Caste – Page 5 – Ramanisblog

Brahmin Sages Branches SubCastes Origin

Brahmins a part of Santana Dharma have branches and subcastes.

It may be noted that Caste is a loose translation of the Term Varna, which indicates disposition(even this term is not an exact translation)

It has nothing to do with race.

Brahmins,Image.png — Brahmin Community, India

Brahmins, an essential part of Santana Dharma, were spread throughout India.

Brahmins, as in the case of the other varnas(Castes) were a single community.

However over a period of time, there evolved a division among them based on the Sutras they follow and later Geographical location.

Astasahasram, a Group of eight thousand Families,

Vadama, who settled on the northern banks of River Cauvery,

Vaathimaa, most of this group were engaged in Proestly duties, Purohitham.

Bruhatcharanam. it is believed that long time back a family of Brahmins were accused of Brahmahathi, that of killing a Brahmin.

They were ostracized by the Brahmins.

Then they performed a Yagnya, Bruhat Yagnya, to purify themselves.

Then they were readmitted into the Brahmin -fold and hence the name Bruhtrcharanam , now called Brecharanam.

For example, there are Shaiva Vellalars,Kaar Vellalars,Karai Vellalars in the Vella community.

The term Vellala in Tamil means one who regulated Flood.

One who regulates Flood is Vellala.

Among them who minds the Bund are Karai Vellalas.

Kaar Vellalas are those who regulate the flow of Flood at the time of Rainy seasons,Kaar in Tamil means heavy rains.

Among all these those who do not eat meat are called Shaviva Vellalas.

Similarly those who follow the six duties assigned to Brahmins, are Brahmins.

The six duties.

“Adhyaapanam Adhyayanam

Yajanam Yaajanam Tathaa

Daanam Pratigraham Chaiva

Brahmanaanaamakalpayaat”

Learnng the Vedas,

Teaching the Vedas,

Perfoming the Yagnyas by themselves,

Perfoming Yagnyas for the others,

Accepting Gifts and

Donating the needy.

In addition they must have realized Brahman.

The Vedas contain branches, called Sakhas.

Please read my post on Vedas.

The Veda mantras are , most of them aphorisms, especially in Brahmanas and Upanishads.

While the Upanishads speak about Reality Brahman, the Brahmanas talk about the duties to be performed.

As they are terse, there arose people who explained them.

The aphorisms are the Sutras.

Those who explain them are called the Sutradhaars.

They explain the sutras and as the individuals are different , so are the interpretations.

However the essence, the core message of the Vedas are kept unchanged, certain practices vary.

Later geographical locations were taken as a Yardstick.

Read my post on Brahmins subcastes.

” During the sutra period, roughly between 1000 BC to 200 BC, Brahmins became divided into various Sakhas or branches, based on the adoption of different Vedas and different readings and interpretations of Vedas. Sects or schools for different denominations of the same Veda were formed, under the leadership of distinguished teachers among Brahmins. The teachings of these distinguished rishis are called sutras. Every Veda has its own sutras. The sutras that deal with social, moral and legal precepts are called dharma sutras, whereas those sutras that deal with ceremonials are called Srauta sutras and domestic rituals are called gruhya sutras. sutras are generally written in prose or in mixed prose and verse. These sutras are based on divine Vedas and are manmade and hence are called Smritis, meaning “recollected or remembered.”

There are several Brahmin law givers such as Angirasa, Apasthambha, Atri, Brihaspati, Boudhayana, Daksha, Gautama, Harita, Katyayana, Likhita, Manu, Parasara, Samvarta, Sankha, Satatapa, Usanasa, Vasishta, Vishnu, Vyasa, Yajnavalkya and Yama. These twenty-one rishis were the propounders of Dharma Sastras. There is a lot of contradiction among theseDarmasastas, even within one Smriti. These differences in the rules and rituals resulted in the rigid stratification of subcastes among Brahmins. None of these smritis is supreme and universally applicable throughout the Indian Continent. The oldest among these Dharma Sutras are Apasthambha, Baudhayana, Gautama and Vasishta Sutras.

