1. Manakanchara Nayanar, known as Manakkanychaara Nayanar, Manakkancharar, Manakanjara Nayanar, Mankkanjara Nayanar and Manakkanjarar, was a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism.
22 Facts About Manakanchara Nayanar
1. 2.
Manakanchara Nayanar is generally counted as the twelfth in the list of 63 Nayanars.
3.
Manakanchara Nayanar is dated to the 8th century and was a contemporary of Eyarkon Kalikkama Nayanar, a Nayanar saint and his son-in-law as well as Sundarar.
4.
Manakanchara Nayanar is described to have cut his daughter's hair and given it to Shiva disguised as a Shaiva ascetic, on her wedding day.
5.
The life of Manakanchara Nayanar is described in the Periya Puranam by Sekkizhar, which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars.
6.
Manakanchara Nayanar is dated to the 8th century and was a contemporary of Eyarkon Kalikkama Nayanar, a Nayanar saint and his son-in-law as well as Sundarar, one of the most prominent Nayanars.
7.
Manakanchara Nayanar was born in Kancharur, a fertile place in the Chola kingdom.
8.
Manakanchara Nayanar was a Vellalar, a caste of agricultural land owners.
9.
Manakanchara Nayanar was a great devotee of Shiva, the patron god of Shaivism.
10.
Manakanchara Nayanar served devotees of Shiva and generously donated gifts to them.
11.
Manakanchara Nayanar prayed to Shiva for a child and was blessed with a daughter.
12.
Manakanchara Nayanar distributed many gifts to devotees, while celebrating the birth of his daughter with great pomp.
13.
Manakanchara Nayanar was instilled with values of devotion to Shiva by her father from childhood.
14.
Manakanchara Nayanar grew up to become a beautiful maiden, with long and beautiful locks of hair.
15.
The family elders arranged her marriage to Eyarkon Kalikkama Manakanchara Nayanar, who was a Vellalar commander-in-chief of the Chola kingdom.
16.
The ascetic enquired about the festivities and in response, Manakanchara Nayanar informed him of his daughter's wedding.
17.
The daughter of Manakanchara Nayanar had lost her hair, the reason of her beauty, and faced the risk of rejection by the bridegroom.
18.
Manakanchara Nayanar felt that if he had married the bride when Shiva asked for the hair, he would have had the honour of gifting Shiva.
19.
Manakanchara Nayanar is described as generous and having hill like shoulders.
20.
Manakanchara Nayanar is worshipped in the Tamil month of Margazhi, when the moon enters the Svati nakshatra.
21.
Manakanchara Nayanar is depicted with folded hands.
22.
Manakanchara Nayanar receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanars.