Konaseema dravidlu, kuthsa gothram, Visanasola telugu brahmins

Konaseema is a fertile area in the east Godavari district. Many brahmins from Konaseema migrated to Tamilnadu and settled in places like Tanjore, Kumbakonam, Erode, Trichy, Mysore. Tirunelveli etc. The migration happened after the downfall of the Vijyanagar dynasty. Many pious saivaites, musicians, spiritual scholars and stalwarts had lived through the generations of Visanasola (House)-Konaseema Dravidlu (Subsect)-Kuthsa Gothram genealogy. Major section of these Telugu brahmins later settled enroute on the banks of the river Cauvery. The generation has a rich heritage and history. The chart here records from the line of Madhyarjunam Subbarao, approx. 1500 AD. It is understood he was a minister in the court of Sri Krishnadevaraya. His eighth descendant was Nawab Somayajulu: (Read on : Tipu sultan and Anti-Hinduism).

Those prominent were Anantharaman @ Vembu Iyer(care taker village Munsif VOA of Chennasamudram) and his son Pitchu Someswaran Iyer @ Mamadu vadhiyar(Teacher-Kodumudi). Many descendants of the lineage have scattered throughout Tamilnadu. For details, please go through the PDF file seen below. You may click, zoom and printout.

It has been customary to visit Palani Temple and Lord Dandayudhapani is the family deity. (It is observed that Samayapuram Mariamma is also worshipped). History records that after the downfall of Vijayanagara Dynasty, people migrated to Trichy and settled on the banks of Cauvery / Coleroon. Samayapuram Mariamma was accepted, installed and worshipped as the guiding angel by all migrants from Godavari district of Andhra.

Konaseema Telugu brahmins: Visanasola (inti peru)- Kuthsa (gothram)

Vembu Iyer - Venkalakshmi @ Poochima

Anantharama Iyer @ Vembu (1853-1947) was the second son of Venkatasesha Iyer & Meenkashi. He was an agriculturalist, philanthropist and a man of respect. His walking stick and angavastram received respect in his absence. He was the care taking VOA of Chennasamudram for his minor Brother-in-law, Annadu Iyer @Ramaswamy Iyer. He had 2 daughters through his first wife (Meenakshi). After her demise he married Venkalakshmi @ Poochima in 1901, had a son and 4 daughters. He stayed with his son Pitchu at Kodumudi till he breathed his last. Poochima, an innocent noble hearted lady died in 1976.

Pitchu Iyer - Nagalakshmi

Pitchu Someswara Iyer (1903-1987) @ Mamadu vadhiyar was the eldest son of Vembu Iyer. He was a dedicated, agile and brisk teacher at the London Mission School, Kodumudi. He married Nagalakshmi and had 4 sons - Selvaraj, Ramarathinam, Jaganathan and Venugopal. A pensioner, Pitchu Iyer was honored and felicitated by the Archibishop of Canterburry in 1986 when the later visited South India to inspect London Mission Schools. He died at his native home in 1987.

Nagalakshmi (1912-1994), the iron lady with patience and detached bondage, was the eldest daughter of Narayana Iyer and grand-daughter of Sanskrit Vedic scholar, Anantharama Srowthikal of Kumbakonam. Srowthikal was the Vedic teacher from 1910-13 to Mahaperiyava Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Swamiji, the sankaracharya of Kanchi. She was an erudite scholar in Veda mantra, Ratnakaram and Thyagaraja krithis. She had travelled to Kasi & Rameswaram. Often lamented, had she been a male she would have graduated in Vedic studies. She died in 1994 in Chennai.

Present generation

K.P.Selvaraj (Native:Kodumudi) is a retired Gazetted officer from VSNL (Overseas Communications Service). His wife Meenakshi (Native: Kollegal) is a homemaker. Both are residing in Chennai. They have three sons and two daughters. Meenakshi has a blog site for cooking 1 and her recipes have been published in The Hindu.

(Late)Ramarathinam retired as Headmaster, Govt. Girls High School, Salem. His wife Sakunthala is residing in Salem. They have a son and two daughters.

Dr.V.S.Jagannathan PhD., is a Chartered Accountant by profession, spiritual person, and political advisor. His wife Suriyakantham is a homemaker. They reside in Chennai and have two sons. Jagan was adopted by his paternal aunt Janaki (Gothram:Bharadwaja), sister of Pitchu Iyer.

Venugopal, Accountant (Retired) from (Rallis India), is a consultant. His wife Radhika is a homemaker. They have two daughters and reside in Chennai.

Magazine Articles

Kodumudi has always been a fascinating subject for short stories. Read the following travel articles and short stories published in different journals.

 Media:Kodumudi_and_cauvery.pdf  Media:The_teacher_has_come.pdf   Media:Krishnaveni.pdf  Media:Thoorathu_patchai.pdf

Temple services by the family

Pooja kattalai at Malayamma Temple in Punguni-Chitirai month; Pradosha pooja every month at Kasi Viswanathar Temple at Agraharam; Contribution to Annachatram at Agraharam