Sholiyar or Chozhiya Brahmins

 

Sholiyar  or Chozhiya Brahmins

 

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

 

  A book on history of Tamil Nadu Brahmins, says  they are one of the earliest   settlers in Tamil Nadu and since they were  not expert in Vedas, they    learned  Agamas and got employment as temple priests ,Because of that  the Vedic Brahmins   considered them as inferior. Most of them settled  in Chozha Nadu   and were  called Chozhiyars, 

   They have mun kudumi (like Chidambaram deekshithara and Nambudiris)    unlike other Brahmin sects   who have  Pin Kudumi.According to   their web site (http://sholiyar.blogspot.com/2008/11/ ) they settled in  these parts of Tamil  Nadu

1.Tanjavūr area: Śrīvāñciyam, Tirukataiyūr, Pālūr, Valangaiman, Tanjāvūr,
Śēnganūr, Itayāttukuti, Ālanguti, Tuyili, Kañcanūr, Visulūr, Vrddhācalam,
Kōnairājapuram, Avadaiyār koil, Tittakutti, Vasitthakuti
ii. Madurai area: Vēmbattūr, Tirupparakunram, Śrīvilliputhūr.
iii. Tiruchirapalli area: Tiruvaaikkavu, Anbil, Śrī Rangam.
iv. Tirunelvēli area: Vallanādu, Tenkāśi, Kiappāvūr, Krsnāpuram, Kataiyanallūr,
Kottāram, Śrīvaikundam, Bālamārtāntapuram, Aakiyarpāntipuram, Panaiyīr,
Kāraikkuti, Ambāsamudram, Pāppākkuti
v. Salem area: Tiruppattūr, Bhavāni, Cinnasalem, Nāmakkal

In the initial days  , they were   considered  inferior  by other Brahmins   . .There is a belief that  Padma Pada  , the great disciple of Adhi Sankara  belonged to this sect

In Kerala    they  continued to live in separate  communities  of their own    and I understand  that in olden days  they were not allowed   to mingle with other Brahmins  .Among the villages   they  chose to live  were KOdunthirapalli  , Chembai, Padur  , Kottai, THennilapuram , Anju murthi, TRithamarai   ,Vellinel  Vengaseri etc.  There are some Chozhiya Brahmin villages    even in Nagar Koil, karamana, Aakkiya panti Puram  in the southern Kerala

.Most  of them followedTaithreeya SAmhitha  of Yajur vedam and Jaimeeniya  SAmhitha  of  SAma vedam. They also mostly  married  among themselves   and relatively they  belong to a lesser in come group.

      Another profession  in which   they shined was music and the greatest  among Kerala Chozhiya Brahmins  is undoubtedly    Chembai Vaidyanatha   Bhagawathar. Most of them chose to be priests  in Temples   as well as Vadhyars .

          There  must be   many great  people   among them also  but  I do not know about them.