Part of the series on Ayyavazhi

History of Ayyavazhi

Ayyavazhi theology Ekam-The Ultimate Oneness Nathan-The Creator Thirumal-The Maintainer Sivan-The Destroyer Vaikundar-The Incarnation The Trinity Ayyavazhi அய்யாவழி (Tamil: path of the father), a Tamil Hindu sect, is a monistic religion that originated in South India in the mid-19th century. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ... This is the term used in Akilattirattu Ammanai the holy book of Ayyavazhi to represent The Ultimate Oneness, and in Thiruvasakam - 2 it was stated that it was from this Ekam all this objects including the separate Godheads, Devas, Asuras etc of the Universe formed. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Thirumal Thirumal is One among the Three Great Godheads or Trimurti in Ayyavazhi mythology and is a Tamil name for Sriman Narayana. ... Thirumal is denoted as The maintainer in Ayyavazhi mythology, and is one among the Three God Heads. ... Sivan In Ayyavazhi mythology Sivan is one among the Three Great Godheads or Trimurti in Ayyavazhi mythology and is the Tamil name for Siva. ... Ayya Vaikundar, who arose from the sea at Thiruchendur on 20th of the Tamil Month of Masi was considered as an unique Avatar. ... Ayya Vaikundar was the Manu avathar (to born as a human being) of Lord Narayana according to Akilattirattu Ammanai the holy script of Ayyavazhi religion. ... The Ayyavazhi Trinity is the Incarnation of God in this Kali Yukam. ...

Akilattirattu Ammanai: Vinchai to Vaikundar Thirukkalyana Ekanai Dharma Yukam Akilathirattu Ammanai அகிலத்திரட்டு அம்மானை (Tamil: akilam (world) + thirattu (collection) + ammanai (ballad)), also called Thiru Edu (venerable book), is the main religious book of the Southern Indian Ayyavazhi faith, an offshoot of Hinduism. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... Thirukkalyana Ekanai was an important part in Akilattirattu Ammanai the religious book of Ayyavazhi, in which Ayya Vaikundar unified all the atmans (souls) of this universe into Himself. ... The Dharma Yukam or Satya Yuga is the eighth or final yukam (aeon or age), according to Ayyavazhi mythology. ...

Worship centers of Ayyavazhi: Thalaimaippathi Pathis Nizhal Thangals The worship centers of Ayyavazhi include Pathis and Nizhal Thangals. ... Swamithoppe pathi Swamithoppe Palliyarai Swamithoppe Pathi (also called Swamithoppu-pathi, Manavaippathi, or Thalaimaippathi (Thalaimai (chief) + pathi)) is the primary pathi of the Ayyavazhi path of Hinduism, the head of all worship centers of Ayyavazhi, and the place where Ayya Vaikundar is said to have performed the Tavam. ... A Pathi (from a Tamil word meaning The place where God is) is an important centre of congregational worship for the South Indian religion of Ayyavazhi, having a relatively large structure like that of a temple. ... The Temples, called Nizhal Tangals are simple buildings built by the people to worship God without distinction of colour,race or caste. ...

Ayyavazhi Publications Ayyavazhi movements There are a good number of publications in Ayyavazhi. ... There are a good number of religious organisations in Ayyavazhi religion across South India. ...

Ayyavazhi religious practices Main teachings Forms of worship and the features attendant on them can be said to be manifestations and indicators of the type of religiosity present in a religious universe. ...

Related faiths: Advaita Smartism Advaita Vedanta is probably the best known of all Vedanta schools of Hinduism, the others being Dvaita and Vishishtadvaita. ... A Smarta or Smartha is a denomination of the Hindu religion. ...

The Hindu sect Ayyavazhi includes a corpus of teachings in the form of instructions and slogans found in the religious book Akilattirattu. This article discusses the main teachings of the nineteenth-centuy avatar Ayya Vaikundar. A Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, the predominant religious, philosophical and cultural system of India (Bharat). ... Ayyavazhi அய்யாவழி (Tamil: path of the father), a Tamil Hindu sect, is a monistic religion that originated in South India in the mid-19th century. ... Many religions and spiritual movements hold certain written texts (or series of spoken legends not traditionally written down) to be sacred. ... Akilathirattu Ammanai அகிலத்திரட்டு அம்மானை (Tamil: akilam (world) + thirattu (collection) + ammanai (ballad)), also called Thiru Edu (venerable book), is the main religious book of the Southern Indian Ayyavazhi faith, an offshoot of Hinduism. ... In Hinduism, an avatar is the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of an Immortal Being, or of the Ultimate Supreme Being. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Dharmam

The teachings on Dharmam have two levels of understanding: a principle of 'righteousness', and a concrete activity of 'charity' or 'almsgiving'.

