Concordia Theological Seminary

Nagercoil.
Submitted By : Ruban R

Class : BD III

Subject : Hinduism

Topic : Ayya Vaikundar

Submitted To : Rev.P.R.Selvaraj

Introduction:
Swamithoppe is also the home for the Swamithope Pathi, the religious head-quarters of
Ayyavazhi religion. Also this is one of the most important pilgrim centers of Ayyavazhi which
attracts huge crowd from all over the country.

Swamithoppu:
Swamithoppe (alternate spelling Swamithope) is the name of a town 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. Swamithope lies about half-way between the cities of
Nagercoil and Kanniyakumari on the Nagercoil - Kanniyakumari road. It also lies 8 km north-
west of Cape Comerin.

Swamithoppu is a synonym for this town, as used in the holy book, Akilathirattu
Ammanai of the Ayyavazhi religion. Swamithoppu is the name earned by the
village Thamarikulam being the origin of the Ayyavazhi religion in the mid-nineteenth century.

Swami Thoppupathi
Swamithoppu, formely known as Poovandanthoppu, is situated in Thamarakkulam
village of Nanchi naadu in Kanyakumari District.This is the birth place of Ayya Vaikundar.
After the enlightenment at Thiruchenthur in March 3, 1833, at the age of 24, Ayya Vaikundar
returned to this place where he started his social reformation. This can be considered as the first
pathi. The successors of Ayya Vaikundar conduct the daily Pani Vidai and they administrate the
activities. The elder male member will be in charge of Swamithoppu. Ayya Vaikundar -
Thirumalammal couple had two sons Puthukutty and Retnavadi. Among them Puthukutty was
very noble and wise. He was married at the age of seventeen.He had three sons. The elder was
Narayana vadivu.His only son expired before marriage. Krishna narayanan , the broher of
Narayana vadivu had one son and four daughters. That son Chella vadivu came in the charge of
Swamithoppu.It was he who developed the activities of Ayya cult.He started daily pooja ( pani
vidai ) and daily feast ( nithya bhojan ). He widely propagated the principles of Ayya Vaikundar.
Chella vadivu had two sons . Elder was Krishnanamani and younger was Bala Krishnan nadar.In
continuation with Chella raj , the son of Krishnanamani, Bala praja pathi adikalar son of Bala
Krishnan nadar , is now continuing as the chief administrator of Swami thoppu.
Every day morning at 3'o clock the pani vidai starts at Swamy thope.The Gurus and the
people staying at the temple go to Munthiri Kinaru and take holy bath. After their return the
Gurus chants yuga padippu and the devotees repeat it. Then they open the door of Sanctum
Santorum in the a midst of bells and conch .After that there is vahana pavani. Vahana pavani
comes around the temple and along the four car streets. The nithiya pal is prepared daily and
offered to Ayya Vaikundar.It is the only food Ayya Vaikundar ate when he was in human form
at Swamithoppu. This offering is done daily without fail. The descendants of Pudukkuty , the
first Guru of the gurukulam ,prepares this daily at the temple. Chavanipal , a gruel prepared with
rice and green gram ,is distributed to the devotees. The noon pani vidai starts around 11'O clock.
Daily Uchipadippu is chanted. The devotees will repeat it and Thavanipal is distributed to the
devotees.
In the evening, pani vidai starts around 5'O clock. The door of the Sanctum Sanctorum
is opened amidst the sound of the bells and shanka naadam.Then, the guru would chant yuga
padippu .Those who congregate for the evening pani vidai would repeat this. Then, there will be
vahana pani vidai. The vahana is taken around the temple before anna dhana. This is the daily
routine of Swamithoppu temple. One can have darshan at any time of the day in this temple.

Munthiri Kinaru :

As a general custom, the Avarnas were prohibited from drawing water from public
wells.The Savarnas had separate wells so that they could avoid the presence and pollution of the
lower caste people. The Brahmins took bath in the temple ponds before their worship in the
temples but the Avarnas were not permitted to take bath in the so-called sacred water of the
temple pond. Vaikunda Swamikal transgressed the prevailing order and dug a well popularly
called Munthirikinaru at Swamithoppu. It was open to all people, irrespective of their caste.

