 | This article may be confusing or unclear to readers.(April 2022) |
In South India, this Thangal of Paloor was the third among the Primary Nizhal Thangals. This Thangal was constructed by Mr. Perumal Nadar of Paloor who donated 43 palmyra trees for the famous Thaththuva-kottagai Project in Ambala Pathi.
This man requested Ayya to visit his village and as per Ayya visited Paloor. There with the instructions of Vaikundar, the third Thangal was constructed.
Ayyavazhi is a Vaishnava sect that originated in South India. Ayyavazhi regarded as a branch of Hinduism,
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.
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 following outline is provided as an overview and topic guide to Ayyavazhi:
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 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.
The History of Ayyavazhi traces the religious history of Ayyavazhi, a belief-system originated in the mid-19th century in Southern India. Ayyavazhi came to be noticed by the large number of people gathering to worship Ayya Vaikundar in the middle of the 19th century. The majority of the followers of Ayyavazhi were from marginalised and poor sections of society.
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).
An Ayyavazhi wedding is the wedding custom within the Ayyavazhi belief system of South India. Usually Dharmagharttas, Panividaiyalars from Thangals or an older person experienced in Ayyavazhi assumes a role as a Guru and is seated in the Manvarai for leading the wedding ceremony.
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 Agastheeswaram was the second among the Primary Nizhal Thangals. This Thangal was constructed by Velandi Vathiyar of Agastheeswaram who was a friend of Sakadevan Citar, one among the five disciples of Vaikundar. He earned his name Vathiyar because he conducted platform-school to educate poor children. He along with other devotees, with carol songs, carries Ayya in a cradle to Agastheeswaram from Chettikudiyiruppu.
This Thangal of Sundavilai was the fourth among the Primary Nizhal Thangals. Very little information was known regarding the history of this thangal. The foundation stone for this Thangal was laid on 1849 in the Tamil month of margazhi.
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 many importance from Ayyavazhi.
This Thangal of Pambankulam was the seventh among the Primary Nizhal Thangals. It is west of Kadambankulam in the Tirunelveli-Kanyakumari National Highway east of Panakkudy.
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.
| Religiosity |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Ayyavazhi rituals | ||
| Main teachings | ||
| Mythology | ||
| Mythical events | ||
| Mythical figures | ||
| Yukams | ||
| Festivals and celebrations | ||
| Scripture | ||
| Akilathirattu | ||
| Arul Nool | ||
