Hebbar Iyengars
Encyclopedia
Hebbar Iyengar
s ( , ,), formerly an endogamous group, constitute a part of the Iyengar
sub-caste of the Karnataka
Brahmins. They are traditionally followers of Ramanuja
and Vedanta Desika
. They hail primarily from Hassan, Mysore, Tumkur
, Bangalore
, and surrounding areas in southern Karnataka
. The etymology of Hebbar, in Kannada, resolves to "hebbu/hiridhu" (or big) + "haaruva" (or brahmin).
. The groups' primary mother tongue is Hebbar Tamil which is spoken in most Hebbar Iyengar households.
: पञ्चाग्रम) are:
There are however more than a dozen villages in southern Karnataka region from which Hebbar Iyengars hail. It is tradition to visit and participate in the annual celebration (utsava/ jAtre/ thEru) of the graAma-devata. They are:
, Kumbakonam
and Srirangam
.
along with four other villages the first of the settlement of the Srivaishnava Brahmins migrating from the Saaligrama(Mysore)/Ramanathapura(Hassan) regions to these villages occurred as directed by Sri Ramanuja after he converted the Hiriya Haaruvas to Srivaishnavism and called them Hebbars. A number of temples dedicated to ‘Vaishnavite’ deities were constructed & Srivaishnava Brahmins were appointed to perform the rituals in them during the Hoysala time especially during the reign of Sri Vishnuvardhana (it was during this time an impetus to Hinduism over the then religion of Jainism – as signified by the sculptures & basadies of Sravanabelgola gained strength).
Brahmin
who was a minister in Hoysala Veera Ballala's court. This is based on records carved on a tablet of stone in the Yoga
Narasimha
temple. The name Shanti
Grama
is due to the queen Shantala Devi
of Hoysala dynasty
. See http://www.shantigrama.com.
of Vijayanagara bestowed vast lands to three families of Hebbars in Gangamula, Kalasa and Neria. Hebbar Iyengars can still be found in these villages. However, some Hebbars (e.g. Hebbars from Neria) converted from the Srivaishnava
sect of Ramanujacharya to the Dvaita
teachings of Madhvacharya
at a later date. They joined the Sode Mutt of Udupi during the time of Sri Vadiraja Swami. They now are considered Tuluva Hebbars
. The other two Hebbar families of Gangamula and Kalasa joined the Sringeri Mutt of Sri Shankaracharya
.
Iyengar
Iyengar or Ayyangar is a caste given to Hindu Brahmins of Tamil origin who follow the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Sri Ramanujacharya. They are found mostly in Tamil Nadu as they are generally native to the Tamil Nadu state of the Republic of India...
s ( , ,), formerly an endogamous group, constitute a part of the Iyengar
Iyengar
Iyengar or Ayyangar is a caste given to Hindu Brahmins of Tamil origin who follow the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Sri Ramanujacharya. They are found mostly in Tamil Nadu as they are generally native to the Tamil Nadu state of the Republic of India...
sub-caste of the Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
Brahmins. They are traditionally followers of Ramanuja
Ramanuja
Ramanuja ; traditionally 1017–1137, also known as Ramanujacharya, Ethirajar , Emperumannar, Lakshmana Muni, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete...
and Vedanta Desika
Vedanta Desika
Vedanta Desika was a Sri Vaishnava Guru. He was a poet, devotee, philosopher and master-teacher...
. They hail primarily from Hassan, Mysore, Tumkur
Tumkur
Tumkur is one of the busiest industrial towns located in the state of Karnataka. Since 28 August 2010, Tumkur has been accorded the status of a Corporation city. It is situated at a distance of 70 kilometers north west of the city of Bangalore along National Highway 4...
, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, and surrounding areas in southern Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. The etymology of Hebbar, in Kannada, resolves to "hebbu/hiridhu" (or big) + "haaruva" (or brahmin).
Hebbar Tamil
The characteristic dialect of the Hebbar Iyengars is called Hebbar Tamil and is a mixture of Iyengar Tamil, Kannada and SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
. The groups' primary mother tongue is Hebbar Tamil which is spoken in most Hebbar Iyengar households.
Ancestral villages
The Hebbar Iyengars are an immigrant brahmin group from Tamil Nadu who settled in the Karnataka province, and their descendants formed themselves into five groups called Panchagrama, each being composed of five villages. The five villages or pancha gramas (SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: पञ्चाग्रम) are:
- Shanti Grama
- BelurBelurBelur may refer to any of the following:* Belur, Karnataka, town in Karnataka, India* Belur, West Bengal, India, a locality on the west bank of the Hooghly River* Belur Math, the religious abbey located in Belur, West Bengal, India...
