Al202xis0 at 05:41, 27 January 2026

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{{Short description|Sub-sect of the Iyer community of Tamil Brahmins of India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| image =
| group = Brahacharanam
| population = Unknown
| popplace = Indian states of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Karnataka]], and [[Kerala]]
| langs = [[Tamil language|Tamil]]<br>[[Malayalam]]<br>[[Kannada]]<br>[[Sanskrit]] (liturgical)
| rels = [[Hinduism]]
| related = [[Iyer]], [[Tamil people]]
}}

'''Brahacharanam''' is a sub-sect of the [[Iyer]] community of [[Tamil Brahmins]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=K. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bfAMAQAAMAAJ&dq=Brahacharanam&pg=PA680 |title=Communities, Segments, Synonyms, Surnames and Titles |date=1996 |publisher=Anthropological Survey of India |isbn=978-0-19-563357-3 |pages=680 |language=en}}</ref> The word "Brahacharanam" is a corruption of the [[Sanskrit]] word '''Brhatcharanam''' ({{langx|sa|बृहत्चरणम्}}). Many Brahacharanam follow the ''[[Advaita Vedanta]]'' philosophy propounded by [[Adi Shankara]]. Some Brahacharanam adhere to [[Shiva Advaita|''Shivadvaita'']]. The Brahacharanams, along with the Vadamas, form the major portion of the [[Kerala Iyer]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Palakkad Iyers - A contrasting story of Brahmin migration |url=http://www.narayanmurti.com/3_49_palakkad_Iyers.php |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=www.narayanmurti.com}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Das (Journalist) |first=M. K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6dh_tAEACAAJ |title=Saga of Kalpathy: The Story of Palghat Iyers |date=2017 |publisher=Ahalia Publications LLP |isbn=978-93-86506-10-8 |language=en}}</ref> community.

==Sub-groups ==

{{unreferenced section|date=May 2017}}

The Brahacharanam are divided into the following subgroups:

* [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kandiramanickkam,+Tamil+Nadu+612604,+India/@10.9069979,79.485906,14z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x3a5530df61ef782f:0xd49b974a47475c07!8m2!3d10.9103781!4d79.5181884!16s%2Fg%2F12jst9tg4?entry=tts Kandiramanickam] (a village in Tiruvarur district, near Kodavasal, in Nachiyar kovil to Nannilam road)
* Milaganur (a village in Sivagangai district)
* Mangudi (a village in Tanjore district near Kumbakonam)
* [[Palamaneri Iyers|Pazhamaneri]] (a village in Tanjore district)
* Kolathur (a village in Kanchipuram district)
* Marudancheri
* Mazhanadu
* Sathyamangalam (Erode district)
* Puduru Dravida<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-18 |title=Constitution Architects: Alladi Krishna Ayyar's Contribution To The Constitution |url=https://www.indiatimes.com/explainers/news/constitution-architects-alladi-krishna-ayyars-contribution-to-the-constitution-590296.html |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=IndiaTimes |language=en-IN}}</ref> (In Andhra Pradesh)

A significant number of Brahacharanams have migrated to [[Kerala]],<ref name=":0" /> where they are part of the Kerala Iyer community. They have also migrated in large numbers to [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Puduru,+Andhra+Pradesh+524126,+India/@13.8961691,79.9274312,14z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x3a4d0556d74967bf:0x2a4d3f9b8a5ef0c1!8m2!3d13.8941605!4d79.9276651!16s%2Fg%2F1tf38z6m Puduru] (meaning new town/village /place) in between Nellore and Chennai, Andhra Pradesh where they form the Puduru Dravida community.<ref>{{Cite web |last=VS |first=Ravi |date=August 27, 2020 |title=The life and times of Sir Alladi - Part I |url=https://newstimenow.com/the-life-and-times-of-sir-alladi-part1-1/ |access-date=5 May 2023 |website=newstimenow.com}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
The word ''bruhat'' in [[Sanskrit]] means "great", "vast" or "significant" and the word ''charanam'' refers to feet. The name Brahacharanam can be thus literally translated as "feet of the greats" referring to the status of a Guru, and the Brahacharanam being those who follow in the footsteps of the Greats.

Another interpretation for Brahacharanam provided by K.A. Nilakanta Sastri in his 'History of South India' is the 'Great Migration'. Sastri notes that this could be taken as evidence of one of the earliest migrations of people from Karnataka into Tamil Nadu, especially given that many Brahacharanam sub-sects have names such as Satyamangalam, Mangudi etc. - all names of villages hugging the [[Western Ghats]], and thereby denoting the route taken from North to South. Sastri considers this interpretation to be too speculative, given there is no direct evidence for the same.

