Muthiri kinaru

Muthiri Kinaru (Tamil: முத்திரி கிணறு) is the sacred well located in the north-western corner of Swamithoppe village.

Historically, this well plays a major role in joining the people in this part of the country, breaking the caste-based discrimination that once prevailed among them.

Before and during the period of Lord Vaikundar, this part of the subcontinent was under the grip of feudalism, casteism, and untouchability.

As in the Vinchai, since the social aim of 'uplifting the lowly treated people in the society' occupies a major part in the spiritual mission of Vaikundar, which is projected towards the ideal Dharma Yukam, he wanted to stop this evil practice.

By the completion of the Six-year Tavam of Vaikundar in 1840, the Thuvayal Thavasu practiced at Vakaippathi and Muttappathi for about one year as they reached Swamithoppe.

This refers to the prevalence of a seemingly innocuous practice of the people, gathered around Vaikundar, bathing together from the water of this well.

In the course of events, the well and its water seem to have acquired religious significance to the people of Ayyavazhi.

A couplet from the Saattu Neettolai of Arul Nool reads as "every one is drinking the milk of the well around which miracles are growing".

In the then Travancore society, the discriminatory laws of purity and pollution were very sensitive in places of bathing, and in acts involving the use of water.

As a general custom, the lower castes were prohibited from drawing water from public wells and ponds.

Those who, be it a member of the caste fold or one from outside of it, ventured to transgress these demarcated spaces were penalised with severe corporal punishments, or even eliminated unceremoniously.

Due to the attention focused on the well, malicious acts have been recorded where poison was twice placed into the water by some anti-ayyavazhi elements.

Then on 17 September 1994, the first Sunday of the Tamil Month, Puratasi, poison was mixed up in the sacred water of Muthirikkinaru for the second time.

It is overwhelming to see the devotees throng the well to get a few buckets of water on to them and drink a few drops ceremoniously for five times and then proceed to the Pathi.

Apart from this daily ritual, this Muthirikkinaru earns a religious significance during the eighth day of the Kodiyettru Thirunal festival.

During the Car festivals and during the Vaikunda Jayanthi celebrations, the worshippers are not allowed to draw water from Muthirikkinaru due to the limited size of the well and extent of the crowds that attend to worship.