NanthanAr Sariththiram

Nanthanaar aka ThirunaaLai Poovaar is one of the 63 Naayanmaars. His story is mentioned in Sundara Muurthy Naayanaar's (9th century) Thiruth Thondath Thokai as well as in Seekizaar's Periya Puraanam.

Nanthanaar was born in a place called Athanuur in an untouchable caste. Right from his young age, he was devoted  to Lord Siva. He spent most of his time helping fix the musical instruments of the Athanuur temple.

Once he took some members of his caste to Thiruppunkuur to have a darshan of Lord Siva. Nandi was obstructing him (vazi maRaiththirukkuthE) from having His darshan. Lord Siva ordered Nandhi to stand aside (chaRRE vilagi irum piLLAi) so that Nandanaar and others could have His darshan.

Nanthanaar was always talking and making plans to go see Kanaga Sabaapathi of Chithambaram. He kept telling everyone that he would go tomorrow (nALai pOvEn, nALai pOvEn) and hence the onomatopoeic (kAraNap peyar) name of Thiru Naalai Poovaar.

Once he asked permission from his master to go to Chithambaram. His master refused and asked him to take care of sowing seeds and harvest related work in the paddy fields. Lord Siva's "angels" (bUtha ganggal) worked overnight and made the fields ready for harvesting the very next day. Perplexed by this miracle, the master gave permission to Nanthanaar to go visit Chithambaram.

Nanthanaar reached Chithambaram. The Lord appeared in the dreams of the temple priests -- "Thillai Muuvaayiravar" aka Thillai Dikshitar's, and told them about Nanthanaar. The priests brought Nanthanaar with full honor. Nanthanaar finally had the darshan of the dancing beauty -- Lord Nataraajan!

For more details, please visit http://www.oocities.org/Athens/6893/nanaalai.html


Anaithaandavapuram Goopaalakrishna Baarathiyaar lived in 19th century AD. He is known to have lived in Mudikondaan and Maayavaram. He started learning music when he was very young. He learnt North Indian music from Raama Daasaa. Perhaps it is this training that led to many of his compositions in Hindustani Ragams such as Behag, Dwijaavanthi, Hamir KaLyaani etc.,.

He is a friend of Maayavaram Veedanaayakam PiLLai. Mahaavidwaan Meenakshi Sundaram PiLLai has written forword for his work. Mahaupadyaya U.V. Swaaminaatha Aiyer learnt music from GB for sometime and has written a biography of GB. GB is said to have met Saint Tyagaraja. He sang "sabApathikku vEru deivam" in AbOgi for the Saint and got his blessings.

He has also written Thiru Niilakanta Naayanaar Sariththiram, Iyarpagai Naayanaar Sariththiram in Kirthana format.