12 Alvar Saints Set in Pure Solid Copper

The 12 Alwars were Tamil poet saints who loved Lord Vishnu so deeply that they became legends in South Indian history. Living between the sixth and ninth centuries, they came from everywhere: royal palaces, tiny villages, forgotten corners of society. What united them wasn’t their background but their message: God’s love doesn’t care about your caste, how many rituals you know, or what books you’ve read.

The Nalayira Divya Prabandham collects four thousand of their verses, and temples across Tamil Nadu echo with these ancient melodies. But don’t expect dry scripture here. These poets wrote like people in love, aching with longing one moment, dancing with joy the next, completely surrendered in between. Vaishnavas call this collection their Tamil Veda, as holy as anything written in Sanskrit. The reason it still moves people is simple: their Vishnu isn’t some unreachable deity sitting on a distant throne. He’s someone you can talk to, fight with, laugh with, love like your dearest friend.

Prapatti (surrender) runs through everything they wrote. The Alwars believed salvation couldn’t be earned through wealth or scholarship. Instead, it comes through trust, the way a child runs into a parent’s arms without thinking twice. This was their path.

These poet saints transformed how South India worshipped. Vishnu’s temples, once quiet places, burst into life with music and celebration. The 108 sacred sites they sang about (the Divya Desams) became vibrant centers where devotion lived and breathed. Centuries later, the great philosopher Ramanuja took their vision further, building Sri Vaishnavism around both deep thinking and heartfelt love for God. Their voices still carry the same message across the centuries: God isn’t somewhere far away. He’s right here, close enough to whisper to, close enough to question, close enough to love.

12 Alwars Names :

1. Poigai Alvar
2. Bhoothath Alvar
3. Pey Alvar
4. Thirumalisai Alvar
5. Nammalvar
6. Madhurakavi Alvar
7. Kulasekhara Alvar
8. Periyalvar
9. Andal
10. Thondaradippodi Alvar
11. Thiruppaan Alvar
12. Thirumangai Alvar