INTRODUCTION : 
Desikar are also called as Pandaram are the Tamilians, and they belong to the Tamil Veerasaiva community, founded by Lord Basavanna. Desikar community people, hails from Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They would be usually serving as priests in the Shiva temples. Similar to the Veerasaivas of Karnataka, they would worship Lord Basavanna as their Ishta Deva, and considers him similar to Lord Shiva.
The Desikar community people are living since ancient times, and they used to promote the Shiva Bhakti among the masses. This community people used to follow the Shaivite philosophy, and the teachings of Lord Basava. They also would read the Shaivite holy texts like Thevaram, Shiva Puran and Thirumurai, and some people would even perform religious discourses in the Shiva temples.
Those who want to become saints in the Desikar Sect must become a life-long bachelor and they must wear the holy rudraksha, and the Shiva lingam, and must apply sacred ash in their body. Some Desikars would work in the temples by bringing flowers for God, Sings Shiva songs in the temples, and they used to recite the songs from Thevaram and Thiruvasagam, and the listeners would get a pleasant experience in hearing the beautiful songs of Lord Shiva.
Desikar community people used to safeguard the jewels in the temples and they are acting as the security guards for the divine deities and to their belonging. Some Desikar community people are also running big businesses, and they used to generously donate to the Shiva temples and to the Shiva devotees, and most of them would provide free food to the poor during Pournami ( full moon day) and Amavasya (no moon day), and also in other festival days.
Desikar community people who are serving as Temple managers are usually called as Thambiran. They are all strict vegetarians and ardent devotees of Lord Shiva, and they would regularly chant the Shiva Mantra “OM NAMAH SHIVAYA”.
Some of the sub-castes of the Desikar community are
- Desikar- Chief of the temple/mutt
- Abhisheka - Person who do puja and Abishekam to the deities in the temple and mutt.
- Oduvar - Person who sings Thirumurai, one of the holy text of Lord Shiva, in the temple and mutt.
- Meikaval - The office staff or attendant who serves in the temple or mutt.
- Thambiran - Managers of the mutt.
- The Desikar community people are living in Tamil Nadu and also in foreign countries. But most of the Desikar community people are living in Tamil Nadu.
List of Adheenam / Mutts in Tamil Nadu
- Velakurichi Adheenam
- Mailam Bommapuram Adheenam
- Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam
- Sivagiri Adheenam
- Perur Veera saiva Adheenam
- Thiruvannamalai-Kundrakudi Adheenam
- Suriyanarkoil Adheenam
- Thiruppanandal Adheenam
- Madurai Adheenam
Let us worship the great Basavanna and be blessed.
“OM SRI BASAVANNARE NAMAHA”
“OM NAMAH SHIVAYA”
“OM MATA AMBIGAIYE NAMAHA”
SENT BY
R.HARISHANKAR