As a principle, the followers of Ayyavazhi believed that the prime motive of the mission of Ayya Vaikundar was to establish Dharmam in this world by destroying the evil force of Kali. It is said in Akilattirattu that people, even while listening to the teachings of Ayya Vaikundar, 'realised' that the evil of Kali was gradually being withdrawn from the world and that Dharmam was being established in its stead. Transposed to the social plane, this principle of Dharmam was considered as the mission of "protecting or salvaging the lowly, the oppressed." This article is about the Hindu goddess. ...

As a practical activity, Dharmam meant charity and almsgiving. This was taught to be the way to seek God. People were specially exhorted to undertake charity by means of material goods, and do it without discriminating among the beneficiaries.

Courage and fortitude

Part of Ayya Vaikundar's teachings included symbolic actions for the purpose of incinerating the evil spirits and impounding the powers of those practising black magic these were purported to instil courage among the ordinary people. He also imparted direct teachings on courage and fortitude. People were instructed not to fear any supernatural or temporal powers of malignant or inimical character. They were exhorted "not to fear anyone except Vaikundar," whose abiding presence with them would be the source of their strength. They were told that "it was fortitude that would make them rule the earth" and that because of this, they were not to be intimidated by any exploiter.

Living with dignity

"If you live with dignity and self-respect, the Kali would destroy itself" is another oft-repeated verse from Akilattirattu. The importance of this instruction comes to light when considering that the destruction of Kali is projected in Akilattirattu as one of the chief motives of the mission of Ayya Vaikundar. The book, through various other narratives, underscores the point that the people are to live in dignity. For example, the narrative on the origin of the Santror Makkal as the children of Narayana endowed the people with a divine pedigree, and it was a powerful story to drive home the message that the people were a dignified humanity. Some of the rituals that emerged in the life of Ayyavazhi were aimed at indoctrinating the message of human dignity. Wearing a piece of headgear during worship is an example of one of these rituals. Kalineesan is one who was caught by Kalimayai , (not the Hindu deity) according to Akilattirattu Ammanai the source of Ayyavazhi mythology. ... An alternative name frequently used in Akilattirattu Ammanai the source of Ayyavazhi mythology, to represent the The Santror. ... Narayana (नारायण) or Narayan originates as an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu and is in many contemporary vernaculars, a common Indian name. ...

Against caste-discrimination

Akilattirattu projected to the imagination of the followers of Ayyavazhi an ideal society where the caste discrimination did not exist. In its account of the past, Akilattirattu speaks of an age in which people lived as one family without the discrimination of caste. It blames the kalineesan for dividing the people on the basis of caste. It speaks of a future when Ayya Vaikundar will rule all the people with equality. Kalineesan is one who was caught by Kalimayai , (not the Hindu deity) according to Akilattirattu Ammanai the source of Ayyavazhi mythology. ...

Other verses from Akilattirattu, such as

• "Cast away the eighteen castes and the demons into the mountain, fire and the sea"
• "Do not discriminate between the powerful and powerless"
• "The caste would disappear by itself"

point to the fact of a considerable indoctrination against the inequalities of castes.

Against political oppressors

A very strong critique of the political oppressors seems to have been operative in Ayyavazhi. In the first place, it was expressed in the very characterisation of the Thiruvithankur king as Kalineesan, the representative of the evil force, and of the British as Venneesan (the wicked white). Kalineesan was projected to be the main oppressor who perpetrated the rule of Kali by exploiting the labour of the people through the systems of oozhiyam and levies, and by imposing the discriminatory caste system. Akilattirattu indicts the king as the cause of oppression and issues admonitions to him to revoke the exploitative measures. Travancore (originally called Thiruvithaamcoore or Thiruvitankur in Malayalam) was a princely state in India. ...

A slogan having political overtones seems to have been heard repeatedly in the gatherings of Ayyavazhi. It came as a declaration from Ayya Vaikundar that he was going to dethrone the king and rule the country under a Single Umbrella. As might be expected, this had its repercussions in the political arena. Among the many accusations raised against Ayya Vaikundar, the one that he would overthrow the rule of kings was among the most serious.

Against economic exploitation

Strong discontent against the deeply entrenched exploitation of the labouring masses was expressed in the form of poetic lamentations that were repeated and commented upon in the gatherings of Ayyavazhi. Akilattirattu devotes three full pages to enumerating and lamenting upon the innumerable exploitative measures imposed on the toiling masses, primarily on the Chanars. It lists a number of oppressive taxes (imposed on items such as firewood and the implements of the people's occupation). It also speaks about the varieties of taxes levied on land and cultivation and narrates the way the exploitative system of oozhiyam burdened the people. In a very telling statement, Akilattirattu summarises its accusation that "the treacherous neesan squeezed out the labour and its produce from the Santror." An alternative name given to The Santror in Akilattirattu Ammanai the source of Ayyavazhi mythology. ... Kalineesan is one who was caught by Kalimayai , (not the Hindu deity) according to Akilattirattu Ammanai the source of Ayyavazhi mythology. ... An alternative name frequently used in Akilattirattu Ammanai the source of Ayyavazhi mythology, to represent the The Santror. ...

