page_title: Ayya Vaikunda Avataram
section_title: Thiruvananthapuram Procession
hierarchical_section_title: Ayya Vaikunda Avataram / Processions / Thiruvananthapuram Procession
caption_attribution_description: Vaikunda Avathara Orvalam kids
context_page_description: The Ayya Vaikunda Avataram or Vaikunda Jayanthi is a festival celebrated by the followers of Ayyavazhi on the 20th day of the Tamil month of Masi, the date on which the Ayyavazhi followers believe that Lord Narayana himself incarnated as Vaikundar during an encounter with a deity Goddess Lakshmi, he was beget inside the sea and arose from the sea of Thiruchendur on Kollam Year 1008 at 20th day of Tamil Month Masi. He took the human form as Narayana Pantaram at Tharuvaiyur near seashore to destroy the evil spirit of Kali and transform the Kaliyukam into Dharma Yukam.
  This is the only Ayyavazhi festival which is celebrated simultaneously in all worship centres of Ayyavazhi on 19th Masi, the day before the date of incarnation of Vaikundar. The Vaikunda Jayanthi festival is a restricted holiday for the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is also a local holiday for the districts of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts. The Great Masi Procession from Nagercoil to Swamithope on the Avatar day is one among the largest religious processions in Tamil Nadu.
context_section_description: Lord Vaikundar, was released from the Jail of Singarathoppe on 19th Masi, (3 March) after the trial with the king of Travancore, Swathi Thirunal. After the release Lord was carried in a Vahana to Swamithoppe, by his followers. So on celebrating this event the people used to go to Thiruvananthapuram on that day and go as a procession to Swamithoppe.
  Though religiously, this celebration is not associated with the incarnation of Vaikundar, since it coincides with that day it too is commonly seen as an incarnational fest and is celebrated in the same vein. Though this was an on-foot procession for some years, now it was changed as a vehicle procession. Most of the people who participate in this procession are from Kerala. Like wise the Tiruchendur procession.
  The procession starts from East Fort to Nagercoil through the Thiruvananthapuram - Kanyakumari Highway (NH - 47). It passes through the towns of Balaramapuram, Parasala, Kaliyakkavilai, Marthandam, and Thuckalay and finally reaches Athalavilai around 6.30 pm.
caption: Kids dancing during 'The Great Masi Procession.'
exif: {"Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop 7.0", "Image DateTime": "2007:03:06 06:02:30", "Image ExifOffset": "156", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "294", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "6041", "EXIF ColorSpace": "Uncalibrated", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "489", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "324"}