AKILATTIRATTU AMMANAI

'Akilathirattu Ammanai' (Tamil: அகிலத்திரட்டு அம்மானை) (''akilam'' (world) + ''thirattu'' (collection) + ''ammanai'' (ballad)), also called 'Thiru Edu' (venerable book), is the main religious book of the Southern Indian belief system Ayyavazhi. The title is often abbreviated to 'Akilam' or Akilathirattu.

Contents

History

Style

Versions

Sections

References

See also

History

According to the book, ''Akilam'', Hari Gopalan Citar wrote this book on the twenty-seventh day of the Tamil month of Karthikai (November/December) in the year 1841 CE.^[1] The author claims that God woke him up during his sleep and commissioned him to take dictation from what he said. ''Akilathirattu'' was recorded on palm leaves until 1939, when it was given printed form.^[2]
According to the author, the book is the story of God coming in this age, the Kali Yukam or Iron Age, to rule the world by transforming it into the Dharma Yukam. This story of faith has woven together the historical facts about Ayya Vaikundar and his activities with reinterpretations of episodes from the Hindu Puranas (mythologies) and Itihasas (epics).^[2] It is presented as if Vishnu is narrating the whole story to his consort Lakshmi.
Though the Citar Hari Gopalan wrote the book Akilam, he claimed that he did not know any thing about the contents of the book. He woke up in the morning as usual and he didn't know what he had written the day before. Some other legend says that he begins it at that night and continued through the following days. While some others says that it was written beginning on Friday, 26th Karthikai (Tamil Calendar) 1016 M.E, and completed on seventeenth day on the second Sunday of Margazhi (Tamil Calendar) 1016 M.E.
As soon as Ayya Vaikundar died, the tied-up palm leaf manuscript, which was until then not opened was unfolded. It contained the regulations of the Ayyavazhi sect. As per the instructions found there in Akilam, Ayyavazhi was preached by the Citars far and wide.

Style

''Akilam'' is in two parts; the first is an account of the ages preceding that of the present age, the ''Kali Yukam'', and the second is an account of the activities of Ayya Vaikundar leading up to his attaining Vaikundam.
''Akilathirattu'' is written as a poem in the Tamil language. The narration alternates between two sub-genres called ''viruttam'' and ''natai''. Both sub-genres employ many poetic devices like alliteration and hyperbatons.^[4] It contains more than 15000 lines making up seventeen section.

Versions

The texts written by Hari Gopalan Citar is seen damaged and is hard to read the contents. There are three direct versions which were copied from this first version. They are,

★ Panchalagkuricchi Version

★ Kottangadu Version

★ Swamithoppe Version
Of these, the Panchalankuricchi version is believed to be written down by Hari Gopalan Citar from copying from the main version. Other two versions were copied later. Other versions also include those by the Ayya Vaikundar Thirukkudumbam published twice. But these versions are often criticised for the removal and adding of additional Verse (poetry)s from various versions. Though they claim that these additional lines were added from the early versions (Panchalankuricchi Version and Kottangadu Version) which are believed to be missing, to Akilam, commonly these versions are not accepted.

Sections

The ''Akilam'' is divided into seventeen parts:

★ Akilam one

★ Akilam two

★ Akilam three

★ Akilam four

★ Akilam five

★ Akilam six

★ Akilam seven

★ Akilam eight

★ Akilam nine

★ Akilam ten

★ Akilam eleven

★ Akilam twelve

★ Akilam thirteen

★ Akilam fourteen

★ Akilam fifteen

★ Akilam sixteen

★ Akilam seventeen

References

1. G.Patrick's, Religion and Subaltern Agency, Chapter 5, Page-118
2. G.Patrick's, Religion and Subaltern Agency, Chapter 5, Page-119
3. G.Patrick's, Religion and Subaltern Agency, Chapter 5, Page-119
4. G.Patrick's, Religion and Subaltern Agency, Chapter 5, Sub-heading: Akilattirattu, Page-119

See also

★ List of Ayyavazhi-related articles

★ Hari Gopalan Citar

★ Ayya Vaikundar