Ashtasahasram ( sa, अष्टसहश्रम ') is a sub-sect of the

Iyer Iyers (also spelt as Ayyar, Aiyar, Ayer, or Aiyer) are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Brahmin, Hindu Brahmins. Most Iyers are followers of the ''Advaita Vedanta, Advaita'' philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara and adhere to the ...

community of

Tamil Brahmins Tamil Brahmins are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Hindu Brahmins, predominantly living in Tamil Nadu, though they number significantly in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, in addition to other regions of India, as wel ...

from the

Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions. History Pre-indepen ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...

Culture

The Ashtasahasrams as Iyers belong to the

Smarta The ''Smarta'' tradition ( sa, स्मार्त), also called Smartism, is a movement in Hinduism that developed and expanded with the Puranas genre of literature. It reflects a synthesis of four philosophical strands, namely Mimamsa, A ...

(

Shaivite Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...

) tradition, along with the

Vadama Vadama meaning "Northerners" are a sub-sect of the Iyer community of Tamil Brahmins. While some believe that their name is an indication of the fact that they were the most recent Brahmin migrants to the Tamil country others interpret the usag ...

Brahacharanam Brahacharanam is a sub-sect of the Iyer community of Tamil Brahmins. The word "Brahacharanam" is a corruption of the Sanskrit word Brhatcharanam ( sa, बृहत्चरणम्). Many Brahacharanam follow the ''Advaita Vedanta'' philosophy ...

s, Vadyamans/Madhyamans, and the Kanials/Kaniyalars. The Ashtasahasrams follow the Taittirīya śākhā of the Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda. They are Aparaśikhā Brahmins, who wear their traditional hair tuft towards the back of their head.

Divisions

The Ashtasahasram community is further sub-divided into four groups: * Āttiyūr * Arivarpede * Nandivādi * Satkulam

References

{{Reflist Tamil Brahmins Social groups of Tamil Nadu