Vaikunda Swamikal called his followers Anpukodimakkal (children of love flag). The
flag is red ochre in colour which is the symbol of sacrifice and strong mind, with a white tridental
mark which stands for purity, peace and love. The mark is also in the shape of a lamp which
expresses the idea of wisdom and justice.The devotees of Swamikal carry this flag in their
procession on the incarnation day of every year.
Festivals:
Car festivals are conducted thrice a year during the months of avani, thai and vaikasi. The
festivals start on the first Friday of avani and thai . In vaikasi , the festival starts on the second
Friday of the month. The festival starts with the hoisting of the saffron coloured holy flag, early
in the morning. To routine procedures of the festival are followed. In the evening ,Ayya
Vaikundar is carried around the temple and through the four car streets in a cradle vahana.
On 19th of masi people from south Tamilnadu assemble at Thiruchenthur. They take sea
bath with the presence of the guru from Swamithoppu. He applies namam on everybody's
forehead and the procession starts in a number of vehicles at 9'O clock. The procession goes
through Seekatchi, Nainarpathu, Udangudi, Chetirapathu, Theriyoor, Santhayadi, Kottankadu,
Muthukrishnapuram, Padukkapatu, Tatarmadam, Tesiyanvilai and reaches Ermaikkulam at noon.
Here the people particiapate in anna dhaanam. The procession continues from there and travels
through Ayyankulam, Karaichettypudhur, Koodankulam, Chettikulam ,Chalaipudhur,
Avaraikulam, Ambalavanapuram, Aruvaimozhi, Thovalai and reaches Athalavilai.
The Vaikunta Jyothi is lighted on a hill top called Vaikunta malai. Then the joined
procession proceeds to Nagercoil and goes around the town. A religious conference is conducted
at Nagercoil in which many eminent persons participate. People stay there over night.On the next
day the procession to Swamithoppu begins in the early morning. A guru of Swamithoppu will
lead the procession. It will be huge assembling of Ayya devotees with a saffron flag in their
hands. Decorated elephants and horses used to become an attraction in the procession.The
procession passes through Edalakudi, Sucheendram, Vazhukkamparai, Ethankadu and north
Thamarakkulam. On the way the native people welcome the procession and garland the leader.
They reach at Swamithoppu at about 12'O clock and go to the munthiri kinaru first and then four
car streets.Later the procession goes around the temple .Before entering the temple the
participants hand over their flags at the entrance.

The reason why the Ayya way appears:

The nineteenth century was a time of racial atrocities in many parts of India. The
atrocities were most prevalent in Kanyakumari and parts of Kerala, especially in southern India,
such as Thiruvananthapuram and Travancore. That is to say, Kalinisana divided the good castes
who lived in love with Karmak Kalidosa into many castes incited caste-based rebellion, bought
corrupt jobs and bought heavy taxes. That is, he tortured Tali from Peeli to the line. If there was
any level of caste atrocities then the lower castes should not wear sandals in front of the upper
castes and neither men nor women should cover their body with cloth above the waist. Must be
with open chest. There is no law to punish the upper castes for killing any lower castes. The so-
called lower castes should not enter the temples. They should not keep the names of God as their
names. When speaking to the upper castes, one should stand back and speak. The lower castes
were mainly subjected to atrocities such as Nadars and Sanars due to various unjust restrictions
on wearing turbans under any circumstances. This movement was born as its echo. It was at that
time that Ayya Vaikundar emerged as the savior of those who had been subjected to such
repression in the Kanyakumari area. He is worshiped as an incarnation of Vishnu. He lived and
died as a companion to the people who stood against the caste atrocities that prevailed that day.

The background story that caused Ayya Vaikundar to Appearance:

Before the creation of the world, Brahma created the gods, Vishnu, Shiva and many other
deities. Following their creation the Vedas, the monkeys, the other universes all appeared. At that
time no one with evil intentions was created. An empire was formed to rule over him. Only by
creating good and evil can those on earth understand the pros and cons. For this, Lord Shiva
called Eesan performed a great sacrifice. Through that sacrifice he created a wicked man. He was
nicknamed Crony. Born into a fleshly body with a mountain-like body, the monster Crony was
asleep for several days after birth. The one who wakes up after falling asleep is not hungry. The
gods were shaken by the sound of a man waking up with a terrible noise. When he was hungry
he looked at the earth. He killed and swallowed everyone who was there. Still he did not satisfy
his hunger, so he drank all the seawater and emptied it. That too was not enough so he reached
for the handkerchief and swallowed it too. Fortunately Eason was not there then. Swallowing the
workshop, he ran towards Vaikuntha without feeling hungry. When Vishnu saw him coming, he
fled from there. He praised Aesir who was in meditation to protect the universe from him. It is
not enough to tell the awakened Eisen everything that happened and ask him to help destroy that
crony and destroy him immediately. He will come back again and again. So his whole dynasty
must be destroyed. If not he said he would continue to appear in different forms and plunge
everyone into misery. So he said that his dynasty would be completely destroyed only if he cut
him into six pieces and killed the dynasty born to him from those pieces incarnate as good in six
ages. By the order of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, with Lord Shiva's blessings, fought with Kroni,
cut him into six pieces, and kept the pieces alive together. After taking such incarnations and
destroying his sixth piece he had to take birth in the sixth epoch i.e. to destroy Kali in Kali.