- NuggehalliNuggehalliNuggehalli , is a town in Hassan district of Karnataka, India. Nuggehalli is located on the Tiptur-Channarayanapatna state highway. It is about 50 km from Hassan city. It is connected by road with Bangalore, the state capital...
- Bindiganavile
- KadabaKadaba* Kadaba, Tumkur, Karnataka, India* Kadaba, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India-External links:***Directory and cities of Karnataka...
.
There are however more than a dozen villages in southern Karnataka region from which Hebbar Iyengars hail. It is tradition to visit and participate in the annual celebration (utsava/ jAtre/ thEru) of the graAma-devata. They are:
|
Mavinakere Mavinakere is a small village near Holenarasipura, Hassan district, in the Indian state of Karnataka. This village is famous for Mavinakere Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy temple... |
Sargur Sargur , a small town located about 80 km from the town of Chamarajanagar in the H D Kote Taluk of Mysore District of Karnataka, India. H D Kote is about 12 km north of Sargur. It is 55 km from the city of Mysore. Bangalore International Airport is 200 km away... |
Nuggehalli Nuggehalli , is a town in Hassan district of Karnataka, India. Nuggehalli is located on the Tiptur-Channarayanapatna state highway. It is about 50 km from Hassan city. It is connected by road with Bangalore, the state capital... History of Nuggehalli branch for more information of Tenkalai Moudgalya Gotra |
History
Hebbar Iyengars are descendants of Iyengar brahmin immigrants from Tamil Nadu, who migrated into Karnataka during Ramanuja's visit to the Mysore kingdom. Their ancestors are said to be immigrants from KanchipuramKanchipuram
Kanchipuram, or Kanchi, is a temple city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district...
, Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
and Srirangam
Srirangam
Srirangam , Old name is Vellithirumutha gramam and Tamil name is Thiruvarangam , is an island and a part of the city of Tiruchirapalli , in South India....
.
The Nuggehalli branch
In NuggehalliNuggehalli
Nuggehalli , is a town in Hassan district of Karnataka, India. Nuggehalli is located on the Tiptur-Channarayanapatna state highway. It is about 50 km from Hassan city. It is connected by road with Bangalore, the state capital...
along with four other villages the first of the settlement of the Srivaishnava Brahmins migrating from the Saaligrama(Mysore)/Ramanathapura(Hassan) regions to these villages occurred as directed by Sri Ramanuja after he converted the Hiriya Haaruvas to Srivaishnavism and called them Hebbars. A number of temples dedicated to ‘Vaishnavite’ deities were constructed & Srivaishnava Brahmins were appointed to perform the rituals in them during the Hoysala time especially during the reign of Sri Vishnuvardhana (it was during this time an impetus to Hinduism over the then religion of Jainism – as signified by the sculptures & basadies of Sravanabelgola gained strength).
Moudgalya gotra records
Yet another group from Nuggehalli have a written record & the family tree of the Moudgalya Gotra people dating back to 11th century i.e. coinciding with the advent of Srivaishnavisim in Karnataka. The tablet in the temple of Lakshminarasimha, Nuggehalli, gives a detailed description of its origins. Nuggehalli Hebbar Iyengars almost all belong to the 'Vadagalai' subsect. However, sometime around the 12-13th century, few 'Tenkalai' families who had migrated to Nuggehalli in early 11th century & who also trace their lineage to 'Moudgalya Gothra', further migrated to places like Eswarahalli near Belur in Hassan district. This, later on created a new branch of 'Tenkalai-Moudgalya gotra' lineage.sthala-purANa of nuggehaLLi
Legend depicts that to the west of the present temple a saint by name Rushbha, performed penance & pleased with his devotion Lord Lakshmi Narasimha manifested himself & blessed him. The temple record states that in the reign of Somesvara Hoysala, his aide Bommanna Danda Nayaka (alias Ramachandra Veerendra) visited this place along with his Guru Sri Pundarikaksha Somaya. In reverence to his guru’s dream that a temple be constructed in this sacred spot, the Danda Nayaka made Nuggehalli into an agrahara under the name Vijaya Somanathapura and installed in 1246 A.D {or 1168saka –Parabhava Samvatsara, on Wednesday, the fifth day (Shukla Panchami) of the Hindu calendar month of Chaitra} a temple dedicated to the gods Kesava, Narasimha and Gopala – A Trikutachala (a three-peaked configuration typical in construction of temples by the Hoysalas). The labels of the utsava – vigraha & some of the metallic images were made by the orders Gopala who was, according to tradition a Paleyagar of Nuggehalli. As the inscription of Nuggehalli chiefs has been found in Hassan, Arkalgud & Chanarayapatna also, it may be inferred that their rule had been extended to these places also]..The Shantigrama branch
Majority of all the Iyengars from Shanthigrama belong to Kaushika gothra. The village and the tank were constructed by a KashiVaranasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
who was a minister in Hoysala Veera Ballala's court. This is based on records carved on a tablet of stone in the Yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
Narasimha
Narasimha
Narasimha or Nrusimha , also spelt as Narasingh and Narasingha, whose name literally translates from Sanskrit as "Man-lion", is an avatar of Vishnu described in the Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient religious texts of Hinduism...
temple. The name Shanti
Shanti
Shanti, Santhi or Shanthi means peace, rest, calmness, tranquility, or bliss.The poet T.S. Eliot, in his poem The Waste Land translated it as "The Peace which passeth understanding."...
