Panchappathis

Pancha pathi (Tamil: பஞ்ச பதி, "the five abodes of God") are the five important pilgrim centers of Ayyavazhi. These are also considered as the primary Pathis and as worship centers of Ayyavazhi with primary status. The first pathi is Swamithope pathi itself and is the headquarters of Ayyavazhi. The other Pathis are Muttappathi, Thamaraikulam Pathi, Ambalappathi and Pooppathi.

All the five of the Panchappathis are located within a Fifteen-kilometer circle of Kanyakumari, the land end of the Indian Sub-continent.

Swamithoppe is the religious headquarters of Ayyavazhi. This was considered also as primary among the Panchappathi. This was the place where The Great Tavam of Ayya took place. The land's holiness is described in Akilattirattu Ammanai that Parthiban, the legendary Arjuna made penance to get Pasupathasthiram from Lord Siva. This was also the birthplace of Veda Vyasa who wrote the Mahabharata. This was the place where the demons were burned up by Vaikundar as per Akilam. Moreover, the act of seizing the powers of witchcraft, magic etc. were conducted here.

Ayya also unified into him the Seven virgins at this place. Vaikundar is also said to have performed several miracles at Swamithoppe. Because of all these reasons this center is considered more sacred than all other pathi and also seen with high religious importance.

This is one of the most important religious centers in Tamil Nadu and attracts a huge crowd from across the country. The London Missionary Society Reports of the 19th century speaks in abundance about this Pathi and the huge attraction of crowd even from those days.

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