Examine how and why rulers tried to establish connections with the traditions of the Nayanars and the Sufis.

One of the major themes in Tamil bhakti hymns is the poet’s opposition to Buddhism and Jainism. This is particularly marked in the compositions of the Nayanars. Historians have attempted to explain this hostility by suggesting that it was due to competition between members of other religious traditions for royal patronage.

(ii) What is evident is that the powerful Chola rulers (ninth to thirteenth centuries) supported Brahmanical and bhakti traditions, making land grants and constructing temples for Vishnu and Shiva.

(iii) In fact, some of the most magnificent Shiva temples, including those at Chidambaram, Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram, were constructed under the patronage of Chola rulers.

(iv) This was also the period when some of the most spectacular representations of Shiva in bronze sculpture were produced. Clearly, the visions of the Nayanars inspired artists.

(v) Both Nayanars and Alvars were revered by the Vellala peasants. Not surprisingly, rulers tried to win their support as well. The Chola kings, for instance, often attempted to claim

divine support and proclaim their own power and status by building splendid temples that were adorned with stone and metal sculpture to recreate the visions of these popular saints who sang in the language of the people.

II. How and why rulers (state) made efforts to establish connection with tradition of Sufis :

1.    Sufi Saints and Sultans : The Sultans knew that most of his people belonged to Islam. So when the turks established the Delhi Sultanate, they rejected the demand of Ulema to introduce Sharia. They did so to avoid any kind of opposition from their people who were mainly non-Muslims. So they took the help of Sufi saints who considered their spiritual authority as the blessing of Allah.

Some People believed that the Auliya could intercede with God in order to improve the metarial and spiritual conditions of the common people. That is why, the kings often wanted to have their tombs in he vicinity of the Sufi shrines. They used to visit the dargahs of Sufi saints. The king who first visitied the dargah of Shaik Muinuddin Chishti at Ajmer was Sultan Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq (1324-51). However the first monument on the tomb of Shaikh was got built by King Giasuddin Khalji in the fifteenth century. As this dargah was on the road that linked Delhi with Gujarat, it was visited by many travellers.

2.    Sufi Saints and Mughal Emperor Akbar : The dargah at Ajmer had become quite popular in the 16th century. The devotional hymns of those travellers who visited this dargah over the years inspired the Emperor Akbar to visit this shrine. Akbar came to this dargah fourteen times. Sometimes he visited this dargah to seek blessings for new victory and sometimes he came to seek the fulfilment of his desires. He also visited this holy place on the birthday of his son. He donated a lot on all such occasions. For example in 1568, he donated a big cauldron (degh) so that food may be prepared for all the pilgrims. e also got built a mosque in the compound of the dargah.