Which of the following are the correct statements with reference to early traditions of 'Bhakti'?

(A) The language of the hymns sung by Alvar and Nayanar Bhakti saints was Tamil.
(B) One of the major anthologies of compositions by the Alvars, named as 'Nalayira Divyaprabandham' was frequently described as the 'Tamil Veda'.
(C) Women saint Andal was a devotee of Vishnu and Karaikkal Ammaiyar, a devotee of Shiva.
(D) Alvar and Nayanar traditions have also been seen as a movement of protest against the caste system and dominance and Brahmanas.
(E) The relation of Alvar and Nayanar Bhakti tradition with Buddhism and Jainism was extremely amicable and harmonious.

Choose the correct answer and from the options given below:

(A), (B), (C), (D) only

The correct answer is Option (4) → (A), (B), (C), (D) only

Given statements:

(A) The language of the hymns sung by Alvar and Nayanar Bhakti saints was Tamil. (Correct)
(B) One of the major anthologies of compositions by the Alvars, named as 'Nalayira Divyaprabandham' was frequently described as the 'Tamil Veda'. (Correct)
(C) Women saint Andal was a devotee of Vishnu and Karaikkal Ammaiyar, a devotee of Shiva. (Correct)
(D) Alvar and Nayanar traditions have also been seen as a movement of protest against the caste system and dominance and Brahmanas. (Correct)
(E) The relation of Alvar and Nayanar Bhakti tradition with Buddhism and Jainism was extremely amicable and harmonious. (Incorrect)

Alvars and Nayanars:

Some of the earliest bhakti movements (c. sixth century) were led by the Alvars (literally, those who are “immersed” in devotion to Vishnu) and Nayanars (literally, leaders who were devotees of Shiva). They travelled from place to place singing hymns in Tamil in praise of their gods. During their travels the Alvars and Nayanars identified certain shrines as abodes of their chosen deities. Very often large temples were later built at these sacred places. These developed as centres of pilgrimage. Singing compositions of these poet-saints became part of temple rituals in these shrines, as did worship of the saints’ images.

Some historians suggest that the Alvars and Nayanars initiated a movement of protest against the caste system and the dominance of Brahmanas or at least attempted to reform the system. To some extent this is corroborated by the fact that bhaktas hailed from diverse social backgrounds ranging from Brahmanas to artisans and cultivators and even from castes considered “untouchable”. The importance of the traditions of the Alvars and Nayanars was sometimes indicated by the claim that their compositions were as important as the Vedas. For instance, one of the major anthologies of compositions by the Alvars, the Nalayira Divyaprabandham, was frequently described as the Tamil Veda, thus claiming that the text was as significant as the four Vedas in Sanskrit that were cherished by the Brahmanas.

Perhaps one of the most striking features of these traditions was the presence of women. For instance, the compositions of Andal, a woman Alvar, were widely sung (and continue to be sung to date). Andal saw herself as the beloved of Vishnu; her verses express her love for the deity. Another woman, Karaikkal Ammaiyar, a devotee of Shiva, adopted the path of extreme asceticism in order to attain her goal. Her compositions were preserved within the Nayanar tradition. These women renounced their social obligations, but did not join an alternative order or become nuns. Their very existence and their compositions posed a challenge to patriarchal norms.

From the second half of the first millennium there is evidence for states, including those of the Pallavas and Pandyas (c. sixth to ninth centuries CE). While Buddhism and Jainism had been prevalent in this region for several centuries, drawing support from merchant and artisan communities, these religious traditions received occasional royal patronage. Interestingly, one of the major themes in Tamil bhakti hymns is the poets’ opposition to Buddhism and Jainism. This is particularly marked in the compositions of the Nayanars. Historians have attempted to explain this hostility by suggesting that it was due to competition between members of other religious traditions for royal patronage. What is evident is that the powerful Chola rulers (ninth to thirteenth centuries) supported Brahmanical and bhakti traditions, making land grants and constructing temples for Vishnu and Shiva.