The Ayyavazhi symbolism deals with the symbols which are used in or used to represent Ayyavazhi. Though

Akilam Akilathirattu Ammanai ( ta, அகிலத்திரட்டு அம்மானை; ''akilam'' ("world"), ''thirattu'' ("collection"), ''ammanai'' ("ballad")), also called Thiru Edu ("venerable book"), is the main religious text of the T ...

the scripture of

Ayyavazhi Ayyavazhi ( ta, அய்யாவழி, ml, അയ്യാവഴി ''Ayyāvaḻi'' , ) is a henotheistic belief that originated in South India.Tha. Krishna Nathan, ''Ayyaa vaikuNdarin vaazvum sinthanaiyum'', p. 62: "" (The day at which Vaik ...

does not point out any symbol directly, there are a few symbols which are used for representing Ayyavazhi which came into practice gradually. Amongst these, the ''Lotus with Namam'', which is the symbolic summary of

, is the commonly used and most accepted symbol.

Lotus and namam

The symbol of the Ayyavazhi is a lotus carrying a flame-shaped white 'Namam'.Tha. Krushnanathan's ''Ayya Vaikundarin Vazhvum Sinthanaiyum'', Thinai veliyeetagam, p. 108. The lotus represents the 1,008-petalled ''

Sahasrara Sahasrara ( sa, सहस्रार, IAST: , en, "thousand-petalled", with many alternative names and spellings) or the crown chakra is considered the seventh primary chakra in some yoga traditions. Hatha yoga The Sahasrara is described ...

'' (in

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

, ''Ladam'') and the Namam represents the ''Aanma Jyothi'' or ''

atman Atman or Ātman may refer to: Film * ''Ātman'' (1975 film), a Japanese experimental short film directed by Toshio Matsumoto * ''Atman'' (1997 film), a documentary film directed by Pirjo Honkasalo People * Pavel Atman (born 1987), Russian hand ...

'', sometimes translated as "soul" or "self". There are references for

Thirunamam Thirunamam(; ''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, ...

in both primary and secondary scriptures,

Akilattirattu Ammanai Akilathirattu Ammanai ( ta, அகிலத்திரட்டு அம்மானை; ''akilam'' ("world"), ''thirattu'' ("collection"), ''ammanai'' ("ballad")), also called Thiru Edu ("venerable book"), is the main religious text of the T ...

and

Arul Nool Arul may refer to: People Given name * Arul Chinnaiyan * Arul Kanda Kandasamy * Arul Kumar Jambunathan, Malaysian politician * Arul Pragasam * Arul Ramadas, Indian politician * Arul Shankar, Indian mathematician * Arul Suppiah (born 1983), Malay ...

. Though the overall consideration of the whole contents of Akilam focuses on the concept derived from the symbol 'Lotus carrying Namam', it seems that there is no direct reference for it in the scriptures. But according to some legends this symbol was in use in Ayyavazhi from the early forties of the twentieth century. Since the

is symbolised as Lotus, no stem is drawn while designing art of the symbol. Seven(up) + seven(down)

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s are used commonly. Also a new way of architecture is being developed in constructing

Nizhal Thangal Nizhal Thangal ( ta, நிழல் தாங்கல்) ( ml, നിഴൽ താങ്കൽ) also called Inai Thangals) are secondary worship places of the Ayyavazhi, often smaller in size than Pathis, built per the instructions of Akilatti ...

s in which the inverted Lotus petals (as in sahasrara) are used as a design over the roof. Ayyavazhi Sahasrara

The mythical narration of akilam about the eight

yuga A ''yuga'', in Hinduism, is generally used to indicate an age of time. In the ''Rigveda'', a ''yuga'' refers to generations, a long period, a very brief period, or a yoke (joining of two things). In the ''Mahabharata'', the words ''yuga'' and ...

s is often viewed philosophically as eight

chakra Chakras (, ; sa , text=चक्र , translit=cakra , translit-std=IAST , lit=wheel, circle; pi, cakka) are various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, or the esoteric or ...

s.A. Arisundara Mani's Akilathirattu Ammanai Parayana Urai (Additional), pages XII-XIII, "Athara thana vilakka attavanai". The first Neetiya Yukam as Bindu and the final state of absolute bliss,

is said to be the

Dharma Yukam 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. Vaikundar on throne As soon as Vaiku ...

