Sagara Brahmins
The brahmins of Ahichatra who later came to Karnataka who migrated then to north malabar and one of the group (Sagaram) to travancore in kerala are the malayala brahmin namboothiries are having vedadhadhikaram and yagadhikaram.Sagara bramins are one of the Yajurvedee brahmins group with 237 illams and they are mostly settled near to Sree Vallabha Temple at Thiruvalla desam.They are also called "thiruvalla desikal".
Each Namboothiri male (or unmarried female) is identified by his/her respective paternal family name. A married female adopts her husband's family name. Each family is affiliated to a Gothra and Pravara. The Gothra name demonstrates the family's traditional style of knowledge acquisition and expertise in ancient theories. Marriage from a family belonging to the same Gothra was and is still banned for Namboothiris. Each Gothra has several sub-classes known as Pravara.
Namboothiries belong to three different Vedic groups, those who follow Rig veda, those who follow Yajur Veda and those who follow the Sama veda. However there are Namboothiries who are barred from chanting of Vedas. These Veda-less Brahmins lost their right to chant Vedas due to the order of Lord Parasurama .The Yajur Vedic Namboothiries follow the Krishna Yajur Veda.
Each Veda is divided in to Samhita, Brahmanam and Aranyakam. The Namboothiries follow the Taittiriya Samhita.
Namboothiries divides the Black (Krishna) Yajur Veda in to Samhita and Sakha (Bramhana and Aranyaka part). Samhita consists of about 48 modules known as Parchams. Sakha consists of 36 Parchams. Each Parchams have sub-modules known as Anuvakam (Sanskrit) or Oath (Malayalam). Hence the Namboothiri name Oath for Vedas. Sree Rudram is a parcham with eleven Anuvakas(Oaths) dedicated to Lord Rudra (Shiva). Another important Parchams are Chama koottam(Chamakam), Arunam and Aswamedham. All these Parchams are important to Namboothiri Yajur Vedi Bramhanas. The collection of the last three Anuvakas(Oaths) of the last Parcham (named Valli) of Sakha is known as the Tythireeya Upanishad. All the ten major Upanishads belongs to the three Vedas mentioned above.
Being Sroutha Brahmins, Namboothiris perform mostly two types of yajnas: Agnistoma, generally known as Somayajna, and Athiratra (agnichayana), popularly known as Agni. While performing of Somayajna makes a Namboothiri a complete (Nityam) Brahman, Atiratra is only optional.
The three types of Atiratra altaras constructed by Namboothiris are six-tipped, five-tipped and Peetthan. The six-tipped Agnichayanam and five-tipped are the most common and Namboothiris still practice them. The Yajamaanan (master / leader) is the person who actually performs Yagna. Not all Namboothiris are permitted to perform Yanjna. Only Namboothiris of Aadu class can perform Yajna. The Yajamaanan has to be a male Namboothiri having several pre-requisites and qualifications. After yajna, the Threthaagnis (the three spiritual fires attained through Yaagam) are shown (Kaachi) at and invoked back to the Arani. Once the Threthaagni is invoked back to Arani, the remaining fire in the Yaagasala has conceptually become forest fire with no spiritual content. Also, the Yaagasala has lost its divine nature. The Yaagasaala is set fire to with this fire. The Threthaagni is taken to the Yajamaanan's residence (Illam) and placed in an appropriate location like Vadukkini or Padinjaatti (two rooms in a Namboothiri Illam). The Somayaaga (or Athiraathra) is now over and the Yajamaanan now becomes a Somayaaji (or Akkithiri) and his wife (wives), Paththanaadi. It is using this Threthaagni that the Somayaaji (or Akkithiri) and Paththanaadi perform the rituals, viz., Agnihothram, twice daily, and other rituals throughout their married life.
Due to the modern social system and its special atmosphere the Vedic rituals are going to rare among in all brahmins.Now a day the most of the brahmins are withdraw from yagas and yanjas.They are concentrated in tantrikam and other occupations.
