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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 Nitham Thirunal is likely to be celebrated only in Swamithope pathi. This celebration includes the daily rituals connected to the Panividais and worship in Swamithope. Usually the Palliyarai is opened for worship at 4.00 am daily, with the sounds of Blowing Conch and bells. Following this, a Panividaiyalar used to circumambulate the Pathi, first the Santhana-veethi (First circumambulating route) and then the Ratha-veethi (Second circumambulating route). Then around the Palliyarai (sanctum sanctorum) is again closed around 4.30 am and opened again for the morning Panividai at 5.30 am. Then the Elunetru is carried in a Vahana around the Pathi through the two circumambulating routes. When the Vahana reaches the Vadakku vasal (the northern entrance) in the Santhana-veethi, the Dharma-mani is rung and the 'Thavanai Pal' (holy rice gruel) is given for the worshippers. Once the Vahana bavani comes to the end, the elunetru is taken back to the Palliyarai under umbrella and the 'Nithiya Pal' (holy rice gruel) to the worshippers.
As part of noon-fest, the east entrance (main entrance) is opened and the noon-prayer, Ucchippadippu is sung by Payyans which was followed by the worshippers. At the end, after smearing Thirunamam for the worshippers, Santhana-Pal (Sandal-milk) is offered to the worshippers and followed by offering 'Thavanai Pal' in the Vadakku Vasal. The evening celebrations are the same as that of Morning. The only difference is instead of 'Thavanai Pal' (the rice gruel) the 'Umban Annam' (rice cooked with vegetables together) in the Vadakku Vasal.
The Ukappadippu is sung during the morning and evening fests and Ucchippadippu during the nool festival. The Vahana-bavani is conducted in the morning and evening. The Palliyarai is opened for the common mass for worship three times a day, and closed around 8.00 pm. Akilam admits that by celebrating every day as a festival, the evil Kali would destroy itself.
Mostly all Ayyavazhi worship centers conduct a weekly festival, where the Sundays occupy the important place. Most of the Pathis, including Swamithope and Mutta Pathi conduct special celebrations on Sundays, weekly. In Ambala Pathi, the Tuesdays are considered holy, since the divine marriage of Vaikundar with the seven deities took place there. This practise is there right from the times of Vaikundar.
Apart from this some Nizhal Thangals conducts special Panividais on Fridays, while few others select Thursdays to be the day of weekly festivals.
The Muthal kizhamai festival is celebrated in Swamithope during the first Sundays of every Tamil Month. Some Nizhal Thangals conduct these festivals not during Sundays, but during the first Fridays of all Tamil months. Special Anna Dharmams will be done on Muthal Kizhamais.
Kodiyettru Thirunal is common for all Pathis. Nowadays many Nizhal Thangals have also started conducting this festival. There are views that Pathis only should conduct Kodiyetru Thirunal. Some even argue that no worship centers have right to conduct this festival other than Swamithope pathi.
In Swamithope pathi three such festivals are celebrated annually during the Tamil months of Avani, Thai and Masi. Each fest includes eleven days. Other Pathis conduct this once in a year. The festival starts with the Kodi-yetru(flag hoisting) Usually, a 'Seven days Picchai' (ritual practice of begging on behalf of human beings to God) is performed starting from the first days of the Festival. During these festival days, special Panivadais are being performed. The eighth day Anna Dharmam was considered with great importance. Each days the elunetru is carried in different Vahanas around the Pathis. As usual three Panividais(Pooja) are conducted. The eighth day is considered 'Kali-vettai' (as day of hunting of Kali). The eleventh day, will be the Car festival and the festival comes to an end in the early morning (3.30 am) of the twelfth day.
This is the only Ayyavazhi festival common and free to be conducted in all worship centers. It was normally conducted for about Seventeen days. It normally begins in a Friday and ends in a Sunday. In Swamithope Pathi the Thiru Eadu Vasippu begins on the last Friday of the Tamil month of Karthigai and conducted for seventeen days. During these days the contents of Akilam was sung melodiously. The contents of Akilam was parted into seventeen and continued from the successive parts of the previous days. Every day the Vasippu is begun with the Kappu. Normally, the fifteenth day 'Thrikkalyana-vasippu' and the seventeenth day 'Pattabhishega-vasippu' are considered with high religious importance.
Almost all Pathis and Nizhal Thangals conduct this festival once in a year. Other than the Seventeen days schedule, Some thangals conduct it for about three days, five days, seven days, Ten days etc. Generally this festival will not be conducted in any Pathis or Nizhal Thangals during the Tamil Month of Karthigai, since it was conducted there in Swamithope then.
This day, which is the incarnational day of Vaikundar from the Sea of Tiruchendur was the largest festival of Ayyavazhi and was the only festival celebrated in all worship centers simultaneously. It was celebrated on the 20th day of the Tamil Month of Masi. The celebrations in Swamithope on this day was considered highly sacred. The nationwide Ayyavazhi followers usually take a pilgrimage to Swamithope and the other Pancha pathis during this day. Several processions are held in many parts of the country apart from 'The Great procession' indicating the incarnation of Vaikundar.
This day was an official holiday for the southern districts of Tamil Nadu such as Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli. In fact this is the only Ayyavazhi festival which is celebrated according to the Solar calendar.
Ayyavazhi is a henotheistic belief that originated in South India. Though generally regarded as a branch of Hinduism, it is sometimes [not necessarily accurately] cited as an independent monistic belief by several newspapers, government reports, and academic researchers. It is a Hindu sect because it's Vaishnava in theology wherein Ayya Vaikundar is an avatar of Narayana.
Nizhal Thangal also called Inai Thangals) are secondary worship places of the Ayyavazhi, often smaller in size than Pathis, built per the instructions of Akilattirattu Ammanai. Cleanliness is strictly enforced.
Pathi is the name of the primary centres of congregational worship for the South Indian religious system of Ayyavazhi, having a relatively large structure like that of a temple. They are seven in number.
Ambala Pathi, also known as Pallathu pathi or Moolakunda pathi, is one of the primary pathi of the Ayyavazhi, and the second important pilgrim center of Ayyavazhi and the place where Ayya Vaikundar is said to have unified all divine power into himself by symbolic marriages.
Mutta Pathi, is one of the Pancha pathi, which are the primary centers for worship of the Ayyavazhi. This is the third important pilgrim center of Ayyavazhi. This place earn the religious importance in Akilam from the event that, Ayya Vaikundar is given two Vinchais here by Narayana under the Sea; One just before the arrest of Vaikundar by Swathi Thirunal and the second after the completion of Thuvayal Thavasu.
Thamaraikulam Pathi, is one among the Pancha pathi, the five holy places of Ayyavazhi. The Ari Gopalan Citar, who wrote the Akilam was born here.
Pancha pathi are the five important pilgrim centers of Ayyavazhi. These are also considered as the primary Pathis and as worship centers of Ayyavazhi with primary status. The first pathi is Swamithope pathi itself and is the headquarters of Ayyavazhi. The other Pathis are Muttappathi, Thamaraikulam Pathi, Ambalappathi and Pooppathi.
The Arul Nool is a supplement to the Akilattirattu Ammanai, and is likewise considered a holy scripture of Ayyavazhi. This book contains the collection of messages given by Ayya Vaikundar to his Disciples, whose names are unknown. Since they are believed to be composed by Arylalarkar, it acquired the name Arulnool. There is no direct indication within the book regarding the time of its composition.
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.
The Ayya Vaikunda Avataram or Vaikunda Jayanthi is a festival celebrated by the followers of Ayyavazhi on the 20th day of the Tamil month of Masi, the date on which the Ayyavazhi followers believe that Lord Narayana himself incarnated as Vaikundar during an encounter with a deity Goddess Lakshmi, he was beget inside the sea and arose from the sea of Thiruchendur on Kollam Year 1008 at 20th day of Tamil Month Masi. He took the human form as Narayana Pantaram at Tharuvaiyur near seashore to destroy the evil spirit of Kali and transform the Kaliyukam into Dharma Yukam.
The following outline is provided as an overview and topic guide to Ayyavazhi:
Ayyavazhi rituals are the religious practices prevalent among the followers of Ayyavazhi. Most of them are connected with Akilam and Arul Nool and a few, though not associated with the holy books, are practiced for over a century right from the beginning of Ayyavazhi. Some practices are unique for Pathis and some others are common for all worship centres.
Thirunamam(Tamil: திருநாமம்; Tirunāmam)) represents the 'Sacred name of God'. The phrase Namam also represents the white clay found at the deeper layer of earth, which is used as the powder to wear a flame shaped mark. The Ayyavazhi people wore this Namam, starting from the central point between the eyebrows, going straight up near the top edge of the forehead.
The purpose of this chronology is to give a detailed account of Ayyavazhi from the beginning of the incarnational events of Vaikundar to the present time. Question marks on dates indicate approximate dates. A star (*) indicates the mentioning of that particular date in Akilam or Arul Nool. All dates but a few are found in the Tamil calendar and so doesn't coincide exactly with the months of the Gregorian calendar. The dates may span over any halves of the two consecutive months (Gregorian).
This Nizhal Thangal is situated 3 km west to Swamithope. There was a zeouse devotee for Vaikundar during his period. During the last phase of the Tavam, Vaikundar avoid speaking to anybody. So for giving message for the people Vaikundar blessed Mr. Swamiyadiyan of Eachan vilai, one of his devotee that, what ever Ayya think in his mind it will be heard by this man. Since he was booned to realize the thoughts of Vaikundar, he was called as "Varam petra Pandaram" - 'The booned mendicant'.
This Thangal of Vadalivilai was the fifth among the Primary Nizhal Thangals. After the Kodiyettru Thirunal of Swamithope in 1850, the devotees of Ayya from Vadali vilai of Tirunelveli district requested Ayya to visit their village, during their holy visit to Swamithope. Accepting their request Ayya visited that village and laid stone for the Thangal there. Then a palmyra-leaf made structure was erected there and Panividais are conducted regularly.
This Thangal of Kadambankulam was the sixth among the Primary Nizhal Thangals. This Thangal was situated South to Valliyoor, 2 km southeast to Kalantha Panai. This was the place where Thavam petral, the daughter of Dharma Citar was married to a man from here. Also, this was the native place of Thuvayal Pandaram, who were the participants of the Thuvayal Thavasu. Ayya Vaikundar also visited this place before his Six-year Tavam. Likewise, this place gains so much importance from Ayyavazhi.
Ayyavazhi phenomenology is the phenomenological variations found in Ayyavazhi society, worship centers etc. from their holy text Akilattirattu Ammanai.
The Nizhal thangal, Attoor is one among the few renowned Worship centers of Ayyavazhi in the western Kanyakumari. It is also the second Thangal built in the Thamarai Thangal series only after the Nizhal Thangal of Nelli-ninra Vilai, and the first ever Temple built with the Sahasrara architecture.
Swamithoppe Pathi is the primary pathi of the Ayyavazhi, and the sacred venue of the Tavam. Religiously Swamithope is considered primary among the Pancha pathi and the primary centre of the incarnational activities of Vaikundar.
| Religiosity |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Ayyavazhi rituals | ||
| Main teachings | ||
| Mythology | ||
| Mythical events | ||
| Mythical figures | ||
| Yukams | ||
| Festivals and celebrations | ||
| Scripture | ||
| Akilathirattu | ||
| Arul Nool | ||