Grama
Grama
A Grama is a local governing body in the state of Karnataka in India.Each Grama governs a particular village or cluster of villages. Generally these Grama attend to problems of drinking water, street lighting, drainage, primary schools, health centres, etc.The word means "village" in the Kannada...
is due to the queen Shantala Devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
of Hoysala dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
. See http://www.shantigrama.com.
Tuluva Hebbars
In the year 1515, KrishnadevarayaKrishnadevaraya
Śrī Kriṣhṇa Devarāya , , , and also known as Krishna Devarayulu in some inscriptions was the famed Emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire who reigned from 1509–1529 CE.He is the third ruler of the Tuluva Dynasty. Presiding over the empire at its zenith, he is regarded as an icon by many Indians...
of Vijayanagara bestowed vast lands to three families of Hebbars in Gangamula, Kalasa and Neria. Hebbar Iyengars can still be found in these villages. However, some Hebbars (e.g. Hebbars from Neria) converted from the Srivaishnava
Srivaishnava
Sri Vaishnava is a universal term among Hindus for worshippers of Vishnu. They are not limited to any part of India. Over its long history, Sri Vaishnavism has influenced nearly every aspect of Indian religious life.- Overview :...
sect of Ramanujacharya to the Dvaita
Dvaita
Dvaita is a school of Vedanta founded by Shri Madhvacharya....
teachings of Madhvacharya
Madhvacharya
Madhvācārya was the chief proponent of Tattvavāda "Philosophy of Reality", popularly known as the Dvaita school of Hindu philosophy. It is one of the three most influential Vedānta philosophies. Madhvācārya was one of the important philosophers during the Bhakti movement. He was a pioneer in...
at a later date. They joined the Sode Mutt of Udupi during the time of Sri Vadiraja Swami. They now are considered Tuluva Hebbars
Tuluva Hebbars
Tuluva Hebbars are a Tulu-speaking Brahmin community from Karnataka, India. The name "Hebbar" comes from the Kannada, "hebbu/hiridhu" + "haruva" ....
. The other two Hebbar families of Gangamula and Kalasa joined the Sringeri Mutt of Sri Shankaracharya
Shankaracharya
Shankaracharya, is a commonly used title of heads of mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition. The title derives from Adi Shankara, a 9th century CE reformer of Hinduism. He is honored as Jagadguru, a title that was used earlier only to Lord Krishna...
.
Distinguished Hebbar Iyengars
- Gorur Ramaswamy IyengarGorur Ramaswamy IyengarGoruru Ramaswamy Iyengar Kannada:ಗೊರೂರು ರಾಮಸ್ವಾಮಿ ಐಯ್ಯಂಗಾರ , popularly known as Goruru, was a Kannada writer; well known for his humour and satire.-Early life:...
, Noted Kannada Writer famous for Short Stories with Folk influence. - G.P. RajarathnamG.P. Rajarathnamಜಿ.ಪಿ.ರಾಜರತ್ನಂ G.P. Rajarathnam was a Kannada writer and poet.- Biography :He wrote poems for children. These poems are called Kannada Nursery Rhymes. K. S. Nissar Ahmed, a prominent poet, said that Rajarathnam understood the minds of children, as well as what they needed...
, Noted Kannada Writer famous for Kannada Rhymes for Children like Bannada Tagadina Tuttoori. - Kalyan Kumar, noted Kannada and Tamil film actor
- Sabrina SetlurSabrina SetlurSabrina Setlur , formerly known as Schwester S., is a German rapper, songwriter, Hebbar Iyengar and occasional actress...
, Singer - Vasundhara DasVasundhara DasVasundhara Das born 1977, is an Indian singer and actress. She has acted in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam films. She is the co-founder of world music band Arya. As a playback singer, she is best remembered for singing "Shakalaka Baby" from the Tamil film Mudhalvan, which was also her debut...
, singer and actress - B.S. Ranga, film producer & director
- B.S. Kesavan, first National Librarian of India
- H.K. Kesavan, noted systems theorist
- Mahima Vasundara, director, actress, singer and Lyrist from South India.
