IYER ETC

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavatas

 

I've been following the discussions re the terminology

with great interest,and thought I could add my two cents

worth also-

 

<The root-word for both Iyer and Iyengar (Ayyar, Ayyangar) appears to be

<Iyen (Ayyan) which, in turn, may be derived from Aryan. Since the ending

<with the letter N indicates lack of respect, Iyen became Iyer.

 

There seems to be some truth in the above comment.In the

Prabandha vyAkhyAnams the word "Iyer" is regularly used

to denote the head of the family or specifically Dasaratha.

 

But "Iyengar" seems to have been a surname since a long time.

There is at least one very famous person of that appellation

Pillai pPerumAL IyengAr of that period whose beautiful

"Kalambakams" vie with the Prabandhams in felicity of

language and religious devotion.

 

EmberumAnAr TiruvaDigaLE SaraNam!

 

adiyen

BHARAT