Vadama meaning "Northerners" are a sub-sect of the
Iyer community of Tamil
Brahmins. While some believe that their name is an indication of the fact that they were the most recent Brahmin migrants to the
Tamil country others interpret the usage of the term "Vadama" as a reference to their strict adherence to the
Sanskrit language and Vedic rituals which are of northerly origin . It may also be possible that Vadamas may be Brahmins whose origins lie in the Dravida region of northern Tamil Nadu. Like other Iyer communities, they follow the
Advaita philosophy propounded by
Adi Shankara. A significant proportion of the Vadama community adopted
Vaishnavism, and are thus believed to have given rise to the
Vadagalai Iyengar community. The oldest historical references to Vadamas date from the first millennium AD. A large number of Vadamas migrated to
Kerala during the
medieval period, so that Vadamas along with the
Brahacharnam form the majority of the
Kerala Iyer community. A section of the Vadama community also migrated north to the
Telugu country and
Maharashtra where they were known as "
Dravidas".