Nayanars

Along with the Alvars, their contemporaries who were devoted to Vishnu, they influenced the Bhakti movement in early medieval South India.

[6] 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.

[1][2][4] The Nayanars were from various backgrounds, including Nadar, Vanniyar, Vellalas, Idayars, Kurumbars, Thevars, oilmongers, Brahmins, Vannar, and Dalits.

[citation needed] 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.

The Nalvar ( lit. ' The Four ' ) of Shaiva Siddhanta – (from left) Sambandar , Appar and Sundarar , the three foremost Nayanars, and Manikkavacakar .
The 63 Nayanars in a Shiva temple
Kannappa Nayanar