Ancient, medieval & culture

Concepts to cover

1. Twelve Alvars (Andal, Nammalvar, Periyalvar) and sixty-three Nayanars (Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar, Manikkavachakar, Karaikkal Ammaiyar); Chola temple patronage
2. Adi Shankara (eighth century, Kaladi): Advaita, maya, four mathas, debates with Mimamsakas and Buddhists
3. Ramanuja (eleventh to twelfth century, Srirangam): Vishishtadvaita, Sri Vaishnava sampradaya, devotion (bhakti and prapatti) as the best means of salvation; Nathamuni and Yamunacharya before him
4. Madhvacharya (thirteenth century, Udupi): Dvaita; Haridasa movement (Purandaradasa, Kanakadasa); Vallabha's Pushtimarg is distinct
5. Basavanna (twelfth century, Kalyana court of Bijjala): Virashaivas or Lingayats, vachanas, ishtalinga, rejection of caste hierarchy and questioning of rebirth, burial not cremation
6. Siddhars (Sittars) of Tamil country: monotheistic, condemned idolatry and caste, Tirumular's Tirumantiram