Appar (Thirunavukkarasar), a 7th-century Tamil Shaiva saint and one of the most prominent Nayanars, played a pivotal role in popularising personal bhakti. A former Jain monk who returned to Shaivism, he composed over 4,900 devotional hymns in the Tevaram. Through his simple, emotional, and deeply personal poetry, he made devotion to Lord Shiva accessible to common people. His works emphasised love, surrender, and direct personal relationship with God, significantly strengthening the Tamil Bhakti movement and Shaiva literature.