Iyengars are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Hindu Brahmins, whose members follow Sri Vaishnavism and the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Ramanuja. Found mostly in the Southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, Iyengars are divided into two denominations, the Vadakalai and the Tenkalai. The community belongs to the Pancha Dravida Brahmana classification of Brahmins in India.
Ramanuja
Tenkalai Urdhva Pundra
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (right) has been the most prominent Iyengar in Indian politics
Iyengar children, Thanjavur, 1909.
Sri Vaishnavism is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi, as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, who are together revered in this tradition.
The Ranganathaswamy Temple of Srirangam is the largest Hindu temple in India.
Tenkalai Sri Vaishnava urdhva pundram
Sri Kanchi Prativadibhayankar Jagadguru Anantacharya Gaddi Swamiji, the spiritual preceptor of Tridandi Swami Vishwaksenacharyaji
Vadagalai Sri Vaishnava Urdhva Pundram