Arivattaya Nayanar is one of the 63
Nayanars explained in the
Periya Puranam. Thayanar was his original name and was a rich from Vellala caste. As a great devotee
Shiva, he used to offer food prepared with red
rice, a sauce made of red herb, and mango pickle to the Lord. The Lord highly pleased with his devotion, but he wanted to put it to test, in order to manifest it to the world in all its glory.
As the will of God, Thayanar struck by poverty and he got himself employed and earned his wages in kind (red rice). He prepares and offer red rice to the God while he lived on the inferior khar rice.
The Lord tested him again by making all his fields grew only red rice. Then Thayanar started eating cooked green leaves from their garden. He started living on mere water when all green leaves withered away. Later he became weak and fell down.
He felt discouraged and began to cut his throat with an Arival (sickle.) Lord Shiva highly pleased with his devotion and prevent him from cutting his own throat. Lord Shiva along with mother Parvati appeared and blessed him. These incidents bring him the name, Arivattaya Nayanar.
