Lotus - a symbol of the Ayavari religion
Ayyavari , ayyavazhi or ayyavali , in the West the spelling of English is accepted . Ayyavazhi , there. அய்யாவழி - “father’s path” - a religious dharmic movement that arose in the 19th century. and common in South India, mainly among Tamils and their closely related peoples. In India, as a rule, it is seen as a sect within Hinduism , however, it differs from Hinduism in simplified rituals, a much more modest decoration of temples in which even images of the gods are not required, and other ideas about the power of the gods after the onset of Kali-yuga .
The number of ayavari supporters, according to various estimates, ranges from 1 to 8 million.