---
title: "Alvars: Tamil Poet-Saints of South India | Model Diplomat"
description: "The Alvars were twelve Tamil poet-saints (6th–9th centuries CE) who promoted Vaishnava bhakti through hymns dedicated to Vishnu and his avatars."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/alvars"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Alvars were twelve Tamil poet-saints of South India (6th–9th centuries CE) who propagated Vaishnava bhakti through devotional hymns dedicated to Vishnu and his avatars.
- Who were the Alvars and which deity did they worship?
- What is the Nalayira Divya Prabandham and who compiled it?
- Who was Andal and why is she significant?
- How are the Alvars connected to Ramanuja's philosophy?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In 2018 the Tamil Nadu government celebrated the Sri Vaishnava temple tradition by promoting recitation of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the compiled hymns of the twelve Alvars including Nammalvar and Andal, at Srirangam.

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[Bhakti Sufi Movements And Syncretic Traditions](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/upsc-art-culture-bhakti-sufi-movements-and-syncretic-traditions)[Religious Philosophical Traditions](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/upsc-art-culture-religious-philosophical-traditions)

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