Desikar

Desikar, Desigar or Pandaram is a Tamil-speaking pandaram community from the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They are particularly priests and land owners.

Origin of Desikar

The Desikar community is a very ancient one which promotes the Saivite religion. This community especially focuses on Saiva Siddhanta and Thirumurai. The caste Desikar or Desigar is derived from the word pandram meaning "sage" in Tamil. There are different theories concerning the meaning of the word Pandaram. The caste Pandaram comprises two divisions, Abhishekar and Desikar. But the later name Desikar was taken as a title.

Dhikshai process

Those who lead a celibate life wear lingam. They became Saivas by getting Dhikshai.

*"Samaya"
*"Nirvana, Visesha"
*"Kala sothanai"
*"Abhishekam"

are the few stages of Dhikshai practice.

Some act as temple servants, supplying flowers for God and singing hymns.
So, they used to be called ''Meikaval'' (Bodyguard of the God) and Oduvar (reader).

Divisions in Pandaram

Desikar is a sub-division of community known as 'Pandaram'. The Pandarathar caste is composed of respectable people. The name ''pandaram'' means valuable storing place of jewels, navarathnas stored in the temples and palaces, they are placed to maintain the jewels of temples and palaces. They are land holders, traders, sanyasis (monk), priests (guru) and managers of richly endowed temples.

These managers are commonly called ''Thambiran''. They are all vegetarians and staunch believers of Saiva Siddantha.

Abhisheka Pandaram has to pass through few ceremonies related to Saiva Agama.

The Mendigate Pandarams, recruited from a few other classes, wear the lingam but do not abstain from eating flesh.

Some of the sub-castes of the predominant Desikar community are:
* Desikar- head of mutt.
* Abhisheka - person who do pooja in temple and mutt.
* Oduvar - the reader who sing thirumurai in temple and mutt.
* Meikaval - the staff or worker in temple or mutt.
* thambiran - managers of mutt.

Distribution

The community is distributed throughout Tamil Nadu and also in Kerala, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Singapore. However, they form a significant proportion of population in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

Marriage and their customs

They do not mingle with other castes by marriage; but some do marry from other castes like Saiva Vellalars and other Vellalar sub caste.

List of Adheenam / Mutts in Tamil Nadu

* Velakurichi Adheenam
* Mailam Bommapuram Adheenam
* Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam
* Sivagiri Adheenam
* Perur Veera saiva Adheenam
* Thiruvannamalai-Kundrakudi Adheenam
* Suriyanarkoil Adheenam
* Thiruppanandal Adheenam
*Madurai Adheenam
* Senkol Adheenam
* Thuzhavoor Adheenam
* Kamakshipuri Adheenam
* Pollachi Adheenam
* Dindigul sivapuram adheenam
* AvaduthuRai Adeenam
* Dharmapuram Adheenam

Desikar Mutts in brief

The pioneer who established Adheenam (Mutts, Dynasty) are known as "Desikar" or "Desikar Paramacharya", ''pontiff'' in English. Most of the pontiffs are Brahamacharis that maintain celibacy. Only a few became Samsaris. So only few mutts followed the successive pontiff by lineage. But most of the Adheenam select the pontiff by "Guru Shishya Parambara". Ancient Tamil history pronounces that Saivaite religion or sector doesn't have the casteism. After the invasion of the other races, casteism played a prominent role in the Saivaite unknowingly. So the successive pontiffs are selected or elected from the so-called various communities. Hence few of the descend from the Desika Paramacharya lineage.

Velakurichi Adeenam

Tamil Nadu is pronominally a traditional state. Here are several important and noteworthy temples apart from Math’s. Hindu Religious Charitable Endowment Department regulates and controls most of these temples through its administration. A Temple is an institution of prehistoric antiquity, having continuity of existence through centuries and through many political upheavals in the land. They have played prominent role in the history, not only in the promotion of religion but also in the promotion of social and cultural life of the people. The Law of Karma and Re-incarnation is the major belief of Hinduism.

It is one among the various institutions spreading the message of Hinduism for many centuries in south India. The founder of the velakurichi Mutt is Sathyagnana Desika Deerga Dharsinigal. He descended from ‘God Siva’ one Sri Kandaparamasivam. The Velakurichi mutt was founded in the 15th century on the banks of Thamirabarani River in Velakurichi village, a part of Ambasamudram Taluk, Thirunelvely District.

The peculiarity of the mutt, as distinct from the other mutts is, a ‘Grahastha – Sanyasi’ managing the mutt, where as the Heads of the other mutts like Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam, Kanchipuram Adheenam and Dharmapuram Adheenam are pure ‘Naistiga – Sanyasis’. By custom in succession the Velakurichi Adheenam, controls and supervise the four famous temples viz,

The adheenam is the hereditary trustee of Five temples in Thanjavur District:

* Agniswarar Temple, Thiruppugalur
* Utharapatheswarar Temple, Thiruchenkattankudy
* Meganatha Swami Temple, Thirumeeyachur
* Thiyagaraja Swami Temple of Abhiseka Kattalai
* Annadhana Kattalai, Thiruvarur

Thuzhavoor Adheenam

is current .

Notables

Tamil literature

* Kambar (poet), belongs to uvacha sect of pandaram caste
*Perur Santhalinga Swamigal, Spiritual Writer, Sidhar (Monk with spiritual powers)
* T. V. Sadasiva Pandarathar, Archeologist, Tamil Historian
*Kumara Swamy Desikar, saiva spiritual writer
*Velaiyar, Eminent Tamil poet
*Karunai Prakasar, saiva spiritual writer

Music

* Dandapani Desikar

Arts and cinema

* MM Dandapani Desigar a noted musical scholar
*Aparna Pillai, actress

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Desikar (Community)
Tamil society
Social groups of Tamil Nadu
Tamil diaspora in Asia
Indian castes