The sacred Padma Purana in its Uttara Khanda describes Bhakti (devotion) remarking- “I was born in the Dravida (South Indian) country”. The heart of the South Indian Bhakti movement was supplied with life force by the Bhakti saints who called themselves “adiyar” or “tondadar”, meaning slaves, and dedicated their life and creative works to the lotus feet of the divine.
Giving voice to the emotions of the ordinary people for Lord Shiva, 63 Nayanmar or Nayanar (leaders) became objects of worship alongside their Lord, with their idols made from stone and metal placed next to the sanctum sanctorum.
The tradition of worshipping the Nayanmars historically dates back to the time of Rajaraja I, who, overseeing the construction of the majestic Shiva temple at Thanjavur, ordered the artists to fashion idols of the 63 Nayanmars from copper. Later, several prominent Shiva temples emerged with a section maintained for the 63 Nayanars, where the temple priests offered ritual baths, ornamentations, lamps, and adulations and Shaiva devotees paid their respects regularly. Soon, this “Cult of Saints” was popularized all over Tamil Nadu and South India where shrines celebrated the annual “Aravattu-Muvar-Ula” or “the Festival for the 63 Illustrious Ones”. Drawing from this rich Hindu tradition of worshipping not just the deity but the devotee, these granite Nayanar statues are a one-of-a-kind collection.
The poetic works of these 63 Shaiva saints enabled the Shaiva bhaktas worldwide to voice their delicate and human affections and rebukes aimed at Mahadeva in the form of moving interactions. Simplifying and beautifying the process of interacting with the divine is what made these Tamil bhakti saints venerable in the Shaiva customs. The names of a group of prominent Shaiva saints were first listed by the great Sundarar in his poem- “Tiruttondar-Tokai” or the Assembly of the sacred slaves. Nambi Andar Nambi, another remarkable Shaiva Bhakti poet and saint added Sundarar’s name to this list, placing the count at sixty-three.
In his “Tiruttondar Tiruvantai” or “Sacred Poems of the holy slaves”, Nambi Andar Nambi also mentioned short biographies of each of these 63 saints. In the 12th century C.E., the last addition to the humongous Shaiva textual tradition was done in the form of “Periya Purana” or the Great Epic, written by the minister of Kulottunga (Chola king). Following the Tamil literature on the sixty-three Nayanmars, Somanatha wrote a Telugu biography for the saints called “Aravattu-muvurru Nayanarlu” and Harihara, a Kannada author penned writings collectively known as “Ragala” on the celebrated life stories of the great Shaiva Nayanars.
Not only in life, but also in their death, the 63 Nayanmars paved the path to the Shiva-Tattva (the essence of Shiva). It is a notable fact that not one of the Nayanars had an ordinary death. All of them were bestowed with the divine aura of Shiva upon reaching their final destination. This is the reason behind the celebration of the death anniversary of Shaiva saints. Becoming one with the detached and mystical Shiva through simple, unassuming methods of devotional poetry, Nayanars became the pioneers for the common devotee, who did not have the luxury of renouncing worldly duties. Their words and lives are thus immortalized by the commoners, who follow their path of self-surrender to accomplish oneness with Shiva.
The set contains the sculptures of : Sundarar, Tiru Neelakanta,Iyarpagaiar, Ilayankudi Maranar, Meiporul, Viralminda, Amaraneedi, Eripatha, Yenathinathar, Kannappa, Kungiliya Kalaya, Manakanchara, Arivattaya, Anaya, Murthiyar, Muruga, Rudra Pasupathi, Nandanar (Thirunalai Povar), Tiru Kurippu Thonda, Chandeshvara, Appar (Tirunavukkarasar), Kulachirai, Perumizhalai Kurumba, Karaikkal Ammeiyar, Apputhi Adigal, Tiruneelanakka, Nami Nandi Adigal, Sambandar, Eyarkon Kalikama, Tirumular, Dandi Adigal, Murkha, Somasi Mara, Sakkiya, Sirappuli, Siruthondar, Cheraman Perumal, Gananatha, Kootruva, Pugal Chola, Narasinga Muniyaraiyar, Adipaththar, Kalikamba, Kalia, Satti, Aiyadigal Kadavarkon, Kanampulla, Kari, Ninra Seer Nedumaara, Mangayarkkarasiyar, Vayilar, Munaiyaduvar, Kazharsinga, Idangazhi, Seruthunai, Pugazh Thunai, Kotpuli, Pusalar, Nesa Nayanar, Sengenar (Kochengat Chola), Tiru Nilakanta Yazhpanar, Sadaiya, Isaignaniyaar.
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