு மீன் புரையும் கற்பின் நறு நுதல், 
வளைக்கை மகடூஉ வயின் அறிந்து அட்ட, 
சுடர்க் கடைப் பறவைப் பெயர்ப் படு வத்தம், 
சேதா நறுமோர் வெண்ணெயின் மாதுளத்து 
உருப்புறு பசுங்காய்ப் பொழோடு கறிகலந்து, 
கஞ்சக நறு முறி அளைஇப் பைந்துணர் 
நெடுமரக் கொக்கின் நறுவடி விதிர்த்த 
தகைமாண் காடியின் வகை படப் பெறுகுவிர்.

Ceḻum kaṉṟu yātta ciṟutāḷ pantar 
paiñ cēṟu meḻukiya paṭiva nal nakar, 
maṉai ūṟai kōḻiyōṭu ñamali tuṉṉātu, 
vaḷaivāyk kiḷḷai maṟaiviḷi payiṟṟum 
maṟai kāppāḷar uṟai patic cēppiṉ, 
perunal vāṉattu vaṭaviyaṉ viḷaṅkum 
ciṟu mīṉ puraiyum kaṟpiṉ naṟu nutal, 
vaḷaikkai makaṭū'u vayiṉ aṟintu aṭṭa, 
cuṭark kaṭaip paṟavaip peyarp paṭu vattam, 
cētā naṟumōr veṇṇeyiṉ mātuḷattu 
uruppuṟu pacuṅkāyp poḻōṭu kaṟikalantu, 
kañcaka naṟu muṟi aḷai'ip paintuṇar 
neṭumarak kokkiṉ naṟuvaṭi vitirtta 
takaimāṇ kāṭiyiṉ vakai paṭap peṟukuvir.|author=K. Govindhanar|title={{Langx|ta|பெரும்பான்|Perumpāṉ|links=no|label=none}} II (297-310)|source=<ref name="govindhanar1996" />}}

== Places with the name ''Agraharam'' or ''Agrahara'' ==

=== Andhra Pradesh ===

There are a number of places in Andhra Pradesh named ''agraharam''. These places may have originated as Bramhin-populated villages. Examples of such settlements include:

* Agraharam, Kanuru, in Peravali mandal of the [[West Godavari district]]
* Agraharam, Siddavaram, in Porumamilla mandal of [[Kadapa district]]
* Aatreyapuram Agraharam, village and a mandal in [[East Godavari district]]
* Chennupalli Agraharam, in Ballikurva mandal of [[Prakasam district]]
* Chintapalli agraharam, in Pentapadu mandal of West Godavari district
* Kotha Agraharam, in S.Rayavaram mandal of [[Vishakhapatnam district]]
* Tirumala Samudra Agraharam (T S Agraharam) in palamaner Mandal of chittoor district

=== Karnataka ===

There are a number of places in Southern Karnataka named ''agrahara''. These places might have, probably, originated as Brahmin villages.
* Agrahara, (near Baragur) Handikunte post, Sira taluk, Tumkur district
* [[Agrahara, Arkalgud]], in Hassan district
* [[Agrahara, Arsikere]], in Hassan district
* [[Agrahara, Channarayapatna]], in Hassan district
* [[Agrahara, Chiknayakanhalli]], in Tumkur district
* [[Agrahara, Chintamani]], in Kolar district
* [[Agrahara, Holalkere]], in Chitradurga district
* [[Agrahara, Hosadurga]], in Chitradurga district
* [[Agrahara, Hunsur]], in Mysore district
* [[Agrahara, Kadur]], in Chikmagalur district
* [[Agrahara, Kanakapura]], in Bangalore Rural district
* [[Agrahara, Koratagere]], in Tumkur district
* [[Agrahara, Malur]], in Kolar district
* [[Agrahara, Sandur]], in Bellary district
* [[Agrahara, Shrirangapattana]], in Mandya district
* [[Agrahara, Sira]], in Tumkur district
* [[Agrahara, Srinivaspur]], in Kolar district
* [[Agrahara Bachahalli]], in Krishnarajpet taluk of Mandya district
* [[Agrahara Palya]], in Bangalore North taluk of Bangalore district
* [[Agrahara Somarasanahalli]], in Kola taluk of Kolar district
* [[Agrahara Vaddahalli]], in Hosakote taluk of Bangalore Rural district
* [[Agrahara Valagerehalli]], in Channapatna taluk of Bangalore Rural district
* [[Konappana Agrahara]], town in [[Anekal taluk]] adjoining [[Electronics City]]
* [[Konena Agrahara]]
* [[Rupena Agrahara]]

=== Tamil Nadu ===

* [[Annalagraharam]], village in [[Kumbakonam taluk]] of [[Thanjavur district]]
* [[Ganapathi Agraharam]], village in [[Thanjavur district]]
* Bommasamudram Agraharam, village in Vasan Nagar, [[Tiruchirappalli district]]
* [[Pallipalayam Agraharam]], village in [[Namakkal district]]
* [[Devakottai|Devakottai Silambani Agraharam]], located in [[Sivaganga district]]
* [[Thiruvattar]] Agraharam in [[Kanyakumari]] district adjascent to [[Adikesava Perumal Temple, Kanyakumari]] which is home to successors of [[Tuluva Brahmin]] priests employed by the erstwhile [[Travancore royal family]] in [[Trivandrum]]

=== Kerala ===
[[File:Kalpathy Agrahara, Palakkad, India4.jpg|thumbnail|Kalpathy Agrahara, Kerala]]
*[[File:Kunnamkulam Angadi 07.jpg|thumb|Kunnamkulam Angady]]There is a famous Agraharam in [[Thiruvananthapuram]], called [[Valiyasala Mahadeva Temple|Valiya Sala]] which is the lengthiest Agraharam in India.
*[[Agraharams]] in [[Palakkad]] district are around 96. When the villages are counted in the municipal area, there are around 18 of them. The concept is similar with houses in row on both sides and a temple at one end. They may differ in shapes – some are in straight line, some are T-shaped and few have multiple temples within the village.
* There are several other [[Agraharams]] in [[Trivandrum]] city including the ones in and around [[Padmanabhaswamy Temple]], [[East Fort]], [[Karamana]] and [[Ulloor]].

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.kuzhalmannamagraharam.info/ Kuzhalmannam Agraharam], one among agraharams of [[Palakkad]] where [[Kerala]] [[Iyers]] live.

[[Category:Society of Karnataka]]
[[Category:Tamil society]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities]]

Agraharam - Revision history

Godrejsplender at 13:10, 21 November 2025