The Thevaram (Tamil: தேவாரம் Thēvāram) denotes the first seven volumes of the

Tirumurai, the twelve-volume collection of Śaiva devotional poetry. All seven volumes are
dedicated to the works of the three most prominent Tamil poets of the 7th century, the Nayanars
- Sambandar, Tirunavukkarasar and Sundarar.[1][2][3] The singing of Tevaram is continued as a
hereditary practise in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.[4]

In the tenth century, during the reign of Raja Raja Chola I, a collection of these songs was found
abandoned in the Chidambaram temple, along with other religious literary works, and collated by
Nambiyandar Nambi. It is during the Chola dynasty that Saivism came of age and Tevaram, with
its body of texts on rituals, philosophy and theology, was canonized.[5] The 276 temples revered
by these verses are called paadal petra thalam and another 276 places having Shiva temples that
are casually mentioned in the verses are classified as vaipu sthalam. It was Tevaram for Saivism
and Nalayira Divya Prabandam for Vaishanvism. There are 796 of these songs with a total of
more than 8200 stanzas.[6] The three poets were not only involved in portraying their personal
devotion to Shiva, but also involved a community of believers through their songs.[7] It is one of
the important sources of Tamil Bhakti, a movement that inspired the agricultural community.[8]

Evolution
Three stages have been identified in the evolution of Thevaram - first is the mark of Shiva as the
supreme deity during the 7th - 9th century, the second involved Chola kings initiating the
compilation of all the hymns and installing the images of the 3 saint poets during the 10th to 11th
century and the last being the restructuring done by the pontiffs of the mathas who incorporated
the hymns into Saiva Siddantha canon in the 13th century.[9] Both the Saiva and Vaishnava
textual tradition negated the Vedic orthodoxy and Smartha tradition practised during the era.[10]
The authority of the hymns were established with the Saivities calling the Tevaram as Tamil
Marai (meaning Tamil Veda), while Vaishnavities called the Nalayira Divya Prabandham as
Dravida Veda.[10] The usage of Sanskrit liturgies for religion was overcome with the usage of
Tamil in both Tevaram and Prabandham.[11] Sangam literature established the convention of
akam (internally orineted) and puram (externally orientated) poetry.[11] Though influence of
Sangam literature is often seen in Thevaram, the strict conventions were not followed.[11] The
verses were more oriented towards folk tradition, which was easily accessible to people.[11]

Poets
The first three Tirumurais (meaning parts) of Tevaram are composed by Thiru
GnaanaSambanthar, the next three by Appar and the seventh one is composed by Sundarar.
Appar and Thiru GnaanaSambanthar lived around the 7th century, while Sundarar lived in the
8th century. During the Pallava period these three travelled extensively around Tamil Nadu
offering discourses and songs characterised by an emotional devotion to Shiva and objections to
Vaishnavism, Jainism and Buddhism.[12]

Thiru GnaanaSambanthar is a 7th-century Holy Guru Paramaachariyaar(The great Teacher) born

in SeeKaazhi, now wrongly called as Sirkali in Brahmin community and was believed to be
breastfed by the goddess umadevi also called as Parvati
, whereupon he sang the first hymn. On the request of queen of Pandya Nadu, Thiru
GnaanaSambanthar went on pilgrimage to south, defeated Jains in debate, the Jains' provocation
of Sambandar by burning his house and challenging him to debate, and Thiru GnaanaSambanthar
's eventual victory over them[13][14] He was a contemporary of Appar, another Saiva saint.[15]
Information about Sambandhar comes mainly from the Periya Puranam, the eleventh-century
Tamil book on the Nayanars that forms the last volume of the Tirumurai, along with the earlier
Tiruttondartokai, poetry by Cuntarar and Nambiyandar Nambi's Tiru Tondar Tiruvandadi. A
Sanskrit hagiography called Brahmapureesa Charitam is now lost. The first volumes of the
Tirumurai contain three hundred and eighty-four poems of Sambanthar (in 4181 stanzas), all that
survive out of a reputed more than 10,000 hymns.[16] ThiruGnaanaSambanthar merged with Lord
around the age of 16 in 655 CE on the day of his marriage. His verses were set to tune by
ThiruNeelaKanda Yaazhpaanar, who is set to have accompanied the musician on his yal or
lute.[17]

