Iyer

Iyer
Vadama Iyer priests
GuruĀdi Śaṅkarā
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesTamil, Sanskrit
CountryIndia
Original stateTamil Nadu
Populated statesTamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka
Family namesIyer, Sastri, Bhattar
SubdivisionsVadama
Brahacaraṇam
Dīkṣitar
Aṣṭasāhasram
Śōḻiya
Related groupsKerala Iyers Iyengars Vaidiki Brahmins Vaidiki Velanadu Havyaka Brahmin Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins Sthanika Brahmins Babburkamme

Iyers (Tamil: [ajːɐr]) (also spelt as Ayyar, Aiyar, Ayer, or Aiyer) are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Brahmins. Most Iyers are followers of the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara and adhere to the Smarta tradition.[1] This is in contrast to the Iyengar community, who are adherents of Sri Vaishnavism. The Iyers and the Iyengars are together referred to as Tamil Brahmins. The majority of Iyers reside in Tamil Nadu, India.[citation needed]

Iyers are further divided into various denominations based on traditional and regional differences. Like all Brahmins, they are also classified based on their gotra, or patrilineal descent, and the Veda that they follow. They fall under the Pancha Dravida Brahmana classification of Brahmins in India.

Apart from the prevalent practice of using the title "Iyer" as surname, Iyers also commonly use other surnames, such as Sāstri[2] or Bhattar.[citation needed]

  1. ^ Béteille, André (26 October 2020). Caste, Class, and Power. University of California Press. doi:10.1525/9780520317864. ISBN 978-0-520-31786-4.
  2. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica, śāstrī.