Nayanmars
The saintly devotees of Shiva are known as Nayanmar (Nayanar). There are 63 of them. The activities of these devotees differ, but the one thing in common is their intense love for the Lord. They followed different ways of praying the God and led different kinds of life styles - brahmacharyam (Sandesar), grihastam (Nilakandar), vanaprastam (Aiyadikal Kadavarkon), sanyasam (Thirumular). Their traditional work (akin to caste system) too differed - Sampandhar (reciting Vedha), Appar (farmer), Nilakandar (potter), Thirunalaippovar (cobbler) and so on. There are both male and female (Ichainyaniyar, Karaikkal ammaiyar) devotees. The wives of many of these Nayanmars too were equally devoted to Lord Shiva as their husbands were (Thirunilakandar). Some of them were highly learned while some others excelled with their simple devotion though not learned in any scriptures (Kannappar). Some of them were kings (Pukazch chozar) and some others didn't even have even a house to live in (Thirumular). They all excelled in their own way - single minded devotion to Shiva.
One can find some important qualities in the lives of these saints. Most of them did not undertake a service that was different from their regular lifestyle. The weaver Necar had taken the service of providing clothes whereas the farmer Marar gave them food. The service they undertook may look mundane, like throwing a stone on the Shivalingam everyday, but they did it with intense love for the Lord and with determination, undermining the hurdles on their way.
Thani adiyar - 63 (Nayanmar)
Thirunamam Sivayogam day
1. Thirunilakanda nayanar thai - vichAkam
2. Iyarpakai nayanar mArkazi - uththiram
3. Ilaiyankudi maara nayanar AvaNi - makam
4. Meypporul nayanar kArththikai - uththiram
5. Viranminda nayanar chiththirai - thiruvAdhirai
6. Amarnidhi nayanar Ani - pUram
7. Eripaththa nayanar mAchi - hastam
8. Enathi natha nayanar purattAchi - uththiram
9. Kannappa nayanar thai - mirugachIrcham
10. Kunkiliyak kalaya nayanar AvaNi - mUlam
11. Manak kanychara nayanar mArkazi - svAdhi
12. Arivattaya nayanar thai - thiruvAdhirai
13. Anaya nayanar kArthikai - hastam
14. Murththi nayanar Adi - kruthikai
15. Muruga nayanar vaikAchi - mUlam
16. Uruththira pachupathi nayanar purattAchi - asvini
17. Thirunalaip povar nayanar purattAchi - rOhiNi
18. Thirukkuripputh thondar chiththirai - svAthi
19. Chandicha nayanar thai - uththiram
20. Thirunavukkarachaar (Appar) chiththirai - chathayam
21. Kulachchirai nayanar AvaNi - anusham
22. Perumizalaik kurumba nayanar Adi - chiththirai
23. Karaikkal ammaiyar paN^guni - svAti
24. AppuUdhi adikalar thai - chadhayam
25. Thiru nilanakka nayanar vaikAchi - mUlam
26. Naminandhi nayanar vaikAchi - pUsam
27. Thiru Gnanasampandhar vaikAchi - mUlam
28. Eyarkon kalikamar Ani - rEvati
29. Thirumula nayanar aippachi - asvini
30. DhandiyadikaL paN^guni - chadhayam
31. Murgga nayanar kArththikai - mUlam
32. Chomachi mara nayanar vaikAchi - Ayilyam
33. Chakkiya nayanar mArkazi - pUrAdam
34. Chirappuli nayanar kArththikai - pUrAdam
35. Chiruththonda nayanar chiththirai - baraNi
36. Kazarirru arivar nayanar
(Cheraman perumal nayanar) Adi - svAti
37. Gana nadha nayanar paN^guni - thiruvAdhirai
38. Kurruva nayanar Adi - thiruvAdhirai
39. Pukazch choza nayanar Adi - kruththikai
40. Narachinka munaiyaraiya nayanar purattAchi - chadhayam
41. Adhipaththa nayanar AvaNi - Ayilyam
42. Kalikkamba nayanar thai - rEvathi
43. Kaliya nayanar Adi - kEttai
44. Chaththi nayanar aippachi - pUcham
45. AiyadikaL kadavar kon nayanar aippachi - mUlam
46. Kanampulla nayanar kArththikai - kruththikai
47. Kari nayanar mAchi - pUrAdam
48. Ninra chir nedumara nayanar aippachi - baraNi
49. Vayilar nayanar mArkazi - rEvathi
50. MunaiyaduyAr nayanar paN^guni - pUsam
51. Kazarchinka nayanar vaikAchi - baraNi
52. Idankazi nayanar aippachi - kruththikai
53. Cheruththunai nayanar AvaNi - pUsam
54. Pukazth thunai nayanar AvaNi - Ayilyam
55. Kotpuli nayanar Adi - kEttai
56. Puchalar nayanar aippachi - anusham
57. Mankayarkkarachiyar nayanar chiththirai - rOhiNi
58. Necha nayanar paN^kuni - rOhiNi
59. Kochchenkat choza nayanar machi chadhayam
60. Thirunilakanda yazppana nayanar vaikAchi - mUlam
61. Chadaiya nayanar mArkazi - thiruvAdhirai
62. Ichainyaniyar chiththirai - chiththirai
63. Sundhara murthi nayanar Adi - svAthi