Karaikal Ammaiyar (born Punītavatī), meaning "The Revered Mother of
Karaikal", is one of the three women amongst the 63
Nayanmars and one of the greatest figures of early
Tamil literature. She was born in
Karaikal,
South India, and probably lived during the 5th century AD.[1] She was a devotee of
Shiva.[2][3]
Early life
Karaikal was a maritime trading city in
Chola Nadu. Ammaiyar, whose original name was Punitavati, was born to Dhanadattan in a merchant community known as
Nattukottai Nagarathar (also known as Nattukottai Chettiar).[4][5][6] She was married to Paramadattan, a wealthy merchant from
Nagapattinam.
Ammaiyar Image in Cambodia
Banteay Srei or Banteay Srey (
Khmer: បន្ទាយស្រី[ɓɑntiəjsrəj]) is a 10th-century
Cambodian temple dedicated to the
Hindu god
Shiva. Located in the area of
Angkor, it lies near the hill of
Phnom Dei, 25 km (16 mi) north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of
Yasodharapura and
Angkor Thom.[7]
The second enclosure
The second enclosure
The combat between Vāli and Sugrīva is depicted on the western gopura.
Śiva Nāṭarāja is depicted on the eastern gopura of the inner enclosure wall.
The inner enclosure wall has collapsed, leaving a gopura at the eastern end and a brick shrine at the western. The eastern pediment of the gopura shows Śiva
Nataraja; the west-facing pediment has an image of
Karaikal Ammaiyar, one of the three women saints amongst the sixty three
Nayanmars (hounds of Śiva).[8]
Karavelane (in French). Kareikkalammeiyar, oeuvres editees et traduites, institut francais d'indologie, Pondicherry (1956)
Jagadeesan, N. The Life and Mission of Karaikkal Ammaiyar Bhattacharya, N.N. [ed] Medieval Bhakti Movements in India Munishiram Manoharlal, New Delhi (1989), pages 149–161
Rajarajan, R.K.K. (2018) Recollection of Memories: Hymns of Kāraikkālammaiyār - South Indian Śaiva Iconography. In Sudipa Ray Bandyopadhyay and Swati Mondal Adhikari, eds. Śaiva Iconography: A Facet of Indian Art and Culture. Kolkata: Sagnik Books, pp. 73–92 & 141-147 (Pl.VII.1-13). ISBN978-93-84101-40-4.
Schouten, Jan Peter (in Dutch). Goddelijke vergezichten – mystiek uit India voor westerse lezers, Ten Have b.v., Baarn, the Netherlands (1996),
ISBN90-259-4644-5
de Bruijn, Peter. Kāraikkālammaiyār: Part 1: An iconographical and textual study; Part 2: Poems for Siva (
ISBN978-90-811564-1-7) 2007. 147 pp. colour, B/W plates.