Desigar

Desigar or Desikar means Guru, Traveler of all over the country and Charm looking person. Now it is one of the sub-division of Saiva vellalar caste . In middle age of Tamil history after the period of kalapira dynasty the Aryan Prohits were invented in to Tamil Nadu. In that time Saivism rose against to the 'Jainism' and the 'Bhudhism. 'Saivism' then found a new living method and adopted from or reflected from the said both 'Isms'. It was 'bhrahmacharya' to direct 'sanyasa' but ghrahastha and vanaprastha should have been avoid by some of the 'Saiva Sages'. The followers of them were established the new Acharya parambara's at both method of the living, namely 'ghrahastham' and 'sanyasam'. If the Acharya who settled by with 'Sivalaya Pooja's and Kriya's' he should have be a married person and he called by Saivities namely Siva'cha'rya or Gurukkal.

Prama'cha'rya means who had no marriage and entered into the sanyasa life and he qualify to worship the lord shiva by the way of getting all Upade'sam or Dheeksha from his Guru and ready to give a Upade'sam or Dheeksha to his Sishyas(Students). Siva'cha'rya parambara established by birth, obviously they have marriage life. But Parama'cha'rya parambara didn't meant by birth. 18 Saiva Adheenams where established by the followers of the 'Saivism' this is begin from Lord Shiva to Nandhi Deva and from him to Santhana Acharya's [sanaga,sanathana,sanathkumara,sathiyagna dharshini] to Paranjothi to[ Meikandar, Arulnandhisivam, Maraignanasivam, Umapathisivam]and from them to Desiga's [Kamalai Gnanaprakasha Desikar,Guru Namashivayar...] to 18 Saiva Adheenams. Sivacharya Parambara also begins from Lord Shiva.

Desigar are a caste found predominantly in Tamil Nadu, more particularly in Vedaranyam. Vedaranyam is also known in history for its association with The Salt march, which was led by C Rajagopalachari. They are staunch Saivites and strict vegetarians. Their primary occupation is to act as religious figures in the administration of temples.

It is also stated as sub-division of predominant community known as 'Pandaram' [1]

Well known figures of this caste were MM Dandapani Desigar a noted musical scholar [2]

References

  1. ↑ Castes and Tribes of Southern India-Page 46 — Book by Edgar Thurston, K. Rangachari on various castes and tribes of southern india
  2. ↑ < — The Hindu Newspaper-MM Dhandapani Desigar-True proponent of Tamil Isai


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