- T.K.V. Desikachar, yogi
- Jairam RameshJairam RameshJairam Ramesh born April 9, 1954, is an Indian economist and an influential politician of the Congress Party in the United Progressive Alliance ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the Government of India. He is a Member of Parliament representing Andhra Pradesh state in the...
, Union Minister of Rural Development - Dr. Raja Ramanna, Nuclear scientist, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission & former Rajya Sabha member.
- Rao Bahadur Loka Seva saktha B.K. Garudachar, philanthropist
- Vimala RangacharVimala RangacharVimala Rangachar has been associated with fine arts and performing arts conservation movement of Karnataka for many years. She holds multiple positions of Chairperson of the Craft Council of Karanataka, Founder Member and President of M.E.S Institutions, President of the Natya Institute of Kathak...
, social worker - S.G. Vasudev, contemporary Artist
- H V R Iyengar, former Governor of Reserve Bank of India
- Late Dr.H.D.Ranga Iyengar, played Ranji Trophy cricket for Mysore state in early 1940s (including the first ever Mysore - Bombay Ranji Trophy Final) and went on to conclude a distinguished career in the United Nations.
- G.K.S. Iyengar, former Chief Engineer, Nagarjuna Sagar Dam.
- Doraiswamy IyengarDoraiswamy IyengarDoreswamy Iyengar, generally known as Mysore V. Doreswamy Iyengar , was a famous Carnatic musician and an exponent of the Veena...
, musician - ChikkupadhyayaChikkupadhyayaChikkupadhyaya was born to Sri RangAcharya and Srimathi NAchiyAramma in TerakanAmbi in Mysore district of Karnataka. His actual name at birth was Lakshmipathi....
, minister and tutor of Sri Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar of Mysore - Hari Ramanuja Dasan (Bhashya Ramanuja), Information Technology Specialist in Computer Networks and Security
- Late Nanjanagud Thirumalamba, first female Kannada Poetess, Journalist, Editor
- Late B.K. Thirumalamma, educationist, founder of Malleswaram Shishu Vihar Bangalore
- Late Kadaba Rangaiyengar, Lawyer
- Late Keshava, first Mayor of Bangalore, proterm speaker of Parliament, MP from Bangalore
- Late Cheluva Iyengar (Sampath), Kannada film actor
- Late S.K. Venkataranga Iyengar, advocate- credited with founding of MalleswaramMalleswaramMalleswara or Malleshwaram, located in the north-west of Bangalore, derives its name from the famous Kaadu Malleswara temple. Originally a village named Mallapura, Malleswaram was developed as a suburb during the great plague of 1898, which caused many people to move out from the city center...
extension - Late G.P Rajaratnam, poet and writer
- H.N. Anantharaman, builder and developer, credited with building the first of modern apartments in Bangalore
- Late Dr.C.R. Sampath Iyengar, served in Indian Army as Captain[Dr] before and after Independence
- K.N. Srinivasan, famous Architect. Designed excellent cinema halls including Sangam, Nartaki, and Santosh.
- H. R. Janardhana IyengarH. R. Janardhana IyengarSri Haradanahalli Ramaswamy Janardhana Iyengar was an eminent engineer in Mysore, India. He made valuable contributions to the engineering profession during the 1940s and 1950s through his innovative methods and original designs....
, a Mysore architect and engineer - Indiramma IyengarIndiramma IyengarIndiramma Janardhana Iyengar , also known as Manni, was philanthropist and community organizer in Mysore, India.- Biography :Indiramma Janardhana Iyengar, or H. R...
, a prominent member of the Mysore community - Late Smt. Neelamma Kadambi, famous Musician. Winner of several prestigious awards.
- Late K. K. SrinivasanK. K. SrinivasanKushalnagar Krishnaswamy Srinivasan known as K. K. Srinivasan was an Indian radar officer who founded a pre-school for deaf children.- Education :Madras Presidency College, Madras...
, served in the Indian Airforce and as Deaf Educator. - Late Dr. H.R. Varadarajan, served in the Indian Army as Major/Lt. Colonel in the pre-independence British Army. He had served in the 2nd World war on the Eastern front.
- Late Dr. B.V. Iyengar, IAS Chairman Revenue Appelate Tribunal, Government of Karnataka, Planning Secretary, Director of Vigilance, Director Indian Bureau of Mines.
- Late Col Vasanth V, ACVasanth VenugopalCol Vasanth V, AC was the Commanding Officer of 9 Maratha Light Infantry, a unit of the Indian Army. On 31 July 2007, he was killed in action while preventing heavily armed infiltrators from crossing the Indian border at Uri, Jammu and Kashmir.Col Vasanth was awarded the Ashoka Chakra , the...
, Commanding Officer of 9 Maratha Light Infantry, Awarded the Ashoka Chakra (posthumous)