Ayya Vaikundar also known as Siva Narayana or Vaikunda Swami was the founder of the Ayyavazhi faith. The Ayyavazhis believe him to be the first and foremost Purna avatar of Eka-Paran and the god Vishnu (Narayana). As per Ayyavazhi mythology detailed in their scriptures, Ayya Vaikundar incarnated in 1833, when he rose from the sea of Tiruchendur in the mortal shell of Vaikundar.
Ayyavazhi is a Hindu denomination that originated in South India during the 19th century.
Akilathirattu Ammanai, also called Thiru Edu, is the main religious text of the Tamil belief system Ayyavazhi. The title is often abbreviated to Akilam or Akilathirattu.
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.
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.
Poo Pathi is one of the Pancha pathi, which are the primary worship centers and holy places of Ayyavazhi. As the incarnational activity of Vaikundar, the marriage with Poomadanthai, the Goddess of Earth was the event that took place here. This Poomadanthai was the final deity unified by Vaikundar into himself, symbolizing the destruction of Kali from the world (earth).
Dharma Yukam is the state of absolute bliss as per Ayyavazhi mythology. Dharma Yukam is described in the Akilam seventeen in Akilathirattu Ammanai. It is related to Dharmic moksha and to Abrahamic heaven.
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 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.
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 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 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).
The Akilathirattu Ammanai the scripture of Ayyavazhi teaches Dharma on two different perspectives. 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.
Ayyavazhi phenomenology is the phenomenological variations found in Ayyavazhi society, worship centers etc. from their holy text Akilattirattu Ammanai.
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 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.
