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.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
Alvar saints canonical 12
Alvars 4

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf group of poet-saints
religious movement figure
associatedMovement Bhakti movement
associatedTradition Sri Vaishnavism
associatedWith Divya Desam temples
associatedWithText Nalayira Divya Prabandham
linked to: Divya Prabandham
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
linked to: Sri (Lakshmi)
devotionalMode prapatti (total surrender)
ethnicGroup Tamil
includesSaint Andal
Bhutath Alvar
linked to: Bhoothath Alvar

Kulasekhara Alvar
Madhurakavi Alvar
Nammalvar
Periyalvar
Pey Alvar
Poigai Alvar
Tirumalisai Alvar
Tirumangai Alvar
Tiruppan Alvar
Tondaradippodi Alvar
influenceOn Bhakti movement in South India
linked to: Bhakti movement

Sri Vaishnava theology
linked to: Sri Vaishnavism

Tamil devotional literature
temple worship practices in South India
language Tamil language
linked to: Tamil
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
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
Vaishnavism
viewedAs saints by Sri Vaishnavas
worshipStyle emotional devotion
personal devotion

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (16)

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

Nayanars contrastedWith Alvars
linked to: Alvar saints
Divya Prabandham composedBy Alvars
linked to: Alvar saints
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam associatedWith Alvars
linked to: Alvar saints
Andal memberOf Alvars
linked to: Alvar saints
Sarangapani Temple associatedWith Alvar saints
Thiruvarangam associatedWith Alvar saints
Ranganatha associatedWith Alvar saints
Madhurakavi Alvar associatedWith Alvar saints
Tiruviruttam associatedWith Alvar saints
Tiruvaciriyam associatedWith Alvar saints
Parthasarathy Temple associatedWith Alvar saints