Vathima sub sect of Brahmins
Collected by
P.R.Ramachander
They are termed as
Vadhyamal or Vaathima,l or Vaadhyamaal or
Madhymas
I heard about them
from my father saying They came with Vadhya(Musical instrument) from
north
In spite of
spending lot of time , I could not much about them
It seems they follow
Smartha tradition of Brahmins and belong
to Taithreeya Samhitha of Krisna Yajur veda
Another peculiarity about them is that they settled n 18 villages of Thanjavur district
The 18 Sacred Villages (Pathinen Gramam) of
Vathimas
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the Vathima community
migrated from areas in North Arcot (such as Vellore and Kanchipuram) and
settled intensely in the fertile Chola Nadu region, specifically
clustering around the Thanjavur and Trichy districts along the Arasalaru
and Cauvery river basins.
They are famously defined by their lineage to 18 core
ancestral villages (Pathinen Gramam), which include:
- The
Five "-purams": Sengalipuram,
Konerirajapuram,
Anandathandavapuram,
Thippirajapuram,
and Vishnuvaram.
- The
Five "-oors": Koonthaloor
(reputed to be the oldest Vathima settlement), Thediyur,
Mozhaiyur,
Sithanvaloor,
and Paloor.
- The
Two "-kudis": Semmangudi
and Thuthukudi.
- Other
key villages: Mudikondan,
Mappadi,
Arasavanangadu,
Manthai,
Marathurai,
and Thattathimulai.
Oiginal occupation
While many Iyer sub-sects branched out heavily into administrative roles under local kings, landowners (mirasidars), or scholars, the Vathimas traditionally maintained a very deep connection to:
1Purohitam (Priestly Duties): Historically, a significant portion of this group was strictly engaged as Vedic priests, performing religious rituals, domestic sacraments (samskaras), and temple duties.
2.Astrology and Calendar-making: Many families specialized in reading panchangams (almanacs) and practicing astrology. [1]
3.Harikatha -Popularising hindu
puranas using lectures interspersed with
music
4.Carnatic Music
Some Prominent
vathimas
Sengalipuram
Anantharama Dikshitar (1903–1969): A phenomenal Vedic scholar
and charismatic orator. His magnetic discourses on the Narayaneeyam and Ramayana
drew tens of thousands of devotees and played a massive role in reviving
traditional spiritual discourse in mid-20th century Tamil Nadu.
Sengalipuram
Muthannaval (Sri Muthaiah Bhagavatar): A legendary
19th-century saint and exponent of Upanyasam (spiritual discourses) from
the Vathima village of Sengalipuram. He revolutionized the art of
musical storytelling and scriptural exposition in South India.
Semmangudi
Srinivasa Iyer (1908–2008): Hailing from the prominent
Vathima village of Semmangudi, he is widely considered the "Pitamaha"
(Bhishma) of modern Carnatic music. He was the youngest recipient of the
Sangeetha Kalanidhi award and served as the principal of the Swathi Thirunal
College of Music in Travancore, shaping generations of musicians.
Umalyalpuram
K. Sivaraman (b. 1935): One of India's greatest Mridangam
maestros. His masterfully intricate rhythms have anchored classical
concerts for over seven decades, earning him the Padma Vibhushan.
Sir
A. Seshayya Sastri (1828–1901): Perhaps the most celebrated
historical figure of the community, he was a brilliant administrator who served
as the Dewan of Travancore and later the Dewan of Pudukkottai.
Known for his administrative genius, he modernized town planning, restructured
revenue systems, and built landmark public infrastructure in South India.
No comments:
Post a Comment