Ashta Sahasram Brahmins

Ashta Sahasram Brahmins

Compiled by

P.R,Ramachander

(There is saying in Tamil  vadama settu,vathima kattu,ashtasahasram chakrai, which indicates  that Ashtasahasraam Brahmins be have  sweetly as if they are sugar .. There is another saying  that Ashtasahasram Achupichu(fools).,   I do not know much about them .Whatever I got is from on line)

Ashtasahasram (Sanskrit : अष्टसहश्रम) meaning 8000  is a sub group of Iyer community.It is believed that  they    were from a village   called Ennayiram(meaning 8000)  of  Vikra Vandi Taluq of Viluupuram district  Tamil Nadu, It is believed that  the village was called  Raja Raja  Chaturvedi Mangalam  .There was an ancient Vedic University  there    with 10 teachers   and 340 students 800 years ago  . Recently  a 1000  year  old inscription   was found in the  temple  , It records that 1000  years back  , this university  for teaching 4 vedas   with ten professors teaching Veda   as well as Vyakarana,     There is a belief that  a Chola king    established a   college teaching four Vedas  here and brought Brahmins from north to teach in them

At present there are four Siva temples and one Narasimha SWamy   swamy. “These temples seemed like community gathering places apart from being places of worship. There were stages for artists to perform, small homes for probably the temple priests to live in and a series of nearby structures as opposed to a central structure dominating the scene. The Vishnu temple in the village of Ennayiram actually was a 2 storied temple! The local villagers told us that there were 500 brahmin families living there and that there were vedic schools for all 4 vedas there. There were writings on the walls of all temples in Grantham script several thousands of lines long.”

       There is also a theory that  Once upon a time Brahmins  living in this village  called  PAruthikollai, and they were   converted to jains by Pallavas . Later  it seems Saint Ramanuja   converted   them back to Smartha  Brahmins. He also  it seems consecrated  the Narasimha   temple in the village .

             

      Ashtasaharaam group  is further   divided   in to  based on the village  where they settled later

Anthiyur  (close  to Ennayiram village)

Nandivadi(Next to Ennayiram village)

Shatkulam

Arivarpade

   Like Vadamas and Brahacharanam, they are also  a Smartha community   who were  worshipping all gods   but they had special affinity   to worship  Lord Narasimha . It is believed that   the Narasimha Jayanthi in Melattur Village of  THanjavur  is   organised by  mostly  Ashta SAhasram   Bra

They were Vedic Brahmins but records of Chola period mention that   they were   engaged   in trade   and commerce also. Some of them worked as temple  priests also,

Some of the great personalities  of Ashta sahasram  Brahmins were (I do not know how far it is true)

Sri S.Balachander , the great film director  ,

Madurai Mani Iyer, G,N.Balasubramanya  iyer  , both famed  Carnatic musicians

Dr.T SAnkar  Biological control specialist

Padmasri Narasimhan

T.P.Rajalaksmi Cine actress,

Kavi Kunjara Bharathy ( 12 th grand father of Koteeswara Iyer - Poet ),

U.V.SWaminatha Iyer , Tamil Thatha

 Koteeswara Iyer ( Music )

 S Rajam Iyer music,

SG Kittappa Drama Husband of KB Sundarambal,

B Rajam Iyer Music

S Balachander Veena,

Pyramid Natarajan Cine producer

Justice TL Venkatarama Iyer Music critic and some more .

 Madan Babu,Comedian,

Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavather Music,

M.S,SWaminthan ,  Great Agricultural scientist

My friend and scholar Vasu Iyengar adds as comment

Ennayiram mentioned by Sir is a interesting architectural beauty, with more and more details being dug each day. . Right next to this village is another village called Nandivadi and another village closeby called Attiyur.We can find 5 temples - 4 Shiva temples and one Vishnu temple. The 4 Shiva temples point to the 4 different directions (Brahmadesam, Ennayiram, Esalam and one more) and are age old - different from the usual temples of Tamil Nadu which has a Gopuram.The local villagers tell that there were 500 brahmin families living there and that there were vedic schools for all 4 vedas there. There arewritings on the walls of all temples in Grantham script several thousands of lines long .other villages - Arivarpade and Shatkulam are yet to be located, and might even have been lost in timewww.hindu.com/2003/11/07/stories/2003110701571300.htm inscription in ennayiram .Aruvapadi is a village near Mayavaram. This is also connected to origins of Ashtasahasram