How did bhakti traditions begin in the Tamil region?

The bhakti movement in the Tamil region emerged between the 7th and 10th centuries, characterized by a shift toward intense, emotional devotion to a personal god. This tradition was pioneered by two groups of poet-saints who composed hymns in the Tamil language: the Alvars, who were devotees of Vishnu, and the Nayanars, who worshipped Shiva.123

These saints drew upon earlier secular Tamil traditions of erotic poetry and royal courtly literature, applying the language of human relationships—such as that between a lover and an absent beloved, a master and servant, or a parent and child—to describe the soul’s yearning for the divine. Unlike earlier, more restrained forms of devotion found in texts like the Bhagavadgita, this new bhakti was highly charged with mystical fervor. The poets traveled extensively to various temples, singing ecstatic hymns that encouraged virtues such as love, humility, and brotherhood.13

This movement played a significant role in the decline of Buddhism in the region and eventually spread northward, serving as a foundational influence for bhakti traditions across the rest of India.3