This is a community of shrI-vaiShNava-s in Southern Karnataka. Divided into two religious sects, the Vadakalai and the Thenkalai, though the vast majority of Hebbar iyengars belong to the Vadakalai sect.
Etymology
ಹೆಬ್ಬಾರ-ಶಬ್ದದ ಉತ್ಪತ್ತಿಯು - ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಪದಾರ್ಥಚಿನ್ತಾಮಣಿಯಲ್ಲಿ (ಹೆಬ್ಬ ಹರುವ. ಪಾರ್ → ನೋಡು ಪಾರ್ಪನು → ಹಾರುವನು / ಹರುವ. ).
Locations and Origins
- Major villages (most hebbAr v1s emigrated out of these during 1900-s.)
- Gorur, Ambuga
- Kadaba, Nonavinakere, Sampige
- Bindiganavile, Nuggehalli, Shantigrama, Saligrama,
- Malur, Mavinakere
- Hiremagalur
- There is a strong correlation between gotra and village of origin as per .
- Major towns
- Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya, Tumkur, Hassan in Karnataka
- Setlurs of biLigiri-ranga Hills and surroundings.
- Regarding early “Setlur-s” - seem to be from TN (one of rAmAnuja’s direct disciples) - https://ramanuja.org/sri/BhaktiListArchives/Article?p=nov2000%2F0044.html
Myths
- Ramanuja came and settled in the Hoysala Kingdom. When he was in Tondanur (Tonnur) near Melukote, a group of elderly Kannada Brahmins from Ramanathapura, Saligrama came to Tondanur and heard Sri Ramanujacharyas discourses on Srivaishnava Philosophy. Impressed by the preaching of Ramanuja they offered to convert to Srivaishnava Religion and they became followers of Ramanuja. Sri Ramanuja affectionately called this group of Elderly Brahmins who became his disciples as Hebbar.
- Initial settlement supposedly in AShTa Gramas or eight villages in Southern Karnataka /Hale Mysooru .
Language
- A Kannadised version of Tamil. Hebbar language is highly influenced by Kannada and uses many loan words from Kannada, Sanskrit and old Tamil Vocabulary.
- The language has huge similarities with the following languages - aShTagrAma iyer tamiL (of kolar), bRhachcharaNa tamiL, kILNAT iyengar tamiL, sanketi.
- Hebbar Iyengars study Kannada in schools as their prime language and cannot read and write in Tamil by default.
References
- A Phonological Overview of the Hebbar Iyengar Language by Arvind Iyengar University of New England (Australia) here.
Notable people
Scientists
- Raja Ramanna (1925–2004), Indian Physicist, Nuclear Scientist. Awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1975
- M. R. Srinivasan (b: 1930), Indian Nuclear Scientist. Awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2015
Writers and Poets
- Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar (1904–1991), Kannada Writer. Awarded Sahitya Academy Award in 1981
- G. P. Rajarathnam (1909–1979), Kannada Poet, writer
- Nanjangud Tirumalamba (1887–1982), First Female Kannada Writer, publisher, Newspaper Editor. Karnataka Rajya Sahitya Academy honoured her in 1980
shAstrajJna-s
- Grama Srinivasa Desikachar, Abhinava Ramanuja, Asthana Vidwan at Sri Andavan Ashrama, Sanskrit and Kannada scholar.
Politicians and Administrators
- H. V. R. Iyengar (1902–1978), 6th Governor of Reserve Bank of India and Member of Indian Civil Service. Awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1962
- Dr. B. Narasimha Iyengar, director of agriculture under Maharaja Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar.
Musicians
- Raghu Dixit (b: 1974) Indian Singer, Music Composer of [Indian Ethnic Music]