The Sanskrit term ‘Bhakti” comes from the root word “bhaj” which meaning partaking in devotion and love for God. The Bhakti movement led to the development of regional religious developments.

The earliest Bhakti movements flourished in India during 7^th – 12^th century CE had two groups, Alvars and Nayanars.

The Alvars

They were the followers of Vishnu. The Alvar saints propagated Vishnu bhakti and sang hymns in praise of the Lord. The Alvars were also conversant with the ‘agamas’ which provide with the concrete worship of the icons. This development is best reflected through various stages in Alvar poetry dominated by emotional Krishna Bhakti. The hymns of the 12 Alvars were collected in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Nathamuni during the 10^th century.

The Nayanars

The term Nayanar means ‘leader’. There are a total of 63 saints who follows the path of Shiva but a special status is attached to a group of three saints referred as Mavur or ‘The Revered Ones’ —Appar, Sundarar, and Sambandar. The Nayanars were drawn from various social strata that is from Brahmins and lower classes. They directly challenge the caste but those who collected hymns and composed hagiographies belong to Brahmins and Upper strata of Society.