ABOUT ARAYA SAMAJAM

The Araya Samajam State Committee is an organization created for the uplift and welfare of araya community in kerala ,India under the Travancore-Cochin literary scientific and charitable society's registration act.1955.(REGD NO:650/2002). The Araya Samajam, Araya Cultural & Educational Trust and Sree Kannaki Central School are established by M.B.Shiv Varman Pallavarayar.



Araya samajam reserves top priority to the traditional values based on the Mudiraja/ Muthuraja/Mutharaya/mutharasa kings"(The descendants of Koli/ Kalchuri/ Kalabhra kings)of ancient Chola-Chera-Pandya dynasties which the Araya community have been migrated from.

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It is believed that the Godess "sree parvathy Devi" has been incarnating in araya community in every thousands of years. "Sree kannaki devi","Thiraisaar madantha", "Her Holiness Sree Matha Amrithanantha Mayi Devi are supposed to be the incarnations of sree parvathy devi. Kannaki was the most powerful incarnation in the ancient time. She was born as the daughter of araya chief Manaikkan in the kaveryppattanam. She was wonderfully gifted with beauty and loftiness of character. She got married to "Kovalan" a  scion of a wealthy family of traders. Kovalan lost all his wealth and valued possessions due to his misconduct. He felt sorry for the bitter things happened in their life. He woke up from a deep slumber to realities and decided to go to" madhurai" to begin a new life. Kannaki offered one of her anklets (The Chilambu) to meet their immediate needs. It was not life but, the death that was awaited him in the " pantya capital". For a goldsmith working for the queen implicates kovalan in theft of queen's own Chilambu and the pantya king ordered kovalan to be killed for the theft.(It was the goldsmith who had stolen the Chilambu.

Kannaki learns of the terrible fate of her husband and roused to fury. She went to the king's presence demanding justice. The king tried to justifie his action. but, the irate kannaki throws down her remaining Chilambu in the royal court ,proving beyond a doubt from the gemstones that shot out of it that what kovalan had with him was not the stolen Chilambu of the queen which had pearls in it. The king falls down dead at this demonstration of the injustice he had dealt out and burnt the city of madhurai with the fire of chastity.

Due to this incident, some people reached from Thanjavoor to madurai along with the relatives of Kannaki and Kovilan, and the city of Madurai might have burnt by them. After then, they were followed by kannaki at the end of her jouney to a hill top of "Thiru Chenkintoor"(Chengannur of Chera kingdom) where she was disappeared from. When new land is formed in the western part of Chengannur coast, the people migrated accordingly to the coastal line and some people reached in the coastal region of "Alappadu," Karunagappally who are believed to be the ancestors of the present Arayans.



The King "Cheran Chenkuttuva"had constructed a temple in memory of kannaki devi at Chengannur 'during A.D.205. Since, then the Alappattu Arayans" are performing "Thiru Chengannur Sivarathry" and "Parisam vaippu".

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"Parisam vaippu" is the most ancient devotional ritual in the world which shows the Araya community are closely related with the God. The tamil word "parisam" means "dowry" The ritual parisam vaippu is performing on the day of sivarathry at Chengannur temple by the Arayans by means of the father of kannaki. They submit "Paisam" during the time of her marriage with "Lord shiva" It is a traditional right of Arayans giving "Parisam" to their daughter during the time of their marriage. The holy ritual "Parisam vaippu"has been registering in record book by the administrator of the chengannur temple since,A.D.205.

Adicha Mutharsan(Mutharachan) was the ancient leader of this community during the time of their migration from Chengannur to the coastal region of Alappadu of Karunagappally in Kollam district. At that time, a temple was established by him at Adinadu, near Karunagappally is known as "Thiru Perum Thurai Sree Mutharasa Chery temple."  This temple was named in memory of a village "Mutharasanalloor" near Thrissinappally(Trichy), south belt of Kavery river. There is also a Siva temple established by a Mutharasa king named "Mutharasanalloor Siva temple).
Sree Mutharasa Chery  temple runs under the service society named"Araya Vamsa Paripalana Yogam (A.V.P.Y), Cheriazheeckal. This society was established by Dr.Velukkutty Arayan. 

This community is performing "Thiru Chengannur Maha Sivarathry and Parisam Vaippu" at chengannur temple by travelling 42 Kms from Alappadu Panchayat (Kollam district) to Chengannur (Alappuzha district) every year. They are the one and only heirs to perform the same ritual since A.D.205. 

This community is entirely different in nature, tradition, physical apperance and in domain. They will not take anybody in face value except the God. It may be the reason, which the Government has been holding this community to no account by all means.