Thenkalai are a subsect of the Vaishnavite 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...

 community of Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 Brahmins. Thenkalais are followers of Ramanuja

Ramanuja

Ramanuja ; traditionally 1017–1137, also known as Ramanujacharya, Ethirajar , Emperumannar, Lakshmana Muni, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete...

, Pillai Lokacharya

Pillai Lokacharya

Pillai Lokacharya was a prominent Sri Vaishnavite leader and philosopher who authored several works important to Vishishtadvaita philosophy.-A Biographical sketch:...

 and Manavala Mamuni.

Differences with Vadakalai Srivaishnavas

The main difference lies in doctrine i.e. the relation of divine grace to human response. Thenkalais are more adept in the Tamil language than their counterparts. The main views of Thenkalais that are not in line with Vadakalais are:

• Thenkalai Iyengars lay more emphasis on worship of Vishnu while Vadakalais assign an equally important place to Vishnu's consort Lakshmi
  Lakshmi
  Lakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
  
  .
• Thenkalais do not ring bells during worship.
• Though both Vadakalais and Thenkalais revere Sanskrit, the Thenkalais place a higher important to Tamil shlokas than Sanskrit.
• Unlike Vadakalai Iyengars, Thenkalai Iyengars strictly forbid widows to shave their head.
• Thenkalais accept that kaivalya is in an eternal position within the realm of Vaikuntha. They say, however, that kaivalya only exists at the outer most regions of Vaikuntha.
• Thenkalais say that God's seemingly contradictory nature as both minuscule and immense are examples of God's special powers that enable Him to accomplish the impossible.
• Thenkalais take prapatti as the only means to attain salvation; while the Vadakalais believe in Karmayoga, Jnanayoga, Bhaktiyoga and Prapatti as means to salvation.
• Thenkalais accept Prapatti as an unconditional surrender, while the Vadakalais consider prapatti as an act of winning grace.
• According to Thenkalais , exalted persons need not perform duties such as sandyavandanam; they do so only to set a good example.
• Thenkalai iyengars follow Manavala Mamunigal and Pillai Lokacharya, while the Vadakalai Iyengars follow Vedanta Desika.

Additionally, it is believed that while the Vadakalai society was rigid, the Thenkalai society, on the contrary, accepted a significant proportion of the non-Brahmin population into its fold.

Mutts

The Thenkalai Iyengars are generally followers of Vanamamalai mutt and Sriperumdur mutt in Kanchipuram district, Tirukkoilur mutt in Viluppuram district and Tirumala Jeeyar Swamy Mutt in Tirupati.

Thenkalai Thirumann - Holy Mark

List of people of Thenkalai Iyengar descent

• Srinivasa Ramanujan
  Srinivasa Ramanujan
  Srīnivāsa Aiyangār Rāmānujan FRS, better known as Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan was a Indian mathematician and autodidact who, with almost no formal training in pure mathematics, made extraordinary contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series and continued fractions...
  
   (1887–1920), Indian mathematician, of patrilineal Thenkalai descent.
• Ariyakkudi Ramanuja Iyengar
• Alasinga Perumal(1863-1909), staunch supporter of Vivekananda, and one of the founding members of the magazine Brahmavadin.
• B.K.S Iyengar : Yoga expert acclaimed for Iyengar Yoga World over
• Prathivathi Bayangaram Annangaracharyar.
• Velukkudi Varadachariar.
• Velukkudi Krishnan, renowned for his upanyasam/kathakalakshepam, son of Velukkudi Varadachariar.
• K.S. Krishnan : Eminent Physicist
  Kariamanickam Srinivasa Krishnan
  Padma Bhushan Sir Kariamanickam Srinivasa Krishnan, FRS, was an Indian physicist. He was a co-discover of Raman scattering, for which his mentor C. V. Raman was awarded the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics.-Early life:...
  
  
• Sujatha Rangarajan : novelist,writer and engineer, key behind EVM design.
  Sujatha Rangarajan
  Sujatha was the pseudonym of the Tamil writer S. Rangarajan, author of over 100 novels, 250 short stories, ten books on science, ten stage plays, and a slim volume of poems. He was one of the most popular writers in Tamil literature, and a regular contributor to topical columns in Tamil...
  
  
• Chandilyan : writer and epic novelist
• N.Ravikiran - renowned Carnatic musician and composer, both vocal and instrument(chitravina, proponent of melharmony)
• P. B. Srinivas, playback singer from 1951-1973.

External links

• Vadakalai Vs Thenkalai
• Tamil Brahmins