Nayanars - Wikipedia
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The Nalvar (The Four) of Shaiva Siddhanta
Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar, the three foremost Nayanars, and Manikkavacakar.
The Nayanars or Nayanmars
a group of 63 Tamil saints living during the 6th to 8th centuries CE. Along with the Alvars, their contemporaries, they influenced the Bhakti movement in early medieval South India.
The names of the Nayanars were first compiled by Sundarar. The list was expanded by Nambiyandar Nambi during his compilation of material by the poets for the Tirumurai collection, and would include Sundarar himself and Sundarar's parents.
History
In the 10th century, king Raja Raja Chola I collected the volumes of Tevaram after hearing excerpts of the hymns in his court. His priest Nambiyandar Nambi began compiling the hymns into a series of volumes called the Tirumurai. He arranged the hymns of three saint poets Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar as the first seven books which he called the Tevaram. He compiled Manikkavasakar's Tirukovayar and Tiruvasakam as the eighth book, the 28 hymns of nine other saints as the ninth book, the Tirumandiram of Tirumular and 40 hymns by 12 other poets as the tenth book.
In the eleventh book, he created the Tirutontanar Tiruvanthathi ( Necklace of Verses on the Lord's Servants), which consisted of 89 verses, with a verse devoted to each of the saints. With the addition of Sundarar and his parents to the sequence, this became the canonical list of the 63 saints.
In the 12th century, Sekkizhar added a twelfth volume to the Tirumurai called Periya Puranam in which he expands further on the stories of each of 63 Nayanars.
The Nayanars were from various backgrounds, including Nadar, Vanniyar, Vellalas, Idayars, Kurumbars, Thevars, oilmongers, Brahmins, Vannar, and Paraiyars. Along with the twelve Vaishnava Alvars, they are regarded as the important Hindu saints from South India.
Sundarar's original list of Nayanars did not follow any sequence with regards to chronology or importance. However, some groups have since followed an order for arranging their Nayanar temple images according to Sundarar's poem as well as the information from Nambi and Sekkizhar.
List of 63 Nayanars No. Person Notes
1 Sundarar Born in Aadi month, Swathi nakshathiram
2 Tiru Neelakanta
3 Iyarpagaiar His name "Iyarpagai" means "Contrary to Nature"
4 Ilayankudi Maranar
5 Meiporul
6 Viralminda
7 Amaraneedi
8 Eripatha
9 Yenathinathar A Brave swordsman/general in Chola Military
10 Kannappa Believed to be a reincarnation of Arjuna
11 Kungiliya Kalaya
12 Manakanchara
13 Arivattaya
14 Anaya
15 Murthiyar
16 Muruga
17 Rudra Pasupathi
18 Nandanar (Thirunalai Povar)
19 Tiru Kurippu Thonda
20 Chandeshvara
21 Appar (Tirunavukkarasar) convinced the Pallava king, Mahendra- Varman I to take up Shaivism.
22 Kulachirai He became the Prime Minister of the Pandyan King Koon Pandiyan.
23 Perumizhalai Kurumba
24 Karaikkal Ammaiyar -Nagarathar Woman saint in the 6th century; one of the three female nayanmars
25 Apputhi Adigal
26 Tiruneelanakka
27 Nami Nandi Adigal
28 Sambandar A child prodigy Saiva Saint who lived only 16 years
29 Eyarkon Kalikama
30 Tirumular
31 Dandi Adigal
32 Murkha
33 Somasi Mara
34 Sakkiya
35 Sirappuli
36 Siruthondar Army general of the Pallava king Narasimavarman I
37 Cheraman Perumal Tentatively identified with Chera ruler Rama Rajasekhara
Born in Aadhi month, Swathi nakshathiram
38 Gananatha
39 Kootruva
40 Pugal Chola Chola King
41 Narasinga Muniyaraiyar
42 Adipaththar
43 Kalikamba
44 Kalia Born in Aadhi month, Kettai nakshathiram
45 Satti
46 Aiyadigal Kadavarkon
47 Kanampulla
48 Kari
49 Ninra Seer Nedumaara Pandya King
50 Mangayarkkarasiyar Queen and consort of Nindra Seer Nedumaran; one of the three female Nayanars
51 Vayilar
52 Munaiyaduvar
53 Kazharsinga Tentatively identified with Pallava king Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha)
54 Idangazhi
55 Seruthunai
56 Pugazh Thunai
57 Kotpuli
58 Pusalar
59 Nesa Nayanar Saliyar, weaver who donates clothes to Lord Shiva's devotees
60 Sengenar (Kochengat Chola)
61 Tiru Nilakanta Yazhpanar
62 Sadaiya Sundarar's father
63 Isaignaniyaar Sundarar's mother; one of the three female Nayanars
Other saints
The 9th-century poet Manikkavacakar was not counted as one of the 63 Nayanars but his works were part of the eighth volume of the Tirumurai.
In Tiruchuli, the Tamil poet-philosopher Valluvar is worshipped as the 64th Nayanar.
Valluvar was also added as the 64 saint in the annual Mylapore procession of the 63 Nayanars since c. 1905.