   Apasthambha: Apasthambha, a native of Andhra Country, belonged to Krishnayajurveda School. He belonged to fifth century BC. Apasthambha’s teachings are called Apasthambhasutra orApasthambhasmriti.
Baudhayana: Baudhayana also belonged to Krishnayajurveda School and was an inhabitant of Andhra Country. Baudhayana’s teachings are called Baudhayanasutra or Baudhayanasmriti.
    Brihaspati: Brihaspati was probably the first jurist to make a clear distinction between civil and criminal justice. Yajnavalkya referred to Brihaspati. However, Brihaspati is considered to belong to 200-400 AD. Brihaspatismriti has a lot of similarities with Dhammathats of Myanmar (Burma).
   Gautama: Gautama was the most ancient sage of all Brahmin lawgivers. He was quoted by Baudhayana and belonged to Samaveda School. Gautama’s teachings are called Gautamasutra orGautamasmriti.
    Harita: Baudhayana and Vasishta in their Dharmasutras quote Harita. Haritasmriti or Haritasutra is an extensive work.
   Katyayana: Yajnavalkya mentions Katyayana. Katyayanasmriti is quoted in several works of Viswarupa, Mitramisra etc. Smriti Chandrika cites 600 verses of Katyayanasutras. He may belong to the same period as Narada and Brihaspati.
    Manu: Manu is a mythical personality and is the ancestor of the entire humankind. Manu received the code from Brahma, and communicated it to ten sages and requested Bhrigu rishi to repeat it to the other nine. This code of conduct recited by Bhrigu is called Manusmriti. For convenience, the British took Manusmriti as the paramount law of the Indian Continent.Manudharma is not only revered by Brahmins and Hindus, but also by Buddhists in Java, Siam and Myanamar. Manusmriti was composed around 200 BC, around which time a revival of Brahminism took place under the rule Sungas in the North India.
   Narada: Sage Narada was probably a native of Nepal around first century AD. Naradasmriti is the first legal code unhampered by the mass of religious and moral teachings. Some authors think that Narada belonged to Gupta period when there was a distinct revival of Brahminism and Sanskrit literature.
    Vasishta: Vasishta belonged to 3rd century BC and a native of North India. Vasishta’s teachings are called Vasishtasutra or Vasishtasmriti.
    Vishnu: Vishnu belonged to 1st or 2nd century AD. Vishnu’s teachings are called Vishnusutra or Vishnusmriti.
   Yajnavalkya: Yajnavalkya belonged to Suklayajurveda School¹². He was a native of Mithila City in North Bihar and probably lived anywhere from few centuries before Christ to 200 AD. However, some scholars think he belonged to first or second century AD. Yajnavalkya Dharmasmriti has been subject of numerous commentaries. The most celebrated of all the commentaries ofYajnavlkyasmriti is Mitakshara and is practically the beginning of the Brahmin law and the so-called Hindu law. Passages from Mitakshara have been found practically in every part of the Indian Continent and became an authority. The Yajnavlkyasmriti is concise, more systematic and better arranged than the Manusmriti. From early times, commentators like Viswarupa, Vijnaneswara, Apararka, Sulapani, Mitramisra etc., from every part of India selected the Yajnavalkyasmriti as the basis of their commentaries. Passages from Yajnavalkyasmiriti appeared in Panchatantra.

Other important Brahmins who gave smritis/sutras/laws are: Angirasa, Atri, Daksha, Devala, Laugakshi, Prajapati, Pitamaha, Pulatsya, Yama, Vyasa, Samvarta and Satatapa. Prominent smriti writers of later age include, Devanabhatta or Devanandabhatta of Madras province, who belonged to ~1200 AD and wrote Smritichandrika, and Madhavacharya or Vidyaranya, who was the Prime Minister of Vijayanagara dynasty and pontiff for some time of the celebrated mutth at Sringeri in Mysore province. He wrote Parasaramadhaviya, which is a commentary onParasarasmriti.

