Meivazhi (), meaning 'the True Path', also known as the "மறலி கை தீண்டா சாலை ஆண்டவர்கள் மெய் மதம்", is a syncretic monotheistic religion based in Tamil Nadu, India. It seeks to spread the true purpose of every religion which originated on Earth and preaches the oneness of all religions such as Saivism, Vaishnavism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, etc.
Its focus is on spiritual enlightenment and conquest of the cycle of birth and death by attaining heaven, through the teachings and blessings of its founder and leader, Meivazhi Salai Aandavargal (Tamil: மெய்வழி சாலை ஆண்டவர்கள் meyvaḻi cālai āṇṭavarkaḷ), who is believed to be the Kalki Avatar, the final incarnation of God during the end of Kali Yuga and the beginning of the Kalki Yuga, foretold by several religions.
It draws heavily on Hinduism, although its founder was born into a Muslim family. The Meivazhi allows membership irrespective of caste, creed, color, or religion and the only requirement to be a disciple of the Meivazhi religion is to believe in God.
The Meivazhi has its own set of holy scriptures that run up to four volumes, along with a unique prayer system and festivals. Its official liturgical language is Tamil.
The Meivazhi has only one temple all across the world, which is situated at Meivazhi Salai in Pudukkottai district, Tamil Nadu, named as the Ponnaranga Devalayam (Tamil: பொன்னரங்க தேவாலயம், Poṉṉaraṅka tēvālayam). The Meivazhi Temple stipulates a dress code for its followers: male followers wear a white panchakacham and a white, pointed turban, while female followers wear a headscarf. The pointed turban (with Kalgi) worn by its followers is believed to signify the beginning of the Kalki Yuga.
The senior disciples of Meivazhi, who had received spiritual revelations (Tamil: உபதேசம் Upatēcam) directly from Meivazhi Salai Aandavargal, wear saffron clothing and wear a saffron pointed turban with an upward-pointing crescent symbol called 'Kilnaamam' (Tamil: கிள்நாமம் Kiḷnāmām). The senior disciples prefix the word 'Meivazhi' before their name and suffix the word 'Anandar/Anandagi', while the younger disciples have the word 'Salai' prefixed to their names. Chennai DC Special, 16 June 2010 Meivazhisalai showcases alternate way of life Retrieved February 2015Kayleigh Robinson "Becoming One with the Divine: Meivazhi Salai Shows the Way" , Madurai Messenger, April 2014.அருணகிரி "தமிழ்நாட்டுக்கு உள்ளே ஒரு தனி நாடு", கீற்று, Nov 2011.Deccan Chronicle Vol. 6, No. 81, 16 June 2010 Village chooses to live without electricity Retrieved February 2015
The Meivazhi forbids smoking, alcohol, gambling, theft, and practices vegetarianism.
Founder
Biography of Salai Aandavargal
The Meivazhi followers address their founder as "Meivazhi Salai Aandavargal (Tamil: மெய்வழி சாலை ஆண்டவர்கள் meyvaḻi Cālai āṇṭavarkaḷ)".
An earliest documented account of a meeting with Meivazhi Salai Andavargal, in the erstwhile Tiruppattur Meivazhi Ashram, has been narrated in a Book titled 'Glimpses of Chettimarnad' published in 1937 by R.J. Ram & Company, Triplicane High Road, Madras, authored by a Journalist and Explorer named Nilkan A. Perumal, who had mistakenly entered the Pudukkottai State, under the rule of the Thondaman dynasty, while touring the Chettinad region.
Further details on the early life, history, and experiences of Meivazhi Salai Aandavargal are sourced from one of the holy scriptures of Meivazhi, titled "Aadhi Maanmiyam (Tamil: ஆதி மாண்மியம்)", written by Meivazhi Salai Andavargal himself.
Early life According to the scripture Aadhi Maanmiyam, Meivazhi Salai Aandavargal was born in 1857 in the village of Markhampetti, Oddanchatram Taluk, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu. His birth name was Khader Badsha Rowther. His father, 'Jamal Hussain Rowther', and mother, 'Periya Thayi'. He had his primary education from a teacher, under a banyan tree in his village.
He initially learned to recite the Qur'an, but soon after his teacher's death, came his quest to find the truth about life and the state of the soul after death. He went after prophets and preachers to learn the correct path to salvation. He had asked the orange-robed sanyasins, the black-robed bearded fakirs, and the Gospel-preaching Christian missionaries to show him the correct way to realization. However, he soon realized that people were pretending to be saints for the sake of money. Subsequently, he lost hope in spirituality.
At the age of 18, he was married to Suleka Bivi. With his parents' blessings, he migrated to Kasukkaranpalayam Village, Perundurai taluk, Erode, Tamil Nadu, and established himself as a wholesale paddy merchant. He had a daughter named Aisuamma.
Meeting with Guru - Thanigai Mani Piran (Guru Nayagam) At the age of 27, Meivazhi Salai Andavargal was contemplating moving out of India to enrich his rice business. At this time, he coincidentally met an older adult whom Meivazhi Salai Andavargal invited to his Paddy shop, where he was offered Ragi Dosa with Honey. Meivazhi Salai Andavargal proudly conversed with this older adult, who believed that hatha yoga was the only way to attain spiritual enlightenment. But the older adult's response shocked Meivazhi Salai Andavargal, and he sensed that the older man was a divine intervention. Soon, Meivazhi Salai Andavargal became a Disciple of the older adult. The older adult was identified as Shri Thanigai Mani Piran (also known as Mohamed Saligh and Paattayar or Paattaiyah), who was reportedly more than 600 years old.
