Who were the Nayanars ?

Who were the Nayanars ?

Those who were immersed in devotion to Vishnu
Those who were devotees of Buddha
Leaders who were devotees of Shiva
Leaders who were devotees of Basveshwara
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2019
The correct answer is Leaders who were devotees of Shiva.
The Nayanars (or Nayanmars) were 63 Tamil saints who were devoted to the Hindu god Shiva. They played a significant role in the Bhakti movement in South India between the 6th and 8th centuries CE, composing devotional hymns (Tevaram, Tiruvacakam, etc.) in Tamil.
Similarly, the Alvars were Tamil saints devoted to Vishnu. Both groups contributed immensely to the devotional literature and popularization of Vaishnavism and Shaivism in South India. Basaveshwara was a 12th-century philosopher, poet, and social reformer from Karnataka, the founder of Virashaivism, which is also devoted to Shiva but represents a distinct movement.
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