Bhakti marga is the path of devotion to beloved Guru "Vallalar"

Arutprakasa Vallalār Chidambaram Ramalingam (5 October 1823 – 30 January 1874), whose pre-monastic name was Rāmalingam, commonly known in India and across the world^[1] 

Vallalār, also known as Ramalinga Swamigal and Ramalinga Adigal, was one of the most famous Tamil Saints and also one of the greatest Tamil poets of the 19th century^[2] and belongs to a line of Tamil saints known as "gnana siddhars" (gnana means higher wisdom).

Literary works[edit]

As a musician and poet, he composed 5818 poems teaching universal love and peace, compiled into 'Six Thiru Muraigal', which are all available today as a single book called Thiruvarutpa^[15] (tiru-arut-pa, holy book of grace).

Another work of his is the Manumurai Kanda Vāsagam^[16] describing the life of Manu Needhi Cholan. Jeeva Karunya Ozhukkam^[17]

Songs set to music[edit]

• Thiruvarutpa songs of Rāmalinga swāmigal are sung in concerts and now at least 25 songs (in Thiru varut pā Isai Mālai) are given with swara-tāla notation.
• Thāyāgi thandhaiyumai (Hamsadhwani), Idu nalla tharunam (Shankarābharanam)
• Varuvar azhaithu vadi (Begada) and Thaen ena inikkum.

Some of his songs were set to music by Sīrkāzhi Govindharājan.^[18]

Early life[edit]

Rāmalingam's parents were Rāmayyā pillai and Chinnammai. She was his sixth wife, as all his previous wives had died childless and in quick succession. They were a Karuneegar family in Marudhur, a village in the old South Arcot district, near Chidambaram. 

Rāmalingam was their fifth child. The older ones were two sons Sabhapati and Parasu Rāman; and two daughters, Sundarammal and Unnamulai. They named their youngest child Rāmalingam

Why we should practice his teaching

Ramalinga Swamigal
Born	5 October 1823 Marudhur, a village near Chidambaram, present day cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India
Disappeared	January 30, 1874 (aged 50) Mettukuppam, a hamlet near Vadalur, cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India