Appar's (aka Tirunavukkarasar) was born during the 7th century in Tiruvamur, Tamil Nadu, his
childhood name for Marulneekiar. His sister, Thilagavathiar was betrothed to a military
commander who died in action. When his sister was about to end her life, he pleaded with her
not to leave him alone in the world.[17] She decided to lead an ascetic life and bring up her only
brother. During boyhood, Appar was very much interested in Jainism and started studying its
scriptures. He went away from home and stayed in their monastery and was renamed
Darmasena.[18] Details of Appar's life are found in his own hymns and in Sekkizhar's Periya
Puranam (the last book of the Tirumurai). Appar had travelled to nearby Patalipura to join a Jain
monastery where he was given the name Dharmasena. "Seeing the transient, ephemeral world he
decided to probe into truth through renunciation."[19] After a while, afflicted by a painful illness,
Dharmasena returned home.[20] He prayed for relief at the Siva temple where his sister served
and was cured by Lord. Lord gave the name 'ThiruNaavukkuArasar'. He was also involved in
converting the Pallava king, Mahendravarman to Saivism.[21] This was also the period of
resurrection of the smaller Shiva temples. Appar sanctified all these temples by his verses[21] and
was also involved in cleaning of the dilapidated temples called uzhavaarappani. He was called
Tirunavukkarasu, meaning the "King of divine speech".[22] He extolled Siva in 49,000 stanzas
out of which 3130 are now available and compiled in Tirumurais [4,5,6]. When he met
Campantar, he called him Appar (meaning father). He merged with lord around the age of 81 in
Tirupugalur.[22] He famously known for his ThiruThandagam[6th Thirumurai]. ThiruThandagam
is difficult to compose, He is called as 'Thandagach Chadhurar' [Expert in ThiruThaandagam]

Sundarar (aka Sundaramurthi) was born in Tirunavalur in a Brahmin family during the end of the
7th century.[22] Sadayanar and IsaiGnanyiaar are his parents. His own name was Nambi Arurar
and was prevented from marrying by the divine grace of Siva.[22] He later married a temple girl
namely Paravi Naachiyaar and a vellala community girl by name Changili naachiyaar.[22] He is
the author of 1026 poems compiled as 7th Tirumurai.[22] He is close friend of KazharitruArivaar
Nayanar aka Cheramaan perumaal Nayanar(one among the holy 63 nayanar) and EyarKon
KalikKaama Nayanar(also one among the holy 63 nayanar. From ThiruAnjaiKalam (now
ThiruVanjikulam), He went to Kaiylaayam in Holy Elephant which have 1000 horns.

The hymns
 Tirumurai

The twelve volumes of Tamil Śaiva

hymns of the sixty-three Nayanars
Parts Name Author
1,2,3 Tirukadaikkappu Sambandar
4,5,6 Tevaram Tirunavukkarasar
7 Tirupaatu Sundarar
Tiruvacakam &
8 Manikkavacakar
Tirukkovaiyar
Tiruvisaippa &
9 Various
Tiruppallaandu
10 Tirumandhiram Tirumular
11 Various
12 Periya Puranam Sekkizhar
Paadal Petra Sthalam
Paadal Petra Sthalam
Raja Raja Chola I
Nambiyandar Nambi

