Vadagalai

Thengalai

In Hindu Mythology, there are three main Gods:
Brahma (the creator), MahaVishnu (the Sustainer) and Siva (the Destroyer).

The followers of MahaVishnu are called 'Vaishnavites', while the followers of Siva are called 'Saivites'. Due to a curse on Brahma, there are no followers for Brahma. Throughout the length and breadth of India and through the past millennia, temples have been built for Siva and Vishnu (but not for Brahma) and for innumerable other Gods/Goddesses by the Hindus.

Vaishnavites are further subdivided into sects on the basis of the slight changes in their Philosophies, propogated by different Saints. The two caste marks shown above adorn not only the walls of the Vaishnavite temples but also the foreheads of the orthodox Iyengar brahmins proclaiming that they belong to Vadagalai (North Indian in orgin) or Thengalai (South Indian in orgin) sects. Srinivasa Ramanujan was born in a Thengalai Iyengar Brahmin family.