Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar (Tirujnana Sambandar) were famous:

Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar were among the most famous of the Nayanars, the Tamil Bhakti saints who were devotees of Lord Shiva.

About the Nayanars:

• "Nayanar" means "leader" or "teacher".
• They lived in Tamil Nadu between about the 6th and 9th centuries CE.
• Traditionally, there are 63 Nayanars.
• They came from different castes, including Brahmanas, Vellalas, potters, hunters, and people considered "untouchable" (such as Nandanar).
• There was also a woman Nayanar, Karaikkal Ammaiyar, one of the earliest Bhakti poets.
• They travelled from temple to temple, singing hymns in Tamil in praise of Shiva.
• They spread the idea of personal devotion to Shiva, open to all.

The three great Nayanars (the "Muvar"):

• "Appar" (Tirunavukkarasar): a former Jain monk who returned to Shaivism; according to tradition, he converted the Pallava king Mahendravarman I.
• "Sambandar" (Tirujnana Sambandar): a child prodigy, who is said to have converted the Pandya king from Jainism to Shaivism.
• "Sundarar" (Sundaramurti): a later saint, who wrote the list of the 63 Nayanars.
• The hymns of these three saints are collected in the "Tevaram".
• Another great Shaiva saint, Manikkavachakar, composed the "Tiruvachakam".

The Tirumurai:

• The hymns of the Nayanars were compiled into the "Tirumurai" (12 books) by Nambi Andar Nambi in the 10th-11th centuries, during the Chola period.
• The "Periyapuranam", a biography of the 63 Nayanars, was written by Sekkizhar in the 12th century, during the reign of the Chola king Kulottunga II.

The Bhakti movement:

• The Nayanars and the Alvars started the Bhakti movement in south India.
• They used Tamil, the language of the people, rather than Sanskrit.
• They opposed Buddhism and Jainism, and contributed to the revival of Hinduism in the south.
• Chola temples honoured them with images and depictions.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Alvars were devotees of Vishnu.
• ✗Jain monks and Sufi saints were different groups.