Sakkiya Nayanar

Sakkiya Nayanar (; known colloquially as Chakkiya Nayanar, Sakkiya, Chakkiya, Sakkiyar, Chakkiyar, and Sakkiyanar) was a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Shaiva sect of Hinduism. He is generally counted as the thirty-fourth in the list of 63 Nayanars. He was a Buddhist, who converted to Shaivism.

Hagiographical account The life of Sakkiya Nayanar is described in the Periya Puranam by Sekkizhar (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. He is considered a historical figure from the 6th century CE, pre-dating Appar Tirunavukkarasar and Sambandar, both dating from the 7th century CE.

Sakkiya commenced the worship of the Lingam, Shiva's aniconic symbol. One day, he unconsciously threw a stone at the lingam with great devotion. The next day, Sakkiya felt that it was Shiva's divine wish that he worship Shiva by throwing a stone a day at the lingam as an offering. Sakkiya realized that God will accept any offering which is offered to him with great devotion. Sakkiya would not have food without throwing a stone at the lingam daily. Once, Sakkiya forgot his daily stone worship and was about to partake food. However, he remembered his daily duty and unmindful of hunger, rushed to the temple and threw a pebble at the lingam. Pleased, Shiva appeared before him, blessed him and took him to Kailash, the god's eternal abode.

Sakkiya Nayanar is depicted with a top-knot or flowing matted hair and with folded hands (see Anjali mudra). A holy day in his honour is observed on the twenty-sixth day of the Tamil month of Margazhi, generally coincides with 10 January. The moon enters the Pūrva Ashādhā nakshatra (lunar mansion) on this day. He receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanars. Their icons and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. Their images are taken out in procession in festivals.