Saivam (the path of Love) and the Vaishnavam (of the heavens) were the early forms of Christianity practised by the Thamizhar of the subcontinent. Both believed in the fulfilment of sacrifices for the remission of sins by the death of Jesus on the cross. Any more blood sacrifices were redundant / not required.

Early Thamizh believers tasted the love of God in His Son who took the form of sinful flesh to bear the sin of the whole world on Himself. They came to know that not only God showed His love by giving His Son, but that God is Love. “Anbay Sivam”. (Note, this is not the later renamed Sivan (earlier named Easwaran) of the Thamizhar – the original Adam, worshipped as an idol). Saivam came into being and Thamizh literature of this period is rich in works by Saiva poets who wrote poems (Cheyyul) with rich content that later required explanatory notes (Urai) for interpretation.

Vaishnavam followed suit. Vaishnavite saints contributed further to Thamizh literature through their works which contained doctrines that clearly indicated that they were a result of the faith they placed in the Lord Jesus Christ for Salvation. They more focused on the work of the Holy Spirit of God in the lives of men.

Saivites wear / apply “Thiruneeru” on their foreheads horizontally. The Sandalwood paste would appear right in the center on the middle line. Kungumam / Vermillion would be applied on the Sandalwood paste as a red dot. All these testify to the fact that Jesus Christ was sacrificed for their sins (a red heifer would have to be sacrificed and burnt outside the Israelite camp whose ashes were used for purification) on a tree (wooden cross) on which He shed His blood for the remission of sins. Vaishnavites did the same but they preferred to differentiate themselves from the Saivites by applying the sign vertically, the red center line being drawn to depict dripping blood. (Jewish Aryans perverted this sacred practice and the grace of God to sexual immorality teaching that this represented the organs of procreation and eventually the very act itself).