Sivaraja Yogi Thycaud Ayya SwamikalThe first Social Reformer of Travancre,who introduced Panthibhojan (interdining of uppuer cast with lower caste)

Bio dataSivaraja Yogi Ayya Swamikal was born in 1814 on Aswathy asterism in Nakalapuram.His original name was Subharayan. His grandfather Sri Hrishikesan and his father Sri Muthukumaran were great yogis and were migrated to Tamilnadu from Pampumkadu in Malabar during Tipu Sultans aggression. Lord Subramanya was their family deity. At the age of 12, Subharayan received spiritual initiation fromtwo Tamil Saints, Sachidananda Maharaj and Sri Chitti Paradeshi who used tovisit Subharayans family frequently. When he was 16,the Saints took him with them to Burma ,Singapore, Penang and Africa .During this period Subharaya acquired and practiced yogic techniques of high order. Returning home after 3 years he continued yogic practices, often entering the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Gradually he acquired the Ashtasidhies or divine powers including that of astral travel, but his Gurus strictly warned him not to use them to gain material advantage. At the age of 27 , in accordance with his Gurus wishes Swamikal visited Kodungalloor Devi temple in Kerala and from their he toured Travancore. The Mother Goddess appeared in her Poorna swaroopam before Ayya at Thycaud in Trivandrum, where he destined to spend the remaining part of his life. Swathy Thirunal, the then Maharaja of Travancore, heard about the spiritual eminence of Ayya ,invited him to his palace and became his disciple.Swamikal visited Sri Vaikunda Padar of Nagarcoil (Swami thoppu) and visited the famous Maruthwamalai. When his father left to Kasi ,Subharayan had to look after the family.To obey his Guru , Ayya married Kamalammal from Kollam and the couple had three sons and two daughters. However Ayya continued his spiritual practices while living the married life. Ayya was a great scholar in Tamil and gained good proficiency in English. He used to deliver spiritual discourses at the Ashtapathana Sabha in Chennai. Ayya was supplying goods to military camp in Chennai, where he came in contact with the Mess Secretary

Mr.Mc Gregor . Mc Gregor learned Tamil and Yoga from Ayya. During the reign of Maharaja Ayillum Thirunal, Mr.Mc Gregor became the Resident of Travancore.He appointed Ayya as the Manager of his Residency in Thycaud. From 1873 up to a week before his Mahasmadhi on 20th July 1909(Karkadakam, makom nal) Ayya continued in the post. People respectfully called him Superintend Ayya. Swamikal kept strict discipline in work and was extremely punctual. At his residence he spent most of his time in meditation and in initiating and instructing his disciples in spiritual practices. Ayya used to deliver lectures on Bhakthi, Yoga and Vedanta in Jnanaprakasha Sabha at Petta, during which leading literary, social and spiritual personalities in and around Trivandrum used to meet Ayya Guru. Swamikal with the help of Manonmaneeyam Sundaram Pillai, the first MA holder of Travancore (father of former finance minister P.S.Nataraja Pillai) founded the famous Saiva Prakasha Sabha of chalai,Trivandrum

DisciplesAyya Swamikal had fifty one disciples, most of them attained the highest stage of Samadhi, some of them leading married family life. Among the prominent personalities were Chithrmezhuthu Revi Varma Koithampuran KeralaVarma Koithampuran(Thiruvalla) Sury Narayana Iyyer(Peshkar) Muthukumara Swami Pillai(Peshkar) Periya Perumal Pillai (Peshkar) Meenakshinatha Pillai(Chalai Meenakshi Iyyer(Chalai) Arumukham Vadyar(Chalai) Manikavachakam Vadyar(Chalai) Appavu Vadyar(Chalai) Kumara Swamy Vadyar(Chalai) Ayyappan Pillai Vadyar Appavu Vakil Chidambaram Pillai (Thycaud) Kollur Kunjan Pillai(Chattampi Swamikal)- Samadi at Panmana

Nanu Assan-Chempazhanthy (Sri Narayana Guru)-Samadhi at Shivagiri Dr.Krishna Pillai(Palace Doctor) Vailur Rayasam Madhavan Pillai Bhagavatheeswarayyer(Kottarammadom) A.R.Rajaraja Varma Ayyankali-Dalith leader-Statue in Vellayambalam Makkadi Labba (Thiruvithamcodu Mosque)-Samadhi at Thiruvithamcodu Padmanabha Pillai(Compounder-Mankadu) Kesavayyar(Padijaretheruvu) Anaval Sankara Naraya Iyyer, Sundaram Iyyenkar (Account Officer), Parthasarady Naidu (Head Draughtsman), Sbba Raju (Survey Office), Nanthankodu Kotchu Krishna, Pillai(Draughtsman)-Samadhi at Nanthancodu, Subramanya Iyyer(Karamana), Hiarihara Iyyer(Karamana), Narayan Potty (Vamanpuram)-Samadhi at Kazhakoottam, Narayana Potty(Kazhakoottam), Thottathil Raman Kaniyar, Jyotsan Kalpada Kanyar, Mankattu Bhavani(Ezhava) Swayamprakasa Yogini Amma-Samadhi at Kulathoor Thiruvathira Thirunal AmmaThampuran (Mavelikara) Kollathamma Fidilist Padmanbhan Kaniyar (Thycaud)-Samadhi at Thycaud, Vanchiyur Balanandan, Parassala Madhavan Nair, Velaydhan Pillai (Thycaud), Sankaralingom Pillai (Thycaud),

Petta Fernandez -(Samadhi at Petta, Thakkala Peermuhammad-Samadhi at Thakkala Nalla Perumal Vaidyan, Kelvikanakku Perumal Pillai(Thazhkudi), Pesum Perumal (Thazhakudi. The Great Vellala Yogi Sivarajayogi Ayya Swami Thiruvadikal was the Guru of Ayya Vaikundan, Sri Narayana Guru , Chattampi Swamikal and Ayyankali. He was the First and the Greatest social reformer of Kerala. He was a Yogi cum Family man. Ayya Swamikal started "Panthbhojanam" (inte-dining) in Kerala during 19th century even before Mahatma Gandhi thought of it. He argued that any Yogi could install idols in temples, that inspired Sreenarayan Guru to install idols of Siva. "Oru jathy, oru matham ,oru Daivom" is the Malayalam translation of Ayyaswamys teaching . Sri Narayan Guru popularized the slogan.

His works1.Brahmothara Khandom 2.Ulloor amarntha Guhan 3.Ramayanam Bala khandom 4.Ente Kasi yathraPazhani vybhavom 5.Hanuman pamalai Ramayanam pattu 6.Ujjayani mahakali pancharatnam 7.Thiruvaroor murukan 8.Kumarakovil muruk

References.

1.Thycattu Ayya Swamithiruvadikal-1st Edn 1960 2.Brahmasree Thycaud Ayya Swamikal- Ayya Mission Tvm 2nd Edn.1977 3.Salkavi P.K.Kesavan Upaharamala 1950 4.P.Parameswaran, Sri Narayan Guruswamikal 1971 5.K.Surendran, Guru 6th Edn 1966 page 132-37 6.Sooranattu Kunjan Pillai, Thiruvithamkoorile Mahanmar3rd Edn 1121 7.M.K.Sanu Narayana Guru 1978\ 8.K.E. Neelakandan, Adbhuthsidhan Sri Narayana Parama Guru 1974 9.Kesari Balakrishan Pillai, Upaharamala1950 10.Mahakavi Kumaran Asan, Thycattu Ayyavu Vivekodayam ME.1084 11.Sri Ayya Mission Brochure (2002) from Ayya MissionThycaud, Trivandrum-14