The Tevaram (Tamil: தேவாரம் Teva means "God", aram means "garland"1 ) denotes the first seven volumes of the Tirumurai, the twelve-volume collection of Tamil Saivite devotional poetry. All seven volumes are dedicated to the works of the three most prominent Tamil poets (known as Nayanars) - Campantar (or Sambanthar etc.), Appar and Cuntarar (also Sundarar etc.). The first two of these are believed to have lived around the 7th century AD, the last in the 9th century AD. During the Pallava period these three travelled extensively around Tamil Nadu offering discourses and songs characterised by an emotional devotion to Shiva and objections to Vaishnavism, Jainism and Buddhism.2.
In the tenth Century AD, during the reign of Rajaraja Chola I, a collection of these songs was found abandoned in the Chidambaram temple, along with other religious literary works, and collated by Nambiyandar Nambi.
All the songs in the Tevaram (called pathikam in Tamil) are believed to be in sets of ten. The hymns were set to music denoted by Panns and are part of the canon of the Tamil music. They continue to be part of temple liturgy today.3 4
References
- ^ "Classical Notes: Musical people". The Hindu. Retrieved on 2007-01-10.
- ^ N.Subramaniam. Social and Cultural History of Tamilnad (to AD 1336). Ennes Publication Udumalpet 642 128.
- ^ "Glossary". TempleNet. Retrieved on 2007-01-10.
- ^ "Abodes of Shiva". Indiantemples.com. Retrieved on 2007-01-10.
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