The brahmins of Ahichatra who later came to Karnataka who migrated then to north malabar and one of the group (Sagaram) to travancore in kerala are the malayala brahmin namboothiries are having vedadhadhikaram and yagadhikaram.Sagara bramins are one of the Yajurvedee brahmins group with 237 illams and they are mostly settled near to Sree Vallabha Temple at Thiruvalla desam.They are also called "thiruvalla desikal".
Each Namboothiri male (or unmarried female) is identified by his/her respective paternal family name. A married female adopts her husband's family name. Each family is affiliated to a Gothra and Pravara. The Gothra name demonstrates the family's traditional style of knowledge acquisition and expertise in ancient theories. Marriage from a family belonging to the same Gothra was and is still banned for Namboothiris. Each Gothra has several sub-classes known as Pravara.
Namboothiries belong to three different Vedic groups, those who follow Rig veda, those who follow Yajur Veda and those who follow the Sama veda. However there are Namboothiries who are barred from chanting of Vedas. These Veda-less Brahmins lost their right to chant Vedas due to the order of Lord Parasurama .The Yajur Vedic Namboothiries follow the Krishna Yajur Veda.
Each Veda is divided in to Samhita, Brahmanam and Aranyakam. The Namboothiries follow the Taittiriya Samhita.
Namboothiries divides the Black (Krishna) Yajur Veda in to Samhita and Sakha (Bramhana and Aranyaka part). Samhita consists of about 48 modules known as Parchams. Sakha consists of 36 Parchams. Each Parchams have sub-modules known as Anuvakam (Sanskrit) or Oath (Malayalam). Hence the Namboothiri name Oath for Vedas. Sree Rudram is a parcham with eleven Anuvakas(Oaths) dedicated to Lord Rudra (Shiva). Another important Parchams are Chama koottam(Chamakam), Arunam and Aswamedham. All these Parchams are important to Namboothiri Yajur Vedi Bramhanas. The collection of the last three Anuvakas(Oaths) of the last Parcham (named Valli) of Sakha is known as the Tythireeya Upanishad. All the ten major Upanishads belongs to the three Vedas mentioned above.
Being Sroutha Brahmins, Namboothiris perform mostly two types of yajnas: Agnistoma, generally known as Somayajna, and Athiratra (agnichayana), popularly known as Agni. While performing of Somayajna makes a Namboothiri a complete (Nityam) Brahman, Atiratra is only optional.
The three types of Atiratra altaras constructed by Namboothiris are six-tipped, five-tipped and Peetthan. The six-tipped Agnichayanam and five-tipped are the most common and Namboothiris still practice them. The Yajamaanan (master / leader) is the person who actually performs Yagna. Not all Namboothiris are permitted to perform Yanjna. Only Namboothiris of Aadu class can perform Yajna. The Yajamaanan has to be a male Namboothiri having several pre-requisites and qualifications. After yajna, the Threthaagnis (the three spiritual fires attained through Yaagam) are shown (Kaachi) at and invoked back to the Arani. Once the Threthaagni is invoked back to Arani, the remaining fire in the Yaagasala has conceptually become forest fire with no spiritual content. Also, the Yaagasala has lost its divine nature. The Yaagasaala is set fire to with this fire. The Threthaagni is taken to the Yajamaanan's residence (Illam) and placed in an appropriate location like Vadukkini or Padinjaatti (two rooms in a Namboothiri Illam). The Somayaaga (or Athiraathra) is now over and the Yajamaanan now becomes a Somayaaji (or Akkithiri) and his wife (wives), Paththanaadi. It is using this Threthaagni that the Somayaaji (or Akkithiri) and Paththanaadi perform the rituals, viz., Agnihothram, twice daily, and other rituals throughout their married life.
Due to the modern social system and its special atmosphere the Vedic rituals are going to rare among in all brahmins.Now a day the most of the brahmins are withdraw from yagas and yanjas.They are concentrated in tantrikam and other occupations.
