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Which one of the following statements about the Bhakti Movement in South India is NOT correct ?
Explanation
The Bhakti movement in South India was led by the Alvars (devotees of Vishnu) and Nayanars (devotees of Shiva). The Nalayira Divyaprabandham, a compilation of hymns by the Alvars, is widely regarded as the 'Tamil Veda' and held in equal status to the Sanskrit Vedas. Andal was a famous woman Alvar whose compositions remain popular. Karaikkal Ammaiyar, however, was a prominent woman Nayanar and a staunch devotee of Shiva, not Vishnu; she adopted extreme asceticism to serve Shiva. Regarding temple traditions, Chola rulers like Parantaka I provided royal patronage by consecrating metal images of Nayanar saints such as Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar in Shiva temples, where their hymns were sung as part of the ritual worship. Therefore, statement 3 is incorrect.