All the songs in the Tevaram (called pathikam, Tamil:பபபபபப) are believed to be in sets of
ten. The hymns were set to music denoted by Panns and are part of the canon of the Tamil
music.[11] They continue to be part of temple liturgy today.[23][24] Several of these poems refer to
historic references pointing to the saint-poets' own life, voice of devotee persona, using interior
language of the mystic.[25] Multi-vocal rhetoric is commonly used taking on personal emotions
and genres and some voices of classical Sangam literature. Of the three, Campantar's life is better
interpreted by his verses.[25] According to Zvelebil, Campantar's lyrics are characterized by
egocentricism, by militancy and great ardour, by a warm feeling for the greatness and beauty of
Tamil language with scholarly experimentation in meters showing familiarity with Sanskrit
forms.[17] Campantar's poetry shows structural and thematic distinctiveness of the bhakti speech
of poetry....is ....sorry poetry.[26]

"In the temple where he is throned, who bids us not lose heart
In the hour when our senses grow confused, the way grows dim,
 Our wisdom fails, and mucus chokes our struggling breath,
In Tiruvaiyar, where the girls dance around, and the drumbeats sound,
The monkeys fear the rain, run up the trees, and scan the clouds"[26]

Appar's poems dealt with inner, emotional and psychological state of the poet saint.[17] The
metaphors used in the poems have deep agrarian influence that is considered one of the striking
chords for common people to get accustomed to the verse.[27] The quote below is a popular song
of Appar glorifying Shiva in simple diction.[26]

"பபபபபப பபபபபபபப பபபப பபபபபபபப

பபபப பபபபபபபபப பபபபபபப பபபபபபபப
பபபப பபபபபப பபபபபபபபபப பபபபபபப
பபபப பபபபப பபபபபப பபபபப"

translating to

"The shade of my Lord's twin feet are like the flawless Veena,
like the full-moon of the evening
like the gently breeze blowing from the South
like the young thriving spring
like lake where the swarming bess hum"[26]

Cuntarar's hymns had a touch of humour, a rare thing in religious literature. In one of the verses,
he playfully draws an analogy with Siva with himself, both having two wives and the needs of
nagging wives.[28]

"Thou art half woman. Thyself

Ganga is in thy long hair
Full well canst thou comprehend
Burden of woman so fair"[28]

The tendency to incorporate place names known to the folks in the idiom of the poems is another
characteristic feature of Tevaram.[29] The poems also involved glorifying the feat of Shiva in the
particular location – the usage of locale continuously occurring in the verses is a testament.[29]
According to Prentiss, the poems do not represent social space as a contested space, the hymns
represent the hymnists were free to wander and to offer their praise of Shiva.[30] The emotional
intensity of the hymns represent spontaneous expression of thought as an emotional responses to
God.[30]

Paadal Petra Sthalams are 275[31] temples that are revered in the verses of Tevaram and are
amongst the greatest Shiva temples of the continent. The Divya Desams by comparison are the
108 Vishnu temples glorified in the poems of the contemporary Vaishnava Alvars of Tamil
Nadu, India. Vaippu Sthalangal are places that were mentioned casually in the songs in
Tevaram.[32] The focus of the moovars hymns suggests darshan (seeing and being seen by God)
within the puja (worship) offering.[30] The hymnists made classificatory lists of places like katu
(for forest), turai (port or refuge), kulam (water tank) and kalam (field) being used - thus both
structured and unstructured places in the religious context find a mention in Tevaram.[30]

Compilation

The 3 foremost Nayanars with Manikkavasakar - collectively called the Naalvar: (from left)
Sambandar, Tirunavukkarasar, Sundarar, Manikkavacakar.

