Tradition-Breaking in the Songs of Āṇṭāḷ

ஆண்டாள் பாடல்களில் மரபு மீறல்கள்

Abstract

The Āḻvārs are known for their deep devotion and profound knowledge. Their songs convey spiritual meanings with devotional intensity. Praised as the “Tamil Veda” or Tamil Marai, their works are collectively known as the Nālayira Divya Prabandham, a distinguished and revered literary corpus. Among the twelve Āḻvārs, Āṇṭāḷ is the only female saint, embodying the divine feminine. Āṇṭāḷ’s songs, celebrated in titles such as Tiruppavai and Nachiyar Thirumozhi, consist of 30 Tiruppavai hymns and 143 Nachiyar Thirumozhi hymns, totaling 173 devotional songs. Her works are notable for their boldness in transcending traditional gender norms, presenting devotion through the lens of womanhood and challenging certain societal conventions of her time.