Citation.

http://www.vedah.net/manasanskriti/Brahmins.html#Brahmin_Sages_and_Branches

2 Jan 2015

Types Of Vaishnava Sampradayas History of Vaishnavam 3

Sampradaya may be translated loosely as Tradition.

Practices that were followed are continued by successive generations at the Family level.

Thus in Hinduism we have some practices that are common to all the Hindus and some that are group specific.

Some Common practices are,

Waking up early in the morning,

Taking bath and drawing Rangoli in front of the House,

Doing Pooja,

Performing Sandhyavandan, in the case of Brahmins,

Performing pooja and offering Naivedya to God,

Cook only after taking bath,

Perform basic samskaras like Namakarana, Karna Bhooshana, Upanayana, Marriage, Garbhadhana, Seemantha,Anthima Samaskaras.

But the way of performing them and some practices distinguish one group from another, though in essence all are Hindus.

The two sects in Hinduism, Shaiva and Vaishnava, the former worships Shiva, the later Vishnu,the Samapradayas differ.

What is Vaishava Sampradaya?

Basically Vaishnavas worship Vishnu to the exclusion of all other Deities, though Puranas insist that this is not correct.

Even among the Vaishnavas, there are different Sampradayas.

They are four in number traditionally.

Sri Sampradaya which is the Sampradaya of Lakshmi: Philosophy: Vishishtadvaita (“Qualified Monism/Non dualism”), espoused by Chidachida Visishtam Ramanujacharya; See Sri Vaishnavism, Vaikhanasa, Ramanandi Sect, Swaminarayan.

Brahma sampradaya: Philosophies: Dvaita (“dualism”), espoused by Madhvacharya, and Achintya Bheda Abheda (literally “inconceivable difference and non-difference”).

Rudra sampradaya: Philosophy: Shuddhadvaita (“pure nondualism”), espoused by Vishnuswami and Vallabhacharya.

Kumara-sampradaya: Philosophy: Dvaitadvaita (“duality in unity”), espoused by Nimbarka.

In South India.

The Iyengars, who follow the Sri Vaishnava Vishistadvaita philosophy of Asuri Ramanujacharya. The Iyengars are further divided into the Vadakalai-i.e. the northern school, and Thenkalai or southern school. Both these sects adhere to the Pañcaratra agama, in temples.

These two sects evolved about 200 years after Ramanuja and differ on 18 points of doctrine. The founder of the Vadagalai sect is Swami Vedanta Desika, and the Tengalai sect is Manavala Mamuni.^[26] But both schools have a common Guru Parampara prior to the division. The Sri Vaishnavas use both the Sanskrit veda as well as the Tamil divyaprabandham in temple worship.

The Madhvas, who follow the Sadvaishnava Dvaita philosophy of Madhvacharya.
The Vaikhanasas, who are primarily an ancient community of temple priests, who use the Vaikhanasa Agama in temple worship. They use Sanskrit exclusively in temple worship.

But as I indicated in my post Vadakalai, Thenkalai has no sanction of the Vedas, there is no sanction for these divisions in the Vedas.

The Reality is One but people practice different methods to realize it , period.

Squabbles are not allowed, if one is a Hindu.

Citation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishnavism#Vaishnava_sampradayas

11 Dec 2014

Iyers Ayyangars No Sanction Vedas Smriti

The term Iyer and Ayyangars,spelled as Aiyer and Iengars as well, are two Brahmin communities in South India.

Caste Mark of Ayyangars.jpg — Caste Mark of Ayyangars.

The Iyers worship Shiva and the Ayyangars Vishnu.

How these names of these communities came into use?

There is no reference to these communities in the Vedas or the Smrtis.

The Vedas do not provide a distinction between those who worship Vishnu or Shiva,

Those who follow the Vedas are known as Vaidikas, which includes everyone who follows the Vedas.

Those who follow the Smritis are Smarthas.

