Who were the Nayanars?
- A.Those who were immersed in devotion to Vishnu
- B.Those who were devotees of Buddha
- C.Leaders who were devotees of Shiva
- D.Leaders who were devotees of Basveshwara
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, Leaders who were devotees of Shiva. The Nayanars were Tamil saint-poets of the early Bhakti movement who worshipped Shiva.
Between about the 6th and 9th centuries CE, the Nayanars travelled from temple to temple in the Tamil country singing hymns in praise of Shiva. Tradition counts 63 Nayanars, who came from many castes, including potters, hunters and so-called untouchables, and among them was a woman saint, Karaikkal Ammaiyar. Their hymns by Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar were collected as the Tevaram, part of the Tirumurai, and Manikkavachakar wrote the Tiruvachakam. Along with the Alvars, they made devotion in Tamil the heart of a popular religious movement.
A is wrong because the devotees of Vishnu were the Alvars, twelve saints whose hymns form the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. B is wrong because the Nayanars opposed Buddhism and Jainism rather than following the Buddha. D is wrong because the followers of Basavanna (Basaveshwara) in Karnataka were the Lingayats or Virashaivas.
Exam tip: Nayanars = 63 Shiva saints (Tevaram); Alvars = 12 Vishnu saints (Divya Prabandham).
Practice Questions
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- A.1 and 2 only
- B.1, 2 and 3
- C.2 and 3 only
- D.1 and 3 only
Show answer
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- B.He was a contemporary of Patanjali.
- C.He belonged to a period between Panini and Patanjali.
- D.He belonged to a period later than both Panini and Patanjali.
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- A.4-2-3-1
- B.4-3-2-1
- C.1-3-2-4
- D.1-2-3-4
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- A.2, 4, 1, 3
- B.4, 2, 1, 3
- C.1, 2, 3, 4
- D.3, 1, 2, 4
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Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements about the Law Commission headed by Lord Macaulay is/are correct? 1. It attempted to codify the laws. 2. It was opposed to uniform system of Courts. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
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Read the full explanation →