Thevaram Songs

Thevaram denotes the first seven volumes of the Tirumurai

Thevaram denotes the first seven volumes of the Tirumurai, the twelve-volume collection of Śaiva devotional poetry. All seven volumes are dedicated to the works of the three most prominent Tamil poets of the 7th century, the Nayanars - Sambandar, Tirunavukkarasar and Sundarar. The singing of Thevaram is continued as a hereditary practise in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.

The first three Tirumurais (meaning parts) of Tevaram are composed by Thiru GnaanaSambanthar, the next three by Appar and the seventh one is composed by Sundarar. Appar and Thiru GnaanaSambanthar lived around the 7th century, while Sundarar lived in the 8th century. 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.

Thiru GnaanaSambanthar is a 7th-century Holy Guru Paramaachariyaar(The great Teacher) born in SeeKaazhi, now wrongly called as Sirkali in Brahmin community and was believed to be breastfed by the goddess umadevi also called as Parvati whereupon he sang the first hymn. On the request of queen of Pandya Nadu, Thiru GnaanaSambanthar went on pilgrimage to south, defeated Jains in debate, the Jains' provocation of Sambandar by burning his house and challenging him to debate, and Thiru GnaanaSambanthar 's eventual victory over them He was a contemporary of Appar, another Saiva saint.Information about Sambandhar comes mainly from the Periya Puranam, the eleventh-century Tamil book on the Nayanars that forms the last volume of the Tirumurai, along with the earlier Tiruttondartokai, poetry by Cuntarar and Nambiyandar Nambi's Tiru Tondar Tiruvandadi. A Sanskrit hagiography called Brahmapureesa Charitam is now lost. The first volumes of the Tirumurai contain three hundred and eighty-four poems of Sambanthar (in 4181 stanzas), all that survive out of a reputed more than 10,000 hymns. ThiruGnaanaSambanthar merged with Lord around the age of 16 in 655 CE on the day of his marriage. His verses were set to tune by ThiruNeelaKanda Yaazhpaanar, who is set to have accompanied the musician on his yal or lute.

All the songs in the Tevaram 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.

Tevaram was one of the sole reasons for converting Vedic ritual to Agamic puja followed in Shiva temples. Though these two systems are overlapping, Agamic tradition ensures the perpetuation of the Vedic religion's emphasis on the efficacy of ritual as per Davis.Odhuvars, Sthanikars, or Kattalaiyars offer musical programmes in Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu by singing Tevaram after the daily rituals.

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