In this correct sense those who worship Ship Visnu and Shiva or any other God mentioned in the Vedas are Smarthas and Vaidikas (this refers to Brahmin community.

It is suggested in the Smriti that Brahmins use the surname as Sharma, Kshatriyas, Varma and the Vaisyas, Gupta.

There are no other suggestions on this issue.

One can also find , among the Brahmins of the North, to include the name of the profession,or the type of Yaga they performs, like Vajpayee-Those who perform Vajapaya Yaga: then there are others who include the Rishis name,like Kak, to indicate Garga, Gargi.

The concept of surnames do not exist in India.

This has been a recent development.

The custom of keeping the Father’s name in the initial is also recent, say about 200 years, though there is no record of this.

The Smritis have described the elaborate system of identifying one, in the form of Abhivadanam, where the first ancestors,three important lineage, the part of Veda one is practicing, the commentator whose commentary is being followed and one’s name.

One would not find Father’s name here also.

One can find the Grandfathers’ name if the individual is second born;if first-born the Family Deity’s Name will be known.

It is traditional to keep the name of the Family Deity to the eldest child(Male))and paternal Grandfather’s name to the second Male.

Hinduism forbids the disclosure of personal information to all and sundry.

They can be used for Abhichaara Prayoga by vested interests.

Abhivadanam is to be done for elders of the same community and Brahmins and only those who can Bless you with Veda Swasthi Mantra(Blessings from the Veda)

As far as I could check the terms Iyers, Ayyangars seem to have evolved during the middle ages, some say during Ramanuja’s period, though there seems to be no solid evidence on this.

There terms were formulated to build an Endemic group by some.

Unfortunately this is being practiced to-day to divide Hindu Brahmins ans Iyers ans Ayyangars, North Indian Brahmin and a South Indian Brahmin.

These have no sanction of the Vedas nor the Smriti.

Inputs welcome.

Please read my post on Abhivadanam.

However in chaste Tamil Iyan means one who realized the Brahman, one of better upbringing , worthy of respect-no religious connotations are intended .

7 Jul 2014

History Of Brahmins India

The term Brahmana means one who has realized the Ultimate Reality.

Brahmins are one of the groups of India who pray for the welfare of the people in general , are ordained to be a role model for the Society and are expected to lead the society.

In exercise of this, Brahmins have been priests,Advisers to kings(which continues even today) and in some cases have also been Kings, though this is not the function of the Brahmins.

Brahmins are called ‘Vipra’ the ‘Inspired ones’ ‘Dwija ‘ Twice , first being born physically, the second,when a Brahmin is anointed with the ceremony and practice of the Upanayana, the opening of the third Eye.

The authority for the Brahmins are the Sruthi( which is heard), the Vedas, and the Smritis(The remembered).

The Vedas are four in number, Rig, Yajur(Krishna and Shukla), Sama and Atharva.

There are many Smritis.Vasishta,Vishnu, Manu and many more.

To be a Brahmin is no Birthright.

It is be nature and character one becomes a Brahmin.

Such is the expectations from the Brahmins, the Manu Dharma Shastra sanctions 1000 times more severe punishment for Brahmin for similar offence committed by the other groups like Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudras.

There are references to Brahmins from time of the Vedas, about 5000 years old, and in the Purans.

Pippalatha, Katyayani.Angiras,Bharadwaja,Maitri, Gargi are some of the Brahmins who composed the Veda sutras.

Maitri, Gargi and Katyayani were women.

The Brahmins were spread through out the world as were the Vedas.

Later after Sage Viswamitra consigned his sons beyond the Vindhyas to the Dakshina Desa, or Dravida, there appeared a distinction between the Brahmins of the North and those from the South.

The Brahmins from the South of the Vindhyas generally follow the Apasthamba Sutra, Apasthamba being a descendant of Viswamitra.

This sutra contains some material culled out from another great Culture the Tamils.

However there is commonality between the Brahmins from North and South.

For both of them the primary Deity is Agni, the God of Fire.

Both follow the Vedas.

Both have Upnayana, Jathakarma,marriage ceremonies up to Samskara (Death Rites)

There are minor variations in the mantras and both follow the basic 40 Samskaras.

Kalhana , in His Rajatharangini describes and assigns the geographical locations for Brahmins.

कर्णाटकाश्च तैलंगा द्राविडा महाराष्ट्रकाः,
गुर्जराश्चेति पञ्चैव द्राविडा विन्ध्यदक्षिणे ||
सारस्वताः कान्यकुब्जा गौडा उत्कलमैथिलाः,
पन्चगौडा इति ख्याता विन्ध्स्योत्तरवासि ||

Karnataka (Kannada), Telugu (Andhra), Dravida (Tamil and Kerala), Maharashtra and Gujarat are Five Southern (Panch Dravida). Saraswata, Kanyakubja, Gauda, Utkala (Orissa), Maithili are Five Northern (Pancha Gauda).

This classification occurs in Rajatarangini of Kalhana, mentioned by Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya in “Hindu Castes and Sects.”

Pancha Gauda Brahmins.

Panch Gaur (the five classes of Northern India):

(1) Saraswat, (2) Kanyakubja, (3) Maithil Brahmins, (4) Gauda brahmins (including Sanadhyas), and (5)Utkala Brahmins .

In addition, for the purpose of giving an account of Northern Brahmins each of the provinces must be considered separately, such as, Kashmir, Nepal, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Kurukshetra, Rajputana, Uttar Pradesh,Ayodhya (Oudh), Gandhar, Punjab, North Western Provinces and Pakistan, Sindh, Central India, Trihoot, Bihar, Orissa, Bengal, Assam, etc. The originate from south of the (now-extinct) Saraswati River.

In Bihar, majority of Brahmins are Kanyakubja Brahmins, Bhumihar Brahmins and Maithil Brahmins with a significant population of Sakaldiwiya or Shakdwipi Brahmins.

With the decline of Mughal Empire, in the area of south of Avadh, in the fertile rive-rain rice growing areas of Benares, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Ghazipur, Ballia and Bihar and on the fringes of Bengal, it was the ‘military’ or Bhumihar Brahmins who strengthened their sway.

The distinctive ‘caste’ identity of Bhumihar Brahman emerged largely through military service, and then confirmed by the forms of continuous ‘social spending’ which defined a man and his kin as superior and lordly.

In 19th century, many of the Bhumihar Brahmins were zamindars.

Of the 67000 Hindus in the Bengal Army in 1842, 28000 were identified as Rajputs and 25000 as Brahmins, a category that included Bhumihar Brahmins.[19]

The Brahmin presence in the Bengal Army was reduced in the late nineteenth century because of their perceived primary role as mutineers in the Mutiny of 1857[20], led by Mangal Pandey.

The Kingdom of Kashi belonged to Bhumihar Brahmins and big zamindari like Bettiah and Tekari belonged to them.

In Gujarat,the Brahmin are classified in mainly Nagar Brahmin, Unewal Brahmin, [[Khedaval Brahmin]], Aavdhich Brahmin and Shrimali Brahmin.

In Haryana, the Brahmin are classified in mainly Dadhich_Brahmin, Gaud Brahmin, Khandelwal Brahmin. But large proportion of Brahmin in Haryana are Gaud (about 90%). Approximately all Brahmin in west U P are adi gaur.

In Madhya Pradesh, the Brahmins are classified in mainly Shri Gaud,

Sanadhya brahmin, Gujar-Gaud Brahmins. Majority of Shri Gaud Brahmins are found in the Malwa region (Indore, Ujjain, Dewas).

Eastern MP has dense population of Sarayuparain Brahmins. Hoshangabad and Harda Distt. of MP have a considerable population of Jujhotia (a clan of Bhumihar Brahmins, e.g. Swami Sahajanand Saraswati) and Naremdev Brahmins.

In Nepal, the hill or Khas Brahmins are classified in mainly Upadhaya Brahmin, Jaisi Brahmin and Kumain Brahmins.

