Alvar saints

E485102

The Alvar saints were Tamil poet-saints of South India whose devotional hymns to Vishnu helped shape the Bhakti movement and the Sri Vaishnavism tradition.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Alvars 4

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf group of poet-saints
religious movement figure
associatedMovement Bhakti movement NERFINISHED
associatedTradition Sri Vaishnavism NERFINISHED
associatedWith Divya Desam temples NERFINISHED
associatedWithText Nalayira Divya Prabandham NERFINISHED
coreTheology devotion to Vishnu
personal relationship with God
surrender to God
culturalImpact integrated Sanskritic Vaishnavism with Tamil culture
shaped Tamil Vaishnava identity
devotionalFocus Vishnu and his avatars
Vishnu’s consort Lakshmi NERFINISHED
devotionalMode prapatti (total surrender)
ethnicGroup Tamil NERFINISHED
includesSaint Andal NERFINISHED
Bhutath Alvar NERFINISHED
Kulasekhara Alvar NERFINISHED
Madhurakavi Alvar NERFINISHED
Nammalvar NERFINISHED
Periyalvar NERFINISHED
Pey Alvar NERFINISHED
Poigai Alvar NERFINISHED
Tirumalisai Alvar NERFINISHED
Tirumangai Alvar NERFINISHED
Tiruppan Alvar NERFINISHED
Tondaradippodi Alvar NERFINISHED
influenceOn Bhakti movement in South India NERFINISHED
Sri Vaishnava theology NERFINISHED
Tamil devotional literature
temple worship practices in South India
language Tamil language NERFINISHED
legacy inspired later bhakti poets across India
their hymns are recited in Sri Vaishnava temple liturgy
notableWorkType devotional hymns
numberOfTraditionalMembers 12
poeticGenre bhakti poetry
primaryDeityWorshipped Vishnu NERFINISHED
region South India
religion Hinduism
roleInTradition helped canonize Divya Desam temples through hymns
scripturalStatus their hymns are considered sacred scripture in Sri Vaishnavism
timePeriod early medieval South India
timePeriodApproximate 6th to 9th century CE
veneratedIn Sri Vaishnavism NERFINISHED
Vaishnavism NERFINISHED
viewedAs saints by Sri Vaishnavas
worshipStyle emotional devotion
personal devotion

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Sarangapani Temple associatedWith Alvar saints
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam associatedWith Alvar saints
this entity surface form: Alvars
Thiruvarangam associatedWith Alvar saints
Divya Prabandham composedBy Alvar saints
this entity surface form: Alvars
Nayanars contrastedWith Alvar saints
this entity surface form: Alvars
Andal memberOf Alvar saints
this entity surface form: Alvars