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small updated details for accuracy further and added references

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	{{~~Refimprove~~\|~~date=July 2007~~}}		{{short description\|Legendary figure from Kerala}}
	~~Vavar The Friend of Lord [[Ayyappa]]. Great Masjid [[Erumeli]]~~		'''Vavar''' ({{IPA\|ml\|ʋaːʋər}}), known reverently as '''Vavarswami''', is a legendary figure from [[Kerala]]. He is traditionally believed to be a Muslim companion of the Hindu deity [[Ayyappan]]. Various legends describe Vavar’s origins, alternatively identifying him as an Arab sea raider, a revered Muslim mystic, a Syrian immigrant, or a warrior from the Pandya kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Vavarambalam in Erumeli {{!}} Vavar Mosque {{!}} Sabarimala {{!}} Kottayam {{!}} Lord Ayyappa {{!}} Kerala Tourism \|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/erumeli-vavar-mosque/213/ \|access-date=2025-12-30 \|website=www.keralatourism.org \|language=en}}</ref>
	'''Vavar''' (~~also~~ known as '''~~Vavaraswami~~''') is a figure ~~that related to lord~~ [[~~Ayyappa~~]] in [[~~Hindu~~]] ~~belief~~. ~~There~~ is a shrine dedicated to ~~Vavaraswami at Sabarimala, as well as Vavaraswami's mosque~~ at [[~~Erumely~~]] ~~next to an Ayyappa temple. The devotion~~ of ~~Vavaraswami to Ayyappan and the key role that~~ the ~~Islamic Masjid has~~ in ~~the Ayyappa Pilgrimage~~, ~~highlights the communal harmony~~ in [[~~Kerala~~]]. The ~~devotion of Vavaraswami also highlights the relevance of Ayyappa devotion for members of all faiths,~~ and ~~the equality shown to all, whether they are Muslims, Hindus or Christians~~.
			The story of Vavar's association with Ayyappan is a significant aspect of the region's spiritual history. A shrine dedicated to Vavar is located at [[Sabarimala]], one of the most prominent pilgrimage sites in Kerala. Additionally, a mosque dedicated to Vavar is situated in [[Erumely]], opposite an Ayyappan temple.<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Kumar \|first=KP Narayana \|date=2015-12-27 \|title=Before arriving at Sabarimala temple in Kerala, devotees visit a mosque \|work=The Economic Times \|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/before-arriving-at-sabarimala-temple-in-kerala-devotees-visit-a-mosque/articleshow/50334905.cms?from=mdr \|access-date=2023-12-13 \|issn=0013-0389}} </ref>

	==Legend==		==Legend==
			There are many legends about Vavar and his association with Ayyappan. Vavar was a [[Rowther\|Hanafi Rowther]]. Vavar and his family migrated to the [[Pathanamthitta district]] area. The family later resorted to pirate activities to make a living. When Ayyappan defeated Vavar and his pirates, Vavar was impressