Desikar or Desigar or Pandaram is a Tamil-speaking Veerasaiva 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 Lingayatham, Saiva Siddhanta and Thirumurai. The caste Desikar or Desigar is derived from word Pandaram, meaning "sage" in Tamil. There are different theories concerning the meaning of the word Pandaram. The caste Pandaram comprises two divisions, Abhisheka and Desikar. But the later name Desikar as taken as a back 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. Few of them are temple servants, supply flowers for God, Sings hymns in temple. So, they used to be called Meikaval and Oduvar.
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, Priests 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. The Lingayat pandaram are known as lingayats. The latter respect their Jangam and used the sacred water, in which the feet of the Jangam are washed, for washing their stone lingam. 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 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.
The pioneer who established Adheenam are known as "Desikar" or "Desikar Paramacharya", pontiff in English. Most of the pontiffs are Brahamacharis maintains 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 dominate 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 mutts only at the hands of 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 Regulate and control 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. Temple 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 Aim of life to realize God 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
Sri la Sri Gnanaprakasha desiga swamigal is current thuzhavoor aheenam
