26 Facts About Appar

Appar, referred to as Tirunavukkaracar or Navukkarasar, was a seventh-century Tamil Shaiva poet-saint.

Appar composed 4,900 devotional hymns to the god Shiva, out of which 313 have survived and are now canonized as the 4th to 6th volumes of Tirumurai.

Appar's images are found and revered in Tamil Shiva temples.

Appar was renamed Dharmasenar while he studied and later served as the head of a Jain monastery.

Appar was born in late 6th-century, likely between 570 and 596 CE.

Appar was born in the Guruaruludaiyan kothiraam of the Vellalar caste by birth.

Appar never married thereafter, devoted herself to Shaivism and to taking care of her little brother.

Appar spent his childhood in Tiruvamur village near Atikai by most accounts.

Appar left home, joined a Jain monastery, where he was renamed Dharmasena.

Appar studied Jainism and years later became the head of the Jain monastery in Tiruppatirippuliyur.

Appar's sister gave him Tiruniru and taught him the five syllable mantra "namaccivaya".

Appar's hymns are intimately devotional to Shiva, but occasionally include verses where he repents the Jain period of his life.

Appar largely stayed at Atikai with his sister before visiting other Shiva temples to sing in praise of Shiva.

Appar heard of Sambandar and went to Sirkali to meet him.

Appar is said to have traveled to about a hundred and twenty-five temples in different cities or villages in Tamil Nadu.

Appar died in Sadhaya Nakshtra in the Tamil month of Chithirai at Tirupukalur Shiva temple at the age of 81.

The Tamil Shaiva tradition believes that Appar extolled Siva in 4,900 hymns.

Appar was the only one of the four kuravars to visit the shrine at Tirukokarnam on the western coast of India.

Appar's poems dealt with inner, emotional and psychological state of the poet saint.

The quote below is a popular song of Appar glorifying Shiva in simple diction.

Appar sought the help of Nambi Andar Nambi, who was a priest in a temple.

Appar is traditionally credited with converting the Pallava king, Mahendravarman to Shaivism.

Appar's efforts helped expand the sacred geography of Shaivism and bring fame to smaller Shiva temples.

Appar celebrated the Vedas, and connected the Vedic ritual to the temple Agamic puja that is ever since followed in Shiva temples.

Appar is sported with beads of Rudraksha on both his arms and neck.

Appar's hymns provide a window into the history and culture of Tamil Hindus between the 7th and 9th-century, states Paramasivanandan.