Height - 6 Inches
Weight - 1.38 kg
🌟 About The Product👉
Ammaiyar, one of the most revered poet-saints of Shaiva tradition, lived during the 6th century in South India. Born as Punithavathi in the coastal town of Karaikal (in present-day Puducherry), her life was a radiant example of unwavering devotion to Lord Shiva.
From a very young age, Punithavathi exhibited profound spiritual tendencies. She spent her days in prayer, chanting "Namah Shivaya" countless times, and offering heartfelt service to Shiva’s devotees who passed through her town. Her devotion was so intense and sincere that even as a little girl, she created a Shiva Lingam out of sand, astonishing the townspeople with the depth of her bhakti (devotion).
As she grew older, Punithavathi was married to a wealthy merchant. However, the divine fire of her devotion remained undiminished. Her spiritual aura soon led her husband to a deep realization—this was no ordinary woman, but a soul touched by the divine. Recognizing her elevated state, he began to address her as “Ammaiyar,” meaning “revered mother.” Overwhelmed by reverence, he could no longer continue the relationship as a husband and eventually left, choosing to marry another woman.
Undisturbed by worldly attachments, Ammaiyar fully renounced her human identity and dedicated herself completely to Lord Shiva. She is often depicted in iconography with a skeletal frame—symbolizing her detachment from physical form and material life. As one of the earliest female saints in Tamil Shaiva bhakti tradition, she composed hymns of profound mysticism and devotion, particularly in praise of Lord Shiva as He danced in the cremation grounds of Thiruvalangadu.
Her legacy lives on in sacred Tamil Shaiva literature, especially the Tevaram, where her poems are considered timeless expressions of divine love, surrender, and spiritual realization.
