sentences:  Throughout the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century there was intense political rivalry between the Vadamas and the Brahacharanams for the domination of Brahmin villages called "agraharams".The Vaishnavite spiritual leader Ramanuja is generally believed to have been born a Vadama.Under his tutelage, numerous Vadamas adopted Vaishnavism and are believed to have given rise to the Vadakalai Iyengar community.