1a. Nambudiris [Namboothiris]
Malayalam-speaking. Traditional home is Kerala, almost exclusively so as to be though aitochthonous, but attested in the Cōḻa land till about the 8th century CE, presumably as part of a larger Pūrvaśikhā population with the many rare Veda śākhās and the forelock kuṭumi common to the entire group. Good, reliable information about the the community is available in the Namboothiri,com, a professionally maintained and managed website.
A live Śrauta tradition is attested among them, arguably the most authentic. The Śrauta tradition is found clustered, almost like a balloon, directly to the west of the Palghāt gaps, on both sides of the Bhāratapuḻa river and toward the Trichur-Irinjalakuda region, in the far north, in Cannanore. The Śrauta praxis is managed by six Vaidikan families: Ceṛumukku and Taikkāṭ from Śukapuram gramam; Perumpaṭappu and Kaplinġāṭ from Perumānam gramam, and Kaimukku and Pantal from Irinjalakkuda gramam.
The 1901 census places the entire community at 28,895, with 19279 in the “British” Malabar, 5,326 in Travancore, and 5290 in Cochin. After 1933 with the younger sons in a family being able to marry within the community, there has been an appreciable rise in total numbers, estimated today at about 150, 000 probably a high estimate.
Tamil-speaking Pūrvaśikhās:
1b. Non-Vaiṣṇava Śōḻiya Brahmans.
Perhaps the most “secular” group, they are found throughout Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the major urban centers of India.
Traditional settlements in Tamil Nadu:
- i. Tanjavūr area: Śrīvāñciyam, Tirukaṭaiyūr, Pālūr, Valangaiman, Tanjāvūr, Śēnganūr, Iṭayāṭṭukuṭi, Ālanguṭi, Tuyili, Kañcanūr, Visulūr, Vṛddhācalam, Kōnairājapuram, Avaṭaiyār koil, Tiṭṭakuṭi, Vasiṣṭhakuṭi
- ii. Madurai area: Vēmbattūr, Tirupparakunram, Śrīvilliputhūr.
- iii. Tiruchirapaḷḷi area: Tiruvaṇaikkavu, Anbil, Śrī Rangam.
- iv. Tirunelvēli area: Vaḷḷanāṭu, Tenkāśi, Kiḻappāvūr, Kṛṣṇāpuram, Kaṭaiyanallūr, Koṭṭāram, Śrīvaikunḍam, Bālamārtānḍapuram, Aḻakiyarpānḍipuram, Panaiyīr, Kāraikkuṭi, Ambāsamudram, Pāppākkuṭi v. Salem area: Tiruppattūr, Bhavāni, Cinnasalem, Nāmakkal.
They are found in significant numbers in Kerala as well (as immigrants after ca.18th century CE):
- i. Palghat area: Koḻunthirappulli, Chembai, Mekkanamkulam, Padur, Thennilapuram, Añjumūrti, Trittamarai, Taṭirkasseri, Veḷḷinēḻi, Vēṅgassēri,
- ii. Trivandrum metro area, Karamana, Aḻakiya-pānṭi-puram, Nagar-koil area.
Like the Nambudiri Pūrvaśikhās, the Śōḻiya Pūrvaśikhās display tri-Vedic affiliations, to the Ṛg-, Yajur (Taittirīya) and Sāma (Jaiminīya) Vedas, suggesting a Śrauta praxis, attested in epigraphy till about 12th century CE.
The group constitutes perhaps the second largest population among the Pūrvaśikhās, perhaps aroud 50,000, again perhaps a high estimate.
1c. Vaiṣṇava Śōḻiya Brahmans.
Tamil-speaking. Estimated at about 15% of the tenkalai Vaiṣṇava Brahmans. Found along the Kāvēri river around Tiruchirapally (Anbil, Śrī Rangam, Tiruveḷḷarai, Tirukōṭṭyūr, Aḻakarkoil, Puthūr) and the Tāmravarṇi river around Tirunelvēli(Tenturupperai, Āḻvārtirinagari) in Tamil Nadu. One tiny group attested in Karnataka, brought there by Rāmaānuja, in Nandidurga and Aṣṭagrāma areas, now living in Mēlkotte village.
1d. Dīkṣitars of the great Chidambaram temple in Tamil Nāṭu.
Tamil speaking and numbering around 250 families today. Only Ṛgveda (20%) and Yajurveda (Taittirīya-Baudhāyana) affiliations.
1e. Mukkāṇi or Tirucutantirar Brahmans
Priests of the Tirucchentūr temple and found in Tirucchentūr and the old Pāṇṭian kingdom. Only Ṛgveda (80%) and Yajurveda (Taittirīya- Baudhāyana) affiliations.