ಸ್ಮಾರ್ಟ್ ಪರಿವಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಸುಸ್ವಾಗತWelcomeಸ್ಮಾರ್ಟ್ ಪರಿವಾರ (ಪೆರಿಚರಣ ಅಥವಾ ಬೃಹಚರಣ ಪರಿವಾರ)
Brahacharanam or Pericharan is a sub-sect of the Iyer community of Tamil Brahmins. The word "Brahacharanam or Pericharan" is a corruption of the Sanskrit word Brhatcharanam (Sanskrit: ब्रहतचरनम्).The Brahacharanam or Pericharan are more Saivite than the Vadamas They, along with the Vadamas, form the major portion of the Kerala Iyercommunity.EtymologyThe word bruhat in Sanskrit means great,vast or significant and the word charanam refers to feet. The name Brahacharanam or Pericharan can be thus literally translated as the great feet as a representation of the status as a Guru as those who follow the footsteps of the Great. 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. According to some, they made their way into the Tamil country through the Satyamangalam The Brahacharanam or Pericharana are divided into the following subgroups:
A significant number of Brahacharanams have migrated to Kerala, where they are part of the Kerala Iyer community. They have also migrated in large numbers to Puttur in Andhra Pradesh where they form the Puthur Dravida community. Cultural aspectsMostly worshippers of Shiva. They cover their forehead with Sacred ashes. Some of them even used to wear the symbol of linga on their heads. However the Sathyamangalam group have some members who wear the vaishnava mark. Women also dress like other Iyers. In the ancient times, the cloth worn by the women used to be of little more than a knee's length. Among the Milaganur Brahacharanam,Adrishya Pondugal ceremony is celebrated in which four women, a widow and a bachelor are invited to a feast. This was done in order to propitate four women who disappeared due to the ill treatment of their mothers in law.[2] It has been documented that some Bracharanam who lived in places like Mangudi were such rigid saivaites that they would not even utter Govinda's name and lived a life of Stern austerity Traditional RoleThey were traditionally priests and Vedic teachers and also performed yagnas. Some of them also seemed to have assumed the title of dikshitar. Brahacharanam also consider themselves to be among the first followers of Adi Shankaracharya. List of BrahacharanamsSome famous Brahacharanams are:
(Dharmarāja Adhvarin (b. 17th century C.E., Khandaramanikkam, Tanjor, India) was a Hindu philosopher. He developed the Advaita theory of knowledge. Up to this point metaphysicsand epistemology were treated as one in Indian philosophy.)
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- Manakkal Nambigal, disciple of Uyyakondar an early disciple of Nathamuni
- Krishnan Raman Brahmarayar: Commander-in-chief of the Chola army
Krishnan Raman joined the service of Raja Raja Chola and rose to become an important Senapati or commander. He was given the title Mummadi Brahmarayar Niyomanam. The Leyden Copper plates are an important source of information about him. Krishnan Raman's achievements as an officer won him administrative roles and he was made a Tirumandira Olainayagam, who was the highest officer in the bureaucratic setup.
Commander-in-chief
Krishnan Raman became the commander-in-chief of the Chola army under Raja Raja's son Rajendra Chola and assumed the traditional title Rajendrasola Brahmarayan. He was succeeded by his son Jananathan who distinguished himself in many of the Chola campaigns. Jananathan was known as the crest jewel of the Cholas.
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Religious endowments
Krishnan Raman is known for the religious endowments he made. He was one of the main donors to the Brahadeeswarar temple at Thanjavur. Inscriptions in the Rajarajeswaram temple indicate that Krishnan Raman constructed the fortifications around the temple. This wall is known asKrishnan Raman Tiruchurrumaligai. This is one of the oldest surviving defensive walls around any Chola temple. A metal image of Ardhanariswara was donated by him in 1014 AD.
- Vaidyanatha Dikshitar of the 17th century, the renowned author of Vaidhiyanatha Dikishiyam- Smurthi Mukthabhala Nibandana Grandham which laid down the code of conduct for Brahmins.
- Mahakavi C.Subramania Bharathi - A Great Tamil Poet and Freedom Fighter [12]
- C.V.Raman Nobel Prize winner in Physics from India who did his entire research in India itself and hailing from Mangudi,a famous Tanjore Village[5]
- Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar Another Nobel Prize winner in Physics from India, nephew of C.V.Raman and also from Mangudi [6]
- P. S. Sivaswami Iyer - Advocate General of Madras during British times
- Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer Carnatic vocalist of Vaiyacheri, Tanjore [7]
- Sir Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer One of the founding father of Inidan constitution[8]
- Kalki Sadasivam - Freedom Fighter and husband of M. S. Subbulakshmi.
- K. R. Rajamani Aiyer (1919-2003) - Indian Freedom Fighter
- Sir K. Seshadri Iyer, (1845-1901) Dewan of Mysore from February 1883 to March 1901, the longest tenure for any Dewan of the princely state. Regarded as the "maker of modern Bangalore".
- V.S.Ramachandran One of the most Eminent and well known Neuro scientist of modern times[9]
- Professor Alladi Ramakrishnan One of the top scientists of India and founder of Matscience India]
- Dorairaja Iyer A great scholar of Bharatanatyam[10]
- V. Balakumaran (b. 1946), Tamil writer, playwright and novelist
- M.R.Jambunathan Gandhian and also an Eminent Vedic Scholar who translated Vedas into Tamil[11]
- Vedam Venkataraya Sastry Sanskrit Scholar in Madras Christian college. Translated many Sanskrit works into telugu[8]
- P R Srinivasan Eminent Epigraphist
- R. Manikandan (b.1976), Poet and Tamil Writer