The Guru of Meivazhi Salai Andavargal, Shri Thanigai Mani Piran, eventually baptized Salai Aandavargal through Brahmopadhesam (Tamil: ப்ரஹ்மோபாதேசம் Prahmōpātēcam) or the spiritual revelations, at Kasukkaranpalayam, Erode, revealing his true identity and his divine purpose on Earth, elaborating that he had waited more than 600 years to meet Meivazhi Salai Andavargal, and it was their destiny to meet.
The scripture Aadhi Maanmiyam, Chapter 9B, Page 249, contains verses by Ayya Vaikundar that foretell the meeting between Meivazhi Salai Andavargal and his satguru, their bond, their parting, and the subsequent events. It is stated that many saints had already prophesied the meeting between Salai Andavargal and his satguru.
After the spiritual revelation, Meivazhi Salai Aandavargal lost interest in material possessions and renounced his profession, wife, child, and everything in pursuit of the highest spiritual enlightenment, following his satguru across India and many other countries.
The Meivazhi followers celebrate the first meeting of Meivazhi Salai Andavargal and his satguru as a festival during pournami day of the Panguni month (April), as the "(Tamil: பிறவா நாள் பிறப்பு திருநாள் Piṟavā nāḷ piṟappu tirunāḷ)" festival.
Shepherdhood As per the scripture Aadhi Maanmiyam, Meivazhi Salai Andavargal had trained in the art of penance for 12 years alongside his satguru and had finally attained the highest level of spiritual enlightenment. To fulfill his destiny, his satguru decided to gradually part ways with Meivazhi Salai Andavargal, preparing him for his true purpose on Earth. The satguru had ordered Meivazhi Salai Andavargal to tend a flock of sheep at Reddiapatti village in Virudhunagar district for a year. During this time, Shri Thanigai Mani Piran gradually faded from Meivazhi Salai Andavargal's life until he became accustomed to being alone. This separation and the event of tending to Sheep is remembered and celebrated annually by the disciples as the "(Tamil: ஆடு மேய்ப்பு திருக்கோலக் காட்சி Āṭu mēyppu tirukkōlak kāṭci)" festival during the month of Vaisakha (Vaikasi in Tamil).
Tapas/Penance As per the scripture Aadhi Maanmiyam, after Meivazhi Salai Andavargal had tended to Sheep for a year as per his satguru's command, his satguru directed Meivazhi Salai Andavargal to observe severe penance or tapas in a cave on the western side of Thiruparankundram hill (near Madurai), which he carried out. After 12 years of penance, under the wakefulness and near-starvation diet of Prickly pear, Meivazhi Salai Andavargal is stated to have acquired all the divine symbols (sannadams) – such as Udukai, Trishula, Shankhu, Sudarshana Chakra, Villu, Vaal, Gada (mace), Angusam, Paasam, Modhagam, Vel and finally the "Kilnamam" (Crescent moon), stated to be visible in his sacred palms. The Crescent moon is considered the ultimate divine symbol and is used by Meivazhi followers as their religion's emblem.
The acquisition of the ultimate divine symbol, the Crescent Moon on his palm, by Meivazhi Salai Aandavargal, is commemorated by the Meivazhi followers by celebrating the festival of "(Tamil: கோடாயுத சன்னதத் திருக்காப்பு கங்கநத் திருநாள் Kodaayudha Sannathath Thirukkappu Kangganath Thirunall) in the month of Vaikasi (June).
The Beginning of Meivazhi When Shri Thanigai Mani Piran realized that his disciple, Meivazhi Salai Andavargal, was fully endowed with wit and power, he christened Andavargal "Maarganadhar". He directed Meivazhi Salai Andavargal to return to the world to undertake the divine mission of redeeming seekers of truth from the bondage of ignorance and illusion. He persuaded him to proceed alone in his holy mission.
Initially, clad in a saffron robe, Meivazhi Salai Andavargal preached to sanyasis and saints, but he soon realized that most of the sanyasis were impostors, not because of ignorance, but because of deliberate attempts to loot innocent people's money to satisfy their lust and hunger. Finally, Andavargal gave up the garb of a sanyasi and took to preaching to family people engaged in worldly occupations.
The Rajagambeeram Ashram The First Meivazhi sabha was held in Rajagambeeram village in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, in 1901. However, it is stated that the Hindu priests, Moslem Imams, and Christian Padres heard about his doctrine with dismay and persecuted Salai Andavargal, forcing him to flee Rajagambiram.
The Meivazhi sabha was subsequently started in Tiruppattur, a panchayat town in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu. Even at Tiruppattur, it is stated that the persecution had continued for a time but soon ended, as men began to come in large numbers to hear his teachings, and from small beginnings, the number of followers gradually increased year by year. At Tiruppattur, he married Panimathi Nachiyar as per his satguru's wish. Thereafter, Salai Andavargal and Shri Thanigai Mani Piran permanently parted ways.
The Meivazhi Sabha was formally registered as a Society on 19.06.1933.
Beliefs of Meivazhi Origin of Man The contents of the 4 Volumes of Meivazhi religions' Sacred Texts emphasize the prime duty of every man to "Know himself". In the volume "Kodayudha Koor", it has been stated that the tamil language is the oldest language on Earth. In the Tamil Language, the word "மனுஷன்/Maṉuṣaṉ" means Man. If the said Tamil word is split into two, it becomes "மனு/Maṉu (Earthly)" + either "ஈசன்/Īcaṉ ()" or "நீசன்/Nīcaṉ (Vile or Bad)", which indicates what a Man is truly capable of transforming into. The man was created as a God. The prime purpose of the Meivazhi religion is to make humanity aware of their true astral identity and to reveal the true purpose of every religion that has come upon Earth.