Periyalvar

Periyalvar (9th century), also known as Vishnuchittar, was one of the twelve Alvar saints of South India who are known for their affiliation to the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. He was the foster father of Andal. Andal, also called as Kodhai, is the only female Alvar, and is considered to be the incarnation of Bhudevi according to Sri Vaishnavism. The verses of Alvars are compiled as the Naalayira Divya Prabandham and the 108 temples revered are classified as Divya Desam. According to some accounts, Periyalvar is considered the first in the line of the twelve Alvars, while other accounts place him as the eighth. His original name was Vishnuchittar. Since he blessed Vishnu as though assuming he were an elder to the deity, he is called Periyalvar. According to Hindu legend, Periyalvar was the foster father of Andal, the only female Alvar. The works of Periyalvar contributed to the philosophical and theological ideas of Vaishnavism, the proponent behind the Bhakti movement. His contributions are the Tirupallantu and Periyalvar Tirumoli, which are among the 4000 stanzas in the Naalayira Divya Prabandam. In South Indian Vishnu temples, Periyalvar has images and festivals associated with him. The Garudasevai festival in the Srivilliputhur temple, where five Vishnu temples in the region participate, is an event dedicated to him. The verses of Periyalvar and the other Alvars are recited as a part of daily prayers and during festive occasions in several Sri Vaishnava temples in South India. A poem of Periyalvar names the ruling Pandya king as Netumaran, and states that the king extolled the lord of Thirumalirumsolai (that is, Vishnu). The Pandyan kings were generally staunch Shaivites: the only king described as a parama-vaishnava ("Great Vaishnavite") in the Pandyan inscriptions was Jatila Parantaka (r. c. 765-815), who was also known as Netun-jataiyan. His successor Shrimara Shrivallabha (r. c. 815-862) was known as Netumaran, although he is not known to be a Vaishnavite. Either of these kings can be identified as the "Netumaran" mentioned by Periyalvar.