Ayya Vaikundar origin and his story:

When the Kalinisana came now, all good things disappeared. Ikkalinisanavan divided the
many clans who had lived in love with Karmak Kalidosa into many castes instigated caste-based
rebellion, bought corrupt jobs, bought heavy taxes and ruled the people. In order to save the good
people from these atrocities, Narayan, who was in danger of the people, snatched away the gifts
given to Innisakaliyan and destroyed Kalinisanthan, to develop Dharma himself, and to make
more seven worldlings born in this age as witnesses. Then, according to the Adi Agam written by
the sage Vyasa himself, on Friday the 20th of February, 1008 (1st March C.1833) in Kollam, as
the tenth incarnation for the supremacy of the people of the world, Vala Ramachandra Suriya
Narayanaradhari himself became the son of Adinarayana and Mrs. Mahalakshmi in the
Capricorn sanctuary in the sea of Thiruchendur.
 Narayanar, who incarnated as Vaikundar, came to the beach from the sea in Thiruchendur
and took the form of a petition as a treasure at Daruvaikkarai. Appearing to the monitors as
Narayana Bandara, Swami came to the grove with the name Vaikundar, wearing a Mayan scarf,
a pill stick in his hand, a cane on his forehead, a white name on his forehead, a hammer on his
forehead and a turban on his head. Then for six years he was penitent towards Shiva for the
supremacy of the people and for the destruction of Kaliyanthana. Standing there like a bandara,
he afflicted the people of eighteen castes in one place and cured the ailment of Dharmamai
Tarani Yaber with water. Gave off spring to those who had no offspring. He gave himself to a
person who was not selfish. To the victims of the racism of untouchability, he acknowledged his
shortcomings and bestowed upon them what they owed. By the grace of Lord Vaikundar the
blind were burdened.

Ayya Vaikundar went to Vaikundam

It began about 166 years ago, in 1833, with the birth of Tirumala, who appeared in
human form to destroy Kali Yuga and establish Dharma. From there in 1839 Swamithopu moved
back to the grove and intensified their movement to stay at one place (where the present temple
is located). Narayanar Kollam, who thus emerged as a treasure to save the people, went to
Vaikunda Lokam on Monday 21st May 1026 (2nd June C.1851) at twelve o'clock in the
afternoon.

The principles of Ayya Vaikundar

1) Idolatry should not be allowed

2) Alms should be given

3) Shade buffers should be installed for people to stay and relax

4) Do not eat meat, do not sacrifice animals

5) The name should be placed on the forehead like a lamp

6) Keep the body and mind clean

7) Worship collectively.

Book of Akila Thirattu Ammanai:

The Lord gives the Holy Scriptures to know His incarnation in every period of His
incarnation on this earth. We are blessed to know the incarnation of Vaikunda taken by Sriman
Narayanar and to live a good life and to pass the Kali. The Holy Eucharist was consecrated on
Friday 27th December 1016 (10th December 1841 CE) in the year 1016, by the Lord with the
grace of his disciple Arikopalan. This is the International Goddess "The story of God's coming in
Karma Kali to rule Dharma Yugamaki Tarani" Furthermore, this sacred akama tells the world
view, the events that have taken place so far, the incarnations of Narayana and the events that
will take place in the future.

He narrated in detail the story of how he took various incarnations in his previous
incarnations - Rama, Krishna, Subramanya, Narasimha - and destroyed the evil ones like
Ravana, Duryodhana and Surana in his book Ramakopal, written by his disciple Ramagopal.
What is said in that book is vastly different from what was written in the Puranas. But that book
is considered a Vedic book by Ayya Way.

Conclusion:
I met with the swamithoppu President Mr.Balabirajithi pathi Adigalar. I learned about
Ayya Vaikundar and Swamithoppu history and also learned about the Akila thiradu ammanai
book. I have prepared the article with the message .

Reference:
Ayya Vaikundar: Teachings and Impacts of Ayyavazhi, Ayya Vaikundar, Swamithope Pathi ,
N.Neelakandan, vikadan pirasuram.2009.