Raja Raja Chola I (985-1013 CE) embarked on a mission to recover the hymns after hearing
short excerpts of Tevaram in his court.[33] He sought the help of Nambi Andar Nambi,[34] who
was a priest in a temple.[5] It is believed that by divine intervention Nambi found the presence of
scripts, in the form of cadijam leaves half eaten by white ants in a chamber inside the second
precinct in Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram.[5][33] The brahmanas (Dikshitars) in the
temple opposed the mission, but Rajaraja intervened by consecrating the images of the saint-
poets through the streets of Chidambaram.[33][35] Rajaraja thus became to be known as Tirumurai
Kanda Cholan meaning one who saved the Tirumurai.[35] Thus far Shiva temples only had
images of god forms, but after the advent of Rajaraja, the images of the Nayanar saints were also
placed inside the temple.[35] Nambi arranged the hymns of three saint poets Campantar, Appar
and Sundarar as the first seven books, Manickavasagar's Tirukovayar and Tiruvacakam as the
8th book, the 28 hymns of nine other saints as the 9th book, the Tirumandiram of Tirumular as
the 10th book, 40 hymns by 12 other poets as the 10th book, Tirutotanar Tiruvanthathi - the
sacred anthathi of the labours of the 63 nayanar saints and added his own hymns as the 11th
book.[36] The first seven books were later called as Tevaram, and the whole Saiva canon, to
which was added, as the 12th book, Sekkizhar's Periya Puranam (1135 CE) is wholly known as
Tirumurai, the holy book. Thus Saiva literature which covers about 600 years of religious,
philosophical and literary development.[36]

Nambi was also involved in setting musical modes for Tevaram.[37] He accomplished this by
visiting his native village of Tirunilakanta Yalpanar, where he met a woman of the Tamil Panar
caste who learned the mode of divine revelation. She returned to Chidambaram with Nambi,
where she sang and danced for Shiva.[37]

In 1918, 11 more songs were found engraved in stone temple in Tiruvidavayil in a village close
to Nannillam and it was the first instance found where Tevaram verses were found in
inscriptions.[38]
In culture
Tevaram was one of the sole reasons for converting Vedic ritual to Agamic puja followed in
Shiva temples.[39] Though these two systems are overlapping, Agamic tradition ensures the
perpetuation of the Vedic religion's emphasis on the efficacy of ritual as per Davis.[39] Odhuvars,
Sthanikars, or Kattalaiyars offer musical programmes in Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu by
singing Tevaram after the daily rituals.[40] These are usually carried out as chorus programme
soon after the divine offering. The singing of Tevaram was followed by musicals from the music
pillars in such temples like Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, Nellaiappar Temple and
Suchindram.[41] The singers of these hymns were referred as Tirupadiyam Vinnapam seyvar or
Pidarar from the inscriptions of Nandivarman III in the Tiruvallam Bilavaneswara temple
records. Rajaraja deputed 48 pidarars and made liberal provisions for their maintenance and
successors.[35] A few earlier records give details about the gifts rendered to the singers of
Tevaram from Parantaka I of the 8th century.[35] A record belonging to Rajendra I mentions
Tevaranayakan, the supervisor of Tevaram and shows the institutionalisation of Tevaram with
the establishiment of a department.[35] There are records from Kulothunga Chola III from
Nallanyanar temple in South Arcot indicating singing of Tiruvempavai and Tiruvalam of
Manickavasagar during special occasion in the temple.[35] From the 13th century, the texts were
passed on to the Odhuvars by the Adheenams or mathas and there was no more control by the
kings or the brahmanas.[9] The Odhuvars were from vellala community and were trained in ritual
singing in Tevaram schools.[9]

Periya Puranam, the eleventh-century Tamil book on the Nayanars that forms the last volume of
the Tirumurai primarily had references only to Tevaram and subsequently expanded to 12
parts.[42] One of the first anthologies of moovars hymns called the Tevara Arulmuraitirattu is
linked to Tamil Saiva siddhantha philosophy by grouping ninety-nine verses into 10
categories.[42] The category headings are God, soul, bond, grace, guru, methodology,
enlightenment, bliss, mantra and liberation - correspond to Umapthi's work, Tiruvarutpayan.[43]
Tirumurai kanda puranam is another anthology for Tirumurai as a whole, but primarily focuses
on Tevaram. It is the first of the works to refer the collection of volumes as Tirumurai.[43]