. In this series the energy of consciousness of oneself is to be raised from Bindu (Neetiya Yukam) to the final Sahasrara (Dharma Yukam) to experience the absolute 'bliss'. The reigning power in the final

(Sahasrara) is

Ekam Ekam is the Sanskrit for "one, single, solitary" (neuter gender), as a noun meaning "unity". ⠀⠀Ayyavazhi⠀⠀ and ⠀⠀Hinduism⠀⠀refers to a monism conceptAyyavazhi and Hinduism, it refers to a concept of monism akin to that of Brahman ...

or the supreme absolute, and thus the Ayyavazhi's symbol seems to be derived from

. And the symbol of Ayyavazhi, ' Lotus with Namam' shows it;

Vaikundar Ayya Vaikundar (c.1833 –c.1851) ( ta, அய்யா வைகுண்டர், sa, अय्या वैघुण्ढर्) also known as Vaikunda Swami is the first and the foremost Purna avatar of Eka-Paran born to Lord ...

is being experienced in

. As per

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

legends this

has'' '1000 petals' ''. But in Ayyavazhi symbolism it was considered as 1008. In

there are no verses to treat this term '1000' but quite commonly the number '1008' is mentioned. Also the year of incarnation of

is 1008 M.E. On backing these scriptural backgrounds, 1008 petal arrangement is followed in Ayyavazhi symbolism.

Other phenomenological symbols

clearly points to the 'Flame shaped' single white Namam and its ideology clearly focuses on the importance of the '1008 petaled' Lotus. But there are traces that the

Vaishnavite Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...

triple Namam is being used though rarely in Ayyavazhi. The northern entrance of the Swamithope pathi carries such a form of Namam with the Holy

Conch Conch () is a common name of a number of different medium-to-large-sized sea snails. Conch shells typically have a high spire and a noticeable siphonal canal (in other words, the shell comes to a noticeable point at both ends). In North Am ...

and the

Chakra Chakras (, ; sa , text=चक्र , translit=cakra , translit-std=IAST , lit=wheel, circle; pi, cakka) are various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, or the esoteric or ...

(of Vishnu) on its two sides. Secondly, the

Palaramachandran version The Palaramachandran Version was the ever first published version of Akilam, the scripture of Ayyavazhi by Thankaiyah. It was published in 1939 and thus become the second printed work to be published in Ayyavazhi after the Arul Nool. There is ano ...

of Akilathirattu also carries similar Namam until the ninth impression, while it has been replaced by the Single white Namam from the tenth impression onwards. This is one of the phenomenological variations that is seen in the late 19th and the early 20th century

. It is evident that this symbol, ' ''Lotus and Namam'' ' has been used in Ayyavazhi from the mid-twentieth century. There is also a practice of using '

Garuda Garuda (Sanskrit: ; Pāli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरुळ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garuda is a ...

' as the symbol of

. The previous flag mast of Swamithope pathi which was replaced by the new one in the 1980s, mounts a brass image (idol) of Garuda at the top. In Ambala Pathi still the flag mast carries an idol of Garuda. The practice of using

and

(of

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...

) also seems to be current. A stone carving at Vadava mugam ''(possibly of late 19th century C.E)'', the northern entrance of Swamithope pathi includes this ' ''Conch & Chakra'' '. As per

the Chakra of Vishnu is bought as boon by

Kaliyan Kali (Kaliyan in Tamil) was the sixth fragment of the primordial manifestation of Kroni (evil) according to Akilathirattu, the source of Ayyavazhi mythology and the holy book of Ayyavazhi religion. Unlike other previous manifestations, Kali s ...

and now it is with him. So the basic logic of Akilam is against these practices. Again, using idols and personifications is heavily countered by

, but is still in practice among a minority section of the followers. Also there is a practice of using only the '

' without the 1008 Petaled Lotus. This too is occasionally in practice.

Citations

References

* Akilattirattu Ammanai, (1989), published by T. Palaramachandran Nadar, 9th impression. * Tha. Krishnanathan, (2000), ''Ayya Vaikundarin vazvum Sinthanaiyum'', Thinai Publications. * Pulavar. R. Shanmugam, (2000), ''Nadar Kulathil Narayanar Avatharam'', Nadar Kulatheebam Publications. * A. Ari Sundara Mani, (2002), ''Akilathirattu Ammanai Parayana Urai'', Vaikundar Thirukkudumbam Publications. *"Holy Akilathirattu", R. Hari Gopalan Citar, Thenthamarikualam, 10 December 1841, First Publication 1939 *"Holy Akilathirattu Scripture", R. Gopalakrishnan, Chennai, First Publication 2019, Published by Akilattirattu India Mission *"Holy Akilathirattu Descriptive Text" Part 2, A. Manibharathi, Chennai, First Publication 2003 *"Holy Akilathirattu Text", T. Balasundaram M.A., B.Ed. Swamithoppu, Third Publication 2013, Published by Ayya vaikundar Veeman Citar Foundation {{Ayyavazhi large Ayyavazhi

Lotus and namam

Other phenomenological symbols

See also

Citations

References