Upadhaya Brahmins are supposed to have settled in Nepal long before the other two groups. Majority of hill Brahmins are supposed to be of Khasa origin.

In Punjab, they are classified as Saraswat Brahmins.

In Karnataka, Brahmins are mainly classified into Havyaka speaking Havigannada, Hoysala Karnataka speaking kannada, Shivalli and Kota speaking Tulu, Karahada speaking Marathi and have their own tradition and culture.

In Rajasthan, the Brahmins are classified in mainly Dadhich_Brahmin, Gaur Brahmin,Sanadhya brahmins, Rajpurohit / Purohit Brahmins, Sri Gaur Brahmin, Khandelwal Brahmin, Gujar-Gaur Brahmins. Rajpurohit / Purohit Brahmins are mainly found in Marwar & Godwad region of Rajasthan.Shakdwipiya Brahmins are also found at many places in rajasthan they are the major pujari in many temples of western rajasthan.

In Sindh, the saraswat Brahmins from Nasarpur of Sindh province are called Nasarpuri Sindh Saraswat Brahmin. During the India and Pakistan partition migrated to India from sindh province.

In Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, the Bhardwaj, the Dogra from Himalayan region of Indian subcontinent.

In Uttar Pradesh from west to east: Sanadhya, Gauda & Tyagi (western UP), Kanyakubja (Central UP), Sarayuparin (Central Uttar Pradesh, Eastern, NE,& SE UP) and Maithil (Varanasi), the South western UP, i.e. Bundelkhand has thick population of Jujhotia brahmins (branch of Kanyakubja brahmins: ref. Between History & Legend:Power & Status in Bundelkhand by Ravindra K Jain).

On the Jijhoutia clan of Bhumihar Brahmins, William Crooke writes, “A branch of the Kanaujia Brahmins (Kanyakubja Brahmins) who take their name from the country of Jajakshuku, which is mentioned in the Madanpur inscription.”[21] Mathure or mathuria Brahmins ‘choubeys’ are limited to Mathura area.

In West Bengal the Brahmins are classified in Barendra & Rarhi corresponding to the ancient Barendrabhumi (North Bengal) and Rarhdesh (South Bengal) making present day Bangladesh & West Bengal.

It is also said that Barendras are traditional Brahmins who practiced the art of medicinal science and surgery rather than the traditional function of being the teacher or the priest, and so many a times they are not considered true brahmins by the Rarhis, although they are their own offshoots.

The traditional accounts of the origin of Bengali Brahmins are given in texts termed Kulagranthas (e.g., Kuladīpīkā), composed around the 17th century.

They mention a ruler named Ādiśūra who invited five Brahmins from Kanyakubja [7], so that he could conduct a yajña, because he could not find Vedic experts locally.

Traditional texts mention that Ādiśūra was ancestor of Ballāl Sena from maternal side and five Brahmins had been invited in AD 1077.

Historians have located a ruler named Ādiśūra ruling in north Bihar, but not in Bengal. But Ballāl Sena and his predecessors ruled over both Bengal and Mithila (i.e., North Bihar).

It is unlikely that the Brahmins from Kānyakubja may have been invited to Mithila for performing a yajña, because Mithila was a strong base of Brahmins since Vedic age.

Another account mentions a king Shyamal Varma who invited five Brahmins from Kānyakubja who became the progenitors of the Vaidika Brahmins.

A third account refers to five Brahmins being the ancestors of Vārendra Brahmins as well.

From similarity of titles (e.g., upādhyāya), the first account is most probable.

Besides these two major communities there are also Utkal Brahmins, having migrated from present Orissa and Vaidik Brahmins, having migrated from Western and Northern India.

Pancha Dravida Brahmins.

Panch Dravida (the five classes of Southern India):

1) Andhra, 2) Dravida (Tamil and Kerala), 3) Karnataka, 4) Maharashtra and Konkon, and 5) Gujarat. They originate from north of the (now-extinct) Saraswati River.[15]

In Andhra Pradesh, Brahmins are broadly classified into 2 groups: Vaidika (meaning educated in vedas and performing religious vocations) and Niyogi (performing only secular vocation).