== Origins ==
Their exact origins are not clear but their presence in the Tamil Kingdoms extends back at least to the reign of [[Parantaka Chola II]], who is said to have ''brahmarayars'' as ministers. Many of the agraharam villages of the Brahacharanam also have very ancient origins.

== Traditional role ==

The traditional function of Brahacharanams is to study and impart Vedic knowledge or officiate as priests in religious functions. However, there is evidence that in ancient times, they might have also served in the army or in civil and administrative services. During the Chola period, members of the community (especially the Pazhamaneri Brahacharanam) even served as army commanders. Senapathi [[Krishnan Raman]] was the Commander-in-chief of the Imperial Chola army of [[Rajendra Chola I]].<ref name=" brahmarayar">{{cite book | first= K.A| last=K.A. Nilakanta Sastri| author-link=K.A. Nilakanta Sastri| orig-year= 1935| year= 2000| title= The CōĻas|pages=188–189 |publisher= University of Madras | location= Madras}}</ref> Brahacharanam also consider themselves to be among the first followers of [[Adi Shankaracharya]].{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

== Notable people ==
===Chandrasekhar family (Mangudi sub-group)===
{{main|Chandrasekhar family}}
* Sir [[C.V.Raman]], [[Nobel Prize]] winner in [[Physics]] from [[India]]<ref>World Famous Scientists By Sura College of Competition, Prof. P.R. Sreemahadevan Pillai</ref>{{page needed|date=May 2017}}{{request quotation|date=May 2017}}
*[[Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar]], Nobel Prize winner in Physics from India, nephew of C.V.Raman<ref>Chandra: a biography of S. Chandrasekhar By Kameshwar C. Wali</ref>{{page needed|date=May 2017}}{{request quotation|date=May 2017}}

=== Others ===
* [[Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer]], member of the [[Constituent Assembly of India]] and [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha|M.P. Rajya Sabha]]
* [[Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer]], a Carnatic vocalist<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.karnatik.com/co1113.shtml|title=Royal Carpet Carnatic Composers: MahA VaidhyanAtha Sivan Shivan VaidyanAta Iyer}}</ref>
* [[D. V. Gundappa]], a writer, poet and philosopher<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/kar/writers/dvg.htm|title=Kannada Writers - D. V. Gundappa}}</ref>
* V. Ramaswamy Aiyer, founder of Indian Mathematical Society (Sathyamangala Brahacharanam)
* V. Balakumaran (Tamil writer and novelist)
* Sir P. S. Sivaswamy Iyer, Advocate General of Madras during British times(Palamaneri Brahacharanam)
* Mangudi Dorairaja Iyer (Bharathanatyam teacher)
* Manakkal Nambigal (A vaishnavite saint, disciple of Uyyakondar)
* Manakkal Rangarajan (a renowned Carnatic musician)
* Alladi Ramakrishnan, son of Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer founder of Matscience India (Pudur Dravida)
* Alladi Kuppusamy Iyer, prominent Jurist son of Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer (Pudur Dravida)
* T. Paramasiva Iyer, district sessions judge of Bangalore (Mangudi Brahacharanam)
* T. Sadasiva Iyer, chief justice of Travancore, brother of T. Paramasiva Iyer (Mangudi Brahacharanam)
* Mahakavi C. Subramania Bharathi (Tamil poet)
* Kothamangalam Subbu (Tamil poet, lyricst, author)
* Subramaniya Siva (Tamil Writer and Pure Tamil Movement Activist)
* Natarajan Chandrasekaran (chairperson of Air India and Tata Sons)
* M. Gopala Krishna Iyer (Tamil writer and founder of Madurai Manavar Senthamil Sangam)
* B.Rajam Iyer (Carnatic Singer)
* Ramana Maharshi ( famous spiritual saint)
* Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer ( Renowned Veena Player)
* Karaikudi Mani ( Renowned Mridangist)
* Natesa Sastri ( Indian Polyglot)
* B.R Rajam Iyer( notable Indian Lawyer during colonial period)
* B.S Ramiah ( Tamil Journalist)
* C.S Chellappa ( Tamil Journalist)
* judge L S Parthasarathy iyer of lalgudi(Malanadu Brahacharanam)- sessions judge
* Dr S Kalyanaraman neurologist
* Mylrengam Natesa Iyer Banker( Tamilnadu Central Bank)
* Lalgudi G Jayaraman violinist
* Jeyarathan (S. Venkatasubramanian), Tamil Novelist / writer - (Khandaramanickam Brahacharanam)
* Trichy Sankaran ( Famous Mridangist)
* Edayathumangalam C Rangaswami Ayyar ( Founder of E.R Higher Secondary School, Tiruchirappalli)
* Dr Raj Iyer ( US Army's CIO)

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Tamil Brahmins]]
[[Category:Smarta tradition]]

Brahacharanam - Revision history

Al202xis0 at 05:41, 27 January 2026