Schools in this district of Tamil Nadu to remain closed on March 4 for Ayya Vaikunda Swamy's Birth Anniversary
On the occasion of Ayya Vaikunda Swamy's 193rd Birth Anniversary, a local holiday has been announced in one of the districts of Tamil Nadu. Check details here.
In view of the 193rd birth anniversary of Ayya Vaikundaswamy on March 4, all schools in the Thoothukudi District will remain closed. The announcement of this closure was made by the Elambahavath K, 2016 Batch IAS officer and Thoothukudi District Collector on February 20.
The official order reads, ''On the occasion of Ayya Vaikundaswamy 193rd birth anniversary on 04.03.2025 is declared as a local holiday for Thoothukudi District''.
Vaikunda Jayanthi Importance
The birth anniversary of Ayya Vaikundar is celebrated as Ayya Vaikunda Avataram on the 20th of Masi as per the Tamil Calendar on March 3 or 4. It is a festival celebrated by the followers of Ayyavazhi. They believe that Lord Narayana himself incarnated as Vaikundar during an encounter with the deity Goddess Lakshmi, he was begotten inside the sea and arose from the sea of Thiruchendur on Kollam Year 1008 on the 20th day of Tamil Month Masi (1 March 1833 CE, Friday). He took the human form of Narayana Pantaram at Tharuvaiyur near the seashore to destroy the evil spirit of Kali and transform the Kaliyukam into Dharma Yukam.
This is the only festival that is celebrated simultaneously in all worship centres of Ayyavazhi on the 19th Masi, the day before the date of the incarnation of Vaikundar. The Vaikunda Jayanthi festival is a restricted holiday for the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.