Sathatha Sri Vaishnava

The Sathatha Sri Vaishnavas, also known as Chattada Sri Vaishnavas or Sattada Sri Vaishnavas , are a caste living throughout the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. For several centuries, they have rendered a variety of services in Sri Vaishnava temples as archakas, dharmakartas, progithar, guardians of temple properties and suppliers of flowers such as garlands for worship. They have claimed Brahmin status, although this has been contested.

Origin

They are a Telugu caste originally from the Chola-ruled regions of South India now known as North Arcot and South Arcot, and also the Northern Circars. They have operated schools from the time of Ramanuja, in the 12th century. They subsequently migrated to other areas of South India, including Hyderabad State when it was under the supervision of a British Resident.

The community was associated with the Tengalai movement,[1] which was significant as it identified them as a part of one of the two Srivaishnaivite sects that had frequently feuded with each other since the death of Ramanuja in 1137. Whilst Ramanuja himself probably expressed no preference, the Tengalais, or "southerners", preferred Tamil language religious texts and their counterparts, the Vadagalais ("northerners") were in favour of Sanskrit sources. The two groups also had doctrinal differences regarding such things as the nature of salvation. The cumulative effect of these differences was that the Tengalai were more liberal, radical and socially inclusive than the Vadagalai, and thus attracted to their ranks a larger number of people from castes that were considered to be low in status and, indeed, people who were thought to be completely outside the caste system.[2]

Request for name change

Originally known as Satani, Sattada, Chattada or Chatadi, the 1931 Census Report for Mysore stated that "the request that the name Satani to be changed to Sattada Sri Vaishnava could not be accepted because Sri Vaishnava is the name of a distinctive group of Brahmins and Satani community is not generally treated as a Brahmin community. The adoption of the new name could be misleading." Many communities were attempting to claim Brahmin status there at that time,[3] and British Raj officials had previously treated Satanis as being a mixed community of non-Brahmins who had in common their adherence to the Tengalai movement and various forms of temple service.[1]

History

There are several sub-sects among the Sathatha Sri Vaishnava. Many follow a lifestyle like that of the Iyengars. Their names have the honorary suffix Ayyangar and the title acharya, swamy. They especially revere the Sankha, the Chakra, the Naamam, Hanuman and Garuda. Above all, they honour the Alvars, especially Nammalvar. They recite and use only the Alvar's hymns for domestic rituals. Most are disciples of the Koil Annan and Acharya Purusha of Srirangam. Some follow the Vaanamaamalai Math and others the Para Vastu Math at Tirupati.

The Srirangam Kovil Olugu records that this community served in the Srirangam temple at the time of Ramanuja and that he assigned them special duties and services in his reorganisation of the temple.

They were also prominent in Srirangam and Kanchipuram (15th and 16th centuries) under the leadership of Kanudaadi Ramanujuayyangar, who was a disciple of both Koil Annan at Srirangam and Azhagiyamanaavala Jeeyar at Kancheepuram Varadarajaswami temple. They were in charge of Ramanuja Kootams.

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See also

References
  1. Oddie, Geoffrey A. (2013) [1991]. Hindu and Christian in South-East India. Routledge. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-13677-377-8.
  2. Oddie, Geoffrey A. (2013) [1991]. Hindu and Christian in South-East India. Routledge. pp. 83–84. ISBN 978-1-13677-377-8.
  3. Bairy, Ramesh (2013). Being Brahmin, Being Modern: Exploring the Lives of Caste Today. Routledge. pp. 167–168. ISBN 978-1-13619-819-9.

Further reading
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