Sambandar or Thirugnana Sambandar was a young Saiva poet-saint of Tamil Nadu who lived around the 7th century CE.
Nandi is the gate-guardian deity of Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva. He is usually depicted as a bull. The decorated bull gangi reddu is the tradition of ancient south india.
Vaitheeswaran Kovil is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Shiva, located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped as Vaidyanathar or Vaitheeswaran meaning the "God of healing" and it is believed that prayers to Vaitheeswaran can cure diseases. Vaitheeswaran is a Tamil derivative from vaidya (Doctor) and Ishvara (God/Master). The presiding deity is Sri vaidyanathan, facing towards West whereas East side is the common one. He is the God of Healing. When pronouncing in Tamil, it sounds like "vaideeswaran". It is one of the nine Navagraha temples and is associated with the planet Mars (Angaraka).
Appar Tirunavukkarasar Nayanar, also known as Navukkarasar and Appar, was a seventh-century Śaiva Tamil poet-saint, one of the most prominent of the sixty-three Nayanars. He was an older contemporary of Thirugnana Sambandar. His birth-name was Marulneekkiyar. He was called "father" by Sambandar, hence the name Appar.
Sundarar, also known affectionately as Tampiran Tōḻan was an eighth-century poet who was one of the most prominent Nayanars, the Shaiva bhakti (devotional) poets of Tamil Nadu. He was a contemporary of Cheraman Perumal and Kotpuli Nayanar who also figure in the 63 Nayanmars. The songs of praise are called Thiruthondathogai and is the original nucleus around which the Periyapuranam is based. The Periya Puranam, which collects the legends of the Nayanars, starts and ends with him. The hymns of seventh volume of the Tirumurai, the twelve-volume compendium of the poetry of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta, were composed by him. His songs are considered the most musical in Tirumurai in Tamil language.
The Tondaiman family were Tamil rulers of the ancient Tondai Nadu (Tondaimandalam) division of Tamilakkam in South India. Their capital was at Kanchipuram.
Dharmapuram Aadheenam is a Saivite monastic institution based in the town of Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu. As of 2019, there were a total of 27 Shiva temples under the control of the adheenam.
Erumbeeswarar Temple in Thiruverumbur, Tamil Nadu, India, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva. Built on a 60-foot (18 m) tall hill, it is accessible via a flight of steps. The temple's main shrines and its two prakarams are on top of the hill, while a hall and the temple tank are located at the foothills. Shiva is believed to have transformed himself into an ant hill and tilted his head at this place to enable ants to climb up and worship him. Erumbeeswarar is revered in the canonical 7th-century Tamil Saiva work the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
Aiyarappar temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in the village of Tiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu, India. The Five Rivers are Vadavaru, Vennaaru, Vettaaru, Kudamuruttiyaaru and Kaaviriyaaru. Shiva is worshiped as Aiyarappar, and is represented by the lingam and his consort Parvati is depicted as Dharmasamvardhini. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil poet saints known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam is a Saivite mutt based in the town of Thiruvaduthurai in Kuthalam taluk of Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu, India. The adheenam maintains the Mayuranathaswami temple at Mayiladuthurai. As of 1987, there were a total of 15 Shiva temples under the control of the adheenam.
Kumbakonam block is a community development block in the Kumbakonam taluk of Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India. There are a total of 47 villages in this block. The block is surrounded by the Thirumanur and T.Palur blocks of Ariyalur District to the north, Thiruvidaimarudur and Thiruppanandal blocks of Thanjavur District to the east and Tiruvarur block of Tiruvarur District to the south and Papanasam block of Thanjavur district to the west. It is one of the six blocks of Thanjavur district watered by the Kaveri River.
Vedapuriswarar Temple, Thiruvedhikudi or Vazhaimadunathar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Thiruvedhikudi near Tiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil poet saints known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple is counted as the earliest of all Chola temples.
Madurai Adheenam is the oldest Saivite adheenam, a form of Hindu monastery, in South India. It was established more than 1,300 years ago, and is said to have been rejuvenated by Thirugnana Sambandar. It is located near the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, one of the most important Shiva–Shakti shrines. It is an active centre of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy.
Hinduism in Tamil Nadu finds its earliest literary mention in the Sangam literature dated to the 5th century BCE. The total number of Tamil Hindus as per 2011 Indian census is 63,188,168 which forms 87.58% of the total popualation of Tamil Nadu. Hinduism is the largest religion in Tamil Nadu.
Desikar or Pandaram is a Tamil-speaking Veerasaiva community from the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They are particularly priests and land owners.
Masilamaniswara Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Hindu god Shiva, located in the village Thiruvaduthurai, located 22 km from the South Indian town, Kumbakonam and 14 km from Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams. The temple is referred to in the verses of Tevaram, the 7th century Tamil Saiva canon by Tirugnana Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar.
Palunkanda Nathar Temple is a Hindu temple in the village of Thiruvaipadi near Thiruppanandal in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, India.
Tirukozhambiam Kokileswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located at Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is Shiva. He is called as Kokileswarar. His consort is Soundara Nayaki.
Tiruppanantaal Arunajadewswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located at Tirupanandal in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, India. The historical name of the place is Thadagaieswaram. The presiding deity is Shiva. He is called as Aruna Jadewswarar. His consort is known as Periya Nayaki.
Akshayanathasamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located at Tirumanthurai in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India.
