30 Ayyavazhi

Ayyavazhi is a henotheistic belief that originated in South India. It is cited as an independent monistic religion by several newspapers, government reports, and academic researchers.

The following outline is provided as an overview and topic guide to Ayyavazhi:

Bala Prajapathi Adikalar is a significant religious figure in Ayyavazhi. Ayyavazhi is not an organised religious system, such as Hinduism, and so it does not fall directly under his control officially. But still religiously he was considered so. He has a considerable role in the History of Ayyavazhi, especially during the 1970s and 1980s. He was also awarded the Kottai Ameer award for communal harmony by the government of Tamil Nadu in 2003.

Ayyavazhi and Hinduism are two belief systems in India. Although Ayyavazhi continues to officially exist within Hinduism and is considered by some observers to be a Hindu denomination,some members of the religion claim that it is independent. The most notable distinction between Hinduism and Ayyavazhi is their different approaches to the concepts of good, evil and dharma.

Ayyavazhi beliefs are those associated with the South Indian religious faith known as Ayyavazhi. Some of the beliefs of Ayyavazhi are shared with that of Hinduism, and others are unique to Ayyavazhi.

The Akilathirattu Ammanai the scripture of Ayyavazhi teaches Dharma on two different perspective. One in sociology as charity and truth and another under spirituality to attain the stage of Oneness, unified into Lord Vaikundar. This state of ultimate oneness is called as Dharma Yukam or Dharma Pathi. Akilam also says that, Dharma is the only living wheel. The sociological way is asked to be followed by every one to attain the spiritual state of Dharma.

The ethics of Ayyavazhi are found scattered throughout the primary scripture, Akilathirattu Ammanai. They are also integrated with the meta-narrative mythography. However, regarding ethics, Arul Nool is considered as an accumulation and prophecy of the core concepts found in Akilathirattu. In Akilathirattu, the ethical abstracts are pointed out as "told by God" at several places at different situations to lesser god-heads, devas, saints etc. when asked by them.

The festivals and celebrations play an important role in the socio-religious universe of Ayyavazhi. Some of the festivals are common for both Pathis and Nizhal Thangals, while some are confined to Pathis. In Swamithope pathi, every day is celebrated as a festival with the name 'Nitham Thirunal'. Normally all the festivals are celebrated grandly in Swamithope than any other worship centers of Ayyavazhi. LMS reports to witness such festivals.

The holy places of Ayyavazhi includes the following

Ayyavazhi phenomenology is the phenomenological variations found in Ayyavazhi society, worship centers etc. from their holy text Akilattirattu Ammanai.

There are a good number of publications in Ayyavazhi. Most of them are in Tamil and few in Malayalam and very few in English.

The religious studies of Ayyavazhi are based primarily on the Ayyavazhi scriptures. Though there is enough knowledge there for a common worshiper to understand Ayyavazhi theology, it needs the Hindu and at some times the scriptures of other religions to be referred to undergo a detailed religious study on Akilam. Because Akilam maintains a unique type of relation with the other scriptures.

The Akilattirattu Ammanai and Arul Nool are the scriptures of Ayyavazhi. While Akilathirattu Ammnai is the primary holy text, Arul Nool is considered the secondary regarding the religious importance. The Akilam is further scheduled into seventeen sections and the Arul Nool into eleven.

The Ayyavazhi symbolism deals with the symbols which are used in or used to represent Ayyavazhi. Though Akilam the scripture of Ayyavazhi does not point out any symbol directly, there are a few symbols which are used for representing Ayyavazhi which came into practice gradually.

This etymological topic deals with the origin, regeneration and evolution of various names by which Ayyavazhi is referred or identified throughout the period of Ayyavazhi history. Though the name 'Ayyavazhi' is commonly used and the most accepted term to represent Ayyavazhi there are other terms too which are used to refer it.

Kodiyettru Thirunal is the festival celebrated in Swamithoppepathi for eleven days by the followers of the Ayyavazhi. This is celebrated three times annually during the Tamil months of Aavani, Thai and Vaikaasi. The festival for the month of Vaikasi is considered the most sacred and is celebrated in a grand scale.

Shamanism is in practice in Ayyavazhi right from the period of Lord Vaikundar. At present certain people who are considered to be posed by the divine power use to perform shamanism in many Ayyavazhi worship centers. Though a whole acceptance from the followers in not there for this practise, several followers accept this. They claim that this practise was based on quotes on scriptures such as "to convey certain messages to the ordinary folk." Some also believe that through the words of these possessed persons one could be able to know what God tells about him or herself or their activities.

Ayyavazhi is a belief system originating from South India, which advocates that Ayya Vaikundar is an incarnation of Narayana, based on its religious scripture Akilattirattu Ammanai. Some of its core believers advocate that Ayyavazhi is a religion in itself, whereas others believe that it is a sect within Hinduism. The path of Akilam is also viewed as a renaissance of Hinduism which regenerates and organises the ideas of all Hindu scriptures. But on the other hand it acts as an agent of reformation in the nineteenth century Tamil and Malayalam Society.

Swamithope is the name of a village that lies southeast of the City of Nagercoil, the capital of the District of Kanyakumari in the State of Tamil Nadu, at the extreme southern tip of India. In the past, Swamithope was known by the name Poovandanthoppe which was part of the village, Sasthankutty Vilai Swamithope lies about half-way between the cities of Nagercoil and Kanniyakumari on the Nagercoil-Kanniyakumari road. Swamithope is located at 8.12°N 77.49°E

Thiru Eadu Vasippu is the festival celebrated in the worship centers of Ayyavazhi. It is celebrated for three, five, seven, ten or seventeen days annually. During these days the holy scripture of Ayyavazhi, the Akilathirattu Ammanai is sung. In Swamithoppe pathi also called as Tetcanaa Pathi(தெட்சணா பதி), the festival it's starts on the third Friday in the Tamil month of Kathikai and continues for seventeen days and ends on the first Sunday of the Tamil month of Margazhi.

Thuvayal Thavasu, literally washing penance, was a significant religious event that took place in the 19th century. It was also called as thuvayal panthi.. By the late thirties of the nineteenth century, when the Hindu religion Ayyavazhi had come to exist with certain excitement and euphoria, a group of people, of different age groups and genders, undertook to perform this unique exercise as directed by Lord Vaikundar.

Ayya Vaikundar also known as Vaikunda Swami is the first and the foremost Purna avatar of Eka-Paran born to Narayana and his consort Lekhsmi at the Sea of Tiruchendur on the 20th of Masi, 1008 K.E. Embodied with the triune God-heads along with all lesser devas, Narayana assumes his ninth incarnation at the sea-shore of Tiruchendur just before the birth of Vaikundar. It was this Avatar of Narayana whom give birth to Vaikundar later, and all these events are part of his grand and systematic framework for the destruction of Kaliyan. Earlier, as the time for the destruction of Kali approaches, Lekhsmi, who includes all Devis of the divine cosmos into herself, was sent to Sea of Tiruchendur to grow as a giant golden fish called Makara. It was from her womb the Infant Vaikundar was born to Narayana and the Vinchai was granded to him immediately after his birth.

The Pathis and Nizhal Thangals, are centers of worship and religious learning for the followers of Ayyavazhi which are established in different parts of India. They served as centres for propagation of the beliefs and practices of Ayyavazhi. There are more than 8000 worship centers throughout India, mostly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Pathis are given religious importance than the Nizhal Thangals and are considered as primary worship centers. Since Ayyavazhi is not an organised religion, Swamithoppepathi serves, religiously but not officially, as the headquarters of all.