22/12/2023
Bhagavadh Ramanujacharya
Iyengar or Ayyangar is a caste given to Hindu Iyengar Brahmins of Tamil origin, who follow the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Ramanuja. They are found mostly in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu but some live in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
There are various opinions regarding the etymology of Iyengar.
t is derived from Ayya, a Prakrit version of the Sanskrit word Arya, along with the Telugu honorific plural suffix garu.
Robert Lester says that the word “Ayyangaar”,an alternate transliteration, was first used by Kandhaadai Ramanuja Ayyangaar of Tirupathi around 1450 AD.
Iyengar are divided into two different sub-sects and, as with other Hindu communities, they are also classified based on their gotra, or patrilineal descent. The original language of the Iyengar Brahmins is Tamil, but they also speak other languages, notably Telugu and Kannada. The Iyengar community traces their origin in Tamil Nadu from the period of Ramanuja.
Iyengars sport a namam (Thiruman+Srichurnam) as a caste-mark.
