Avaiyar India (14th Century) Timeline Yoga / Hindu Poems by Avaiyar Links

There have been perhaps three female poets with the name Avaiyar in South India. The first was the South Indian equivalent of Mother Goose, usually described as a wandering old woman who told stories imparting moral lessons that are still widely read by children in South India today.

We present the poetry of a later Avaiyar, the 14th century author of the Vinayagar Agaval, a classic Tamil work that is recited in temples and homes. Avaiyar's poetry seems to follow a tradition similar to that of the Tamil Siddhas, filled with occult references to the elaborate psycho-spiritual energetic systems of Kundalini Yoga, as well as the more heterodox goddess imagery of Tantrism.

Given the arcane and sometimes technical nature of Avaiyar's Vinayagar Agaval, it is surprising that it is particularly associated with worship of the elephant-headed god Ganesha, the jovial, fat-bellied god of bounty and overcoming obstacles -- not a god usually associated with the more elaborately technical approaches to yoga and spirituality.

Poems by Avaiyar

• Vinayagar Agaval

Related Links

An Introduction to the Tamil Siddhas - Layne Little
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/tamil_si.html
A good, detailed article about Tamil Siddha mysticism and poetry, with a few references to Avaiyar.

Avaiyar's Vinayagar Agaval
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/vinayaga.html
The Vinayar Agaval translated with commentary by Layne Little.

Avaiyar - Factbites
http://www.factbites.com/topics/Avaiyar
Several brief facts and notes about Avaiyar.

Support the Poetry Chaikhana
Donations to the Poetry Chaikhana in any amount are always welcome. Thank you!	Click here
Click here	A small amount each month makes a big difference. Become a voluntary Subscriber for just $2/mo.
Click here	Help the Poetry Chaikhana reach more people. Become a Supporter for just $10/mo.

---