They are further divided into several sub-castes. However, majority of the Brahmins, both Vaidika and Niyogi, perform only secular professions.[22]

In Karnataka, Brahmins are broadly classified into 2 groups: Madhwa (followers of Shri Madhwacharya) and Smartha (followers of Shri Adi Sankaracharya).

They are further divided into several sub-castes.

The Tamil Brahmins (both Iyers and Iyengars) are also part of Karnataka Brahmin Community for ages.

Other than these groups, there are other brahmin communities viz, Havyaka, Kota, Shivalli, Saraswata etc.

Distribution of Brahmins in India

In Kerala, Brahmins are classified into three groups: Namboothiris, Pottis and Pushpakas. (Pushpakas are commonly clubbed with Ampalavasi community).

The major priestly activities are performed by Namboothiris while the other temple related activities known as Kazhakam are performed by Pushpaka Brahmins and other Ampalavasis. Sri Adi Shankara was born in Kalady, a village in Kerala, to a Namboothiri Brahmin couple, Shivaguru and Aryamba, and lived for thirty-two years.

The Namboothiri Brahmins, Potti Brahmins and Pushpaka Brahmins in Kerala follow the Philosophies of Sri Adi Sankaracharya.

The Brahmins who migrated to Kerala from Tamil Nadu are known as Pattar in Kerala.

They possess almost same status of Potti Brahmins in Kerala.

In Tamil Nadu, Brahmins belong to 2 major groups: Iyer and Iyengar.

Iyers comprise of Smartha and Saivite Brahmins and are broadly classified into Vadama, Vathima, Brhatcharnam, Ashtasahasram, Sholiyar and Gurukkal.

There are mostly followers of Adi Shankaracharya and form about three-fourths of Tamil Nadu’s Brahmin population.

Iyengars comprise of Vaishnavite Brahmins and are divided into two sects: Vadakalai and Thenkalai.

They are mostly followers of Ramanuja and make up the remaining one-fourth of the Tamil Brahmin population.

In Maharashtra, Brahmins are classified into five groups: Chitpavan Konkanastha Brahmins, Gaud Saraswat Brahmin, Deshastha Brahmin, Karhade Brahmin, and Devrukhe.

As the name indicates, Kokanastha Brahmin are from Konkan area. Gaud Saraswat Brahmins are from Konkan region or they may come from Goa or Karnataka, Deshastha Brahmin are from plains of Maharashtra, Karhade Brahmins are perhaps from Karhatak (an ancient region in India that included present day south Maharashtra and northern Karnataka) and Devrukhe Brahmins are from Devrukh near Ratnagiri.

In Madhya Pradesh the descendents of Somnath temple priests, Naramdev Brahmin, Who migrated from Gujrat to Madhyapradesh after the Mohd. Ghazni notorious forays in Saurashtra and desecration of Somnath, and sedenterized along the coast of Narmada river hence derived their name i.e. Narmdiya brahmin or Naramdevs. Guru of Adi guru Shankaracharya, shri Govindacharyaclaimed to belongs to this community who initiated him in the Omkareshwar in the bank of river Narmada. Naramdevs are in high concentration in Nimar (Khandwa and Khargone)and Bhuvana region (Harda) of Madhyapradesh.

In Gujarat, Brahmins are classified into eight groups: Anavil Brahmin, Audichya Brahmins, Bardai Brahmins, Girinarayan Brahmins, Khedaval, Nagar Brahmins, Shrimali Brahmins, Sidhra-Rudhra Brahmins and Modh Brahmins. The Modh Brahmins worship Matangi Modheshwari mata (Modhera) and are mostly found in North Gujarat and in the Baroda region.

Please read posts under Hinduism for More on Brahmins and Vedas.

Citation.

http://www.unp.me/f15/brahmin-br-hma-a-64527/#ixzz30zSW1e1u