TAMIL SAIVAISM "Om Nama Sivaya - Sivaya Nama Om" {Thiruvaintheluththu Marai - Panchatchara Manthiram} The Saivaism is the main branch of the Hindu religion, which acclaims the worship of "Lord Shiva" as the 'God Supreme' of the universe. The Saivaism grew both in the North & South India at different periods of time, developing their own forms of Religious - Culture and Literature. The growth of the 'Saiva Religion' in North India was nurtured essentially by the Sanskrit Language and diverse Aryan Cultures, while in South India it was nurtured by the Dravidian - Languages and their respective Cultures - essentially and to a very great extent by the foremost among them namely the Tamil Language and the traditional Tamil Culture that was prevailing from the earliest times to this day in Tamil Nadu of South India. This resulted in Saivaism in Tamil Nadu producing very voluminous Religious Literatures, Codes of Ethics, Religious Hyms, Philosophy, and developing their link Arts namely the Temple Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, Iconography, Music, Dance, and other related minor Fine Arts, which distinguishly outstands from the Religious Developments that has taken place in North India or elsewhere in the other parts of India to this date. Hence the rich 'Tamil Saiva Religious Culture' that has evolved with the great patronage of Tamil Nadu's - and in their times the India's - outstanding and great Tamil Royal Dynasties namely the Cholas, Pandyas, Pallavas, and the other Dravidian Dynasties namely the Vijayanagara and the Nayakka of the neighbouring Dravidian States, correctly and justifiably endorses us referring the 'Saiva Religion' that developed in Tamil Nadu as the "TAMIL SAIVAISM" |
Posted by Virarajendra E-Mail Address: virarajendra@yahoo.co.in |
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