Ayyavazhi

[2][3] Ayyavazhi is centered on the life and preachings of Ayya Vaikundar; its ideas and philosophy are based on the holy texts Akilathirattu Ammanai and Arul Nool.

[4] Ayyavazhi shares many ideas with Hinduism in its beliefs and practice, but differs considerably in its concepts of good and evil and dharma.

[7] Vaikundar's activities and the growing number of followers caused a reformation and revolution in 19th-century Travancorean[8] and Tamil society,[9] surprising the feudal social system of South India.

[23][24][25] Ayyavazhi began to be noticed initially by the large number of people gathering to worship Vaikundar (known historically as "Mudisoodum Perumal")[26] (c. 1809 – c. 1851 CE)[27] at Poovandanthoppe.

[37] Following the instructions of Akilattirattu Ammanai (Akilam), the Nizhal Thangals (small pagodas) have been established across the country for worship and the study of scripture.

[49][50] The holy books of Ayyavazhi are the Akilattirattu Ammanai (commonly referred to as Akilam)[51] and the Arul Nool, and they are the source of the religion's mythology.

The Akilattirattu Ammanai was written by Hari Gopalan Seedar in 1841,[52] as if hearing the contents of Akilam told by Narayana to his consort Lakshmi.

[53] In addition to the mythological events Akilam also provides an extensive quantity of historical facts,[54] especially that of mid and late 2nd millennium CE.

The secondary scripture, Arul Nool, includes various books that are believed to be written by Arulalarkal (one possessed by divine power).

[73] The reigning power in the final Dharma Yukam (Sahasrara) is Ekam, which is a part of Vaikundar a Trinity conception, or a manifestation of the supreme absolute.

From its inception, Ayyavazhi has doubly served as an engine of social reform, particularly in the area of Travancore, which was previously noted for its strong caste system.

The followers of Ayyavazhi established Pathis and Nizhal Thangals, which are centers of worship and religious learning in various parts of the country.

This shows how society, its people, the ruling king, etc., lived in absolute harmony with nature, placing the power of Almighty in all their works, deeds and activities during early ages.

[132] It also narrates that Akilam was given to mankind as an alternative because Kaliyan destroyed the original Vedas and Shastras, and at the beginning of Kali Yuga, several additions were given to the previous scriptures by him.

Therefore, theologians and philosophers today turn to Hindu scriptures to further their understanding of the tatvas as properties of the human body, which are not elaborated upon in Akilam.

The Ekam, which is articulated as the supreme divine power itself, is supposed to remain unaffected by maya deep inside every changeable matter as an absolute constant.

[153] Historically, the rituals were used or viewed as an attempt to break the caste-based inequalities prevailed in the society of the time, and to strengthen and uplift the sociologically downtrodden and ill-treated.

Examples of this include the charity on food as 'Anna Dharmam' , physical as well as spiritual cleanliness through Thuvayal Thavasu,[154] eliminating untouchability through Thottunamam, self-respect and courage through headgear,[155] and unifying various castes through Muthirikkinaru.

Another important thing to be noted is the alternative phrases religiously used in Ayyavazhi universe different from Hinduism, to represent certain practices.

The inclusive theory accepts the views of different religions for a certain period of time, and from then onwards exclusively rejects all of them in its narrative.

[161] But due to the advent of Kaliyan and because of the cruel nature of his boons, for the first time, the supreme power Ekam incarnates in the world as Vaikundar,[citation needed] and so all the lesser god-heads and previous scriptures[162] had lost their substances.

[170] The book also speaks of God incarnating in the world in the Kali Yukam (the present age) to destroy the evil spirit, the final and the most serious manifestation of Kroni.

[177] In the social sense, it is believed that the term Santror fits rightly to the early "Chanars", who were called by the Arabs as "Al Hind", and known in biblical times as the "People of Five Rivers"; they are now scattered with more than 250 branches throughout the world.

[178] But in turn, in ideological sense and from the literary meaning of the term "Santror" in Tamil, it represents one who is noble and lives with dignity[179] and supreme knowledge,[180] giving an inclusive character and universal reach.

It is believed that Kali is being destroyed continuously by the activities of the Santror in the Path of Vaikundar, and so the Dharma Yukam unfolds eventually.

[183] The basis of the belief is that Ayya Vaikundar had come to establish and rule as the everlasting king[184] over the Dharma Yukam in the place of Kali Yukam[185] after sentencing Kroni to hell by a final judgment from the Lion-throne of Dwaraka pathi, the rising mythical landmass (which was sunken at the end of Dvapara Yuga by Krishna) located south east of present-day Kanyakumari.

[205] Some followers of Ayyavazhi include Vaikundar as part of the ten Avatars of Vishnu as Kalki, while some denominations strongly advocate moksha, the personal liberation, though it is not stated directly in Akilam.

[209] All these philosophical, ideological and religious variations in the society of Ayyavazhi make them hard to be identified and differentiated as a separate belief and instead taken as a Hindu sect.

Robert Caldwell, one among the very few historians of the contemporary period (whose views are always overwhelmingly negative on Vaikundar, since himself being a LMS Christian missionary), also referred to the then belief that seedars (disciples) profess to foretell events.

The religious structure evolved in the path of Ayyavazhi scriptures and, as a result, it transfigured itself as an alternative religio-cultural system in the social category.