There are also certain verses found in Akilattirattu and Arul Nool which are in the form of instructions. A verse in Akilattirattu says, "Whoever makes an earning, let him rule over it and no one need be lightened of another." Another verse proclaims, "Tell that there is no Sevies to be paid anymore." There are also verses that call for revolutionary actions from the followers. For example, a section in Arul Nool goes as follows: Arulnool considered to be the supplementary to akilathirattu, is a collection of a few short litratures composed by different Arulalarkal whose names are unknown. ...

My child, born to rule the world, rise and awake

The arrogant mean is waging a war

Come my son, to raise an army to incinerate this world

Dignified as you are, the ignominy is intolerable

I brought a paisa by carrying on my head a heavy load

He snatched away even that one paisa

Did you take birth when such a cruel king is ruling?

Against puja, blood-sacrifice, and offerings to temples

Ayya Vaikundar also offered a strong admonition to the followers of Ayyavazhi against conducting Puja (making offerings to temples and undertaking blood sacrifices to appease evil spirits). This admonition is repeated in several places in Akilattirattuu and Arul Nool. Instructions to give up "devil worship," idol worship, sacrifices of goats, roosters and pigs to deities, offerings of eggs, fried meat and other edibles were explicitly present in Ayyavazhi. Ayya Vaikundar is shown to be proclaiming these admonitions as a titular message to his mission as soon as he emerged from the sea after the Transformation. Ayya Vaikundar, who arose from the sea at Thiruchendur on 20th of the Tamil Month of Masi was considered as an unique Avatar. ...

The people had their own folk practices, such as peikkuk kotuttal (offering to demons) or cetikkuk kotuttal(offering to evil spirits), to appease the evil spirits. Ayya Vaikundar instructed the people not to observe these practices. One of the main instructions of Ayyavazhi was that there were neither devils nor demons and that witchcraft and sorcery had no effect. The Devil is the name given to a supernatural entity who, in most Western religions, is the central embodiment of evil. ... The demon Satan In folklore, mythology, and religion, a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as an evil spirit, but is also depicted to be good in some instances. ... The term witchcraft (and witch) is a controversial one with a complicated history. ... Magic (also called magick to distinguish it from stage magic) is a supposed way of influencing the world through supernatural, mystical, or paranormal means. ...

Against Brahmin domination

Ayya Vaikundar and other prominent persons of Ayyavazhi had made many statements lamenting the domination of the Brahmins. One such statement by Vaikundar is found in Pathiram "We come to intimidate the veta Brahmins." Another statement of the same kind is found in Thinkal Patham which says, "Those who wear a turf (denoting the Brahmins) will not remain on this earth any longer". Apart from these open statements, certain mythical episodes implicating the Brahmins are too conspicuous to be missed. For example, the mythical narrative indicts the Brahmins for consuming the whole of the nectar that is meant for all humanity, and on that account, condemns them to grow on earth as palmyra trees. Another episode which exposes the corrupt and immoral practices of the Brahmin priests at Srirangam and Thiruchendur cannot obviously be missed. The followers of Ayyavazhi were called upon to don the mantle of priesthood in the place of the Brahmins. Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... Thiruchendur is a town in the district of Tirunelveli of Tamil Nadu, located 55 km south-east of Tirunelveli and 75 km north-east of Kanyakumari. ...

Centres of worship: Pathis and Nizhal Thangals

Pathis and Nizhal Thangals were centres of worship and religious learning established in different parts of the country by devout followers of Ayyavazhi. They were established even during the time of Ayya Vikundar, and they served as centres for propagation of the beliefs and practices of the religious phenomenon of Ayyavazhi.

Disciples

From among the large number of followers, Vaikundar seems to have chosen five persons to be called as his ( Citars)disciples. They are Sivanandi from Mailadi, Pandaram from Kailasapuram, Arjunan from Pillayarkudiyirruppu, Subbiah from Colachel, and Hari Gopalan from Thamaraikulam. Vaikundar seems to have chosen these disciples to be his close associates and to propagate his teaching and ideals to the people. For the musical instrument, see: Sitar According to Akilattirattu Ammanai the holy and religious book of the Ayyavazhi religion Ayya Vaikundar the Incarnation of God in Kali Yukam has five Citars (disciples). ... He was one among the five disciples of Ayya Vaikundar. ...

See also

• Pathis
• Nizhal Thangals
• List of Ayyavazhi-related articles