Native placePullirukkuvelur (Vaitheeswaran Koil), Sirkazhi region
Associated templeVaitheeswaran Temple, Pullirukkuvelur
Guru PujaKarthikai — Krittika (Kiruthikai)
In the sixty-threeNo. 47
The Life
Kanampulla Nayanar was born into a farming family of Pullirukkuvelur and made his living by cutting and selling kanampul, a reed-like grass used to twist wicks for temple lamps. Devoted to Shiva, he took upon himself the sacred service of lighting the lamps in the Lord's temple, at first offering wicks made from the very grass he sold. When famine came and he could no longer sell his grass or buy oil, he would not let the Lord's flame die: he burned the dried grass itself, and when even that ran short, he thrust his own head into the lamp and spread out his hair to feed the fire as a wick. Beholding this utter self-surrender, Shiva appeared before him, stayed him, and freed him forever from the cycle of birth, granting him his feet.
திருநீலகண்ட நாயனார்Thiruneelakanta Nayanar
the potter of Thillai who kept his vow of chastity
Chidambaram (Thillai)Read the life ›
தில்லைவாழ் அந்தணர்Thillai Vazh Andhanar
the three thousand Brahmins of Chidambaram
Thillai (Chidambaram)Read the life ›
இயற்பகை நாயனார்Iyarpagai Nayanar
the merchant who gave away his own wife at a devotee's word
Kaveripoompattinam (Puhar)Read the life ›