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| Home > Indian Literature > Medieval Indian Literature > Bhakti Movement in South India
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| | Bhakti Movement in South India
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The Bhakti Movement in South India was led by devotional mystics who extolled devotion and love to god as a means to achieving spiritual perfection. It was spearheaded by 63 nayanars (denotees of Shiva) and 12 Alvars (devotees of Vishnu). The most famous shaiva bhaktas cult were the 4 Nalvar namely - Snndarar, Appar, Sambandarand Manikkavasagar - their devotional hymns are ecstatic and lyrical. However, Karaikkal Amaiyar is believed to be the earliest shaivaite mystic of the late 5thcentury or early 6th century.
The Vaishnavite Bhakti Movement was concurrent with the Shaivite Movement. The hymns of the 12 alvars are held together as the Nalayira Divya Prabandham and recited in temple rituals. Chief amongst them is Andal, the only female Vaishnava saint and her hymns express the bridal mysticism in the Hindu religion. The path of devotion showed by these mystics would later influence Ramanuja and madhavacharya philosophy.
The virashaiva movement spread the philosophy of Basavanna (Hindu reformer). The philosophy of Madhavacharya and beginnings of Carnatic music could be seen during the 12thand 13thcentury A.D.
The Haridasa Movement spread from present day Karnataka and presented two groups - Vyasakuta (proficient in Vedas, Upanishads and Darshans) and Dasakuta (they conveyed the message of Madhavacharya through local Kannada language).
By the 15th century Haridasa Movement took shape under Sripadaraya of Mulbagal but it was his disciple Vyastirtha who gave it a strong organizational base. He wsa closely associated with the Vijaynagar Empire and influenced it morally and spiritually. The bhakti movement also resultedin a proliferation of Kannada poetic works in praise of Vishnu. Eminent poets being Purandara Dasa andKanaka Dasa whose contributions to Carnatic music were invaluable.
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