Ayyavazhi ???????? (Tamil: "path of the father"), a Tamil monistic religion that originated in South India in the mid-19th century. The 'zhi' (??) in the word, 'Ayyavazhi', is a retroflex, ri.
Ayyavazhi functions autonomously. But since it was not recognised as a separate religion it was officially considered as an offshoot of Hinduism. Though it has not received official recognition, it has evolved into a distinctive religious phenomenon, making its presence felt in India's southern districts of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin. As one of the fastest growing religions of southern India, its rapid growth had been noted in the Christian missionary reports of the mid-19th century.
Ayyavazhi focuses on Ayya Vaikundar; according to Akilattirattu Ammanai, the holy book of the religion, he was the Manu avatar of Trimurthi. The ideas and philosophy of the religion is based on the teachings of Ayya Vaikundar and the religious texts Akilattirattu Ammanai and Arul Nool.
Etymology
The etymology of the word 'Ayyavazhi' is a bit obscure. It is debated, though the different implications to the phrase do not move far from one another. To understand the exact sense of the word is laborious.
Path of Father - from the local spoken-tamil language Ayya (father) + vazhi (path). This sense which is derived from the spoken language is commonly used because 'ayya' is the affectionate phrase which sounds as 'dear father' in the local language of the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. The possibility of this sense is more strengthened because the scripture of the religion is written in Ammanai form, which is commonly used in folk form of literary works.
The Palliyarai of Swamithoppe pathi.The ultimate truth of Master - from Tamil Ayya (Mast ...