Siva’s Demon Devotee: Karaikkal Ammaiyar

The Hindu poet-saint K raikk l Ammaiy r describes herself as a demon, accompanying the god iva as he dances in the cremation grounds. She is believed to be the first to write devotional poetry to iva in the Tamil language and is considered the first of the sixty-three Tamil poet-saints. Written in the sixth or seventh century, her beautiful poetry presents the path of love and service that brings liberation. In iva s Demon Devotee, Elaine Craddock provides a historical, literary, and ethnographic exploration of K raikk l Ammaiy r and her work. An annotated translation of the poet-saint s 143 verses is included along with an introduction to the Tamil literary tradition. Craddock s analysis of this poetry in its ancient context and of the narrative tradition that developed around the life of K raikk l Ammaiy r centuries later reveals cultural tensions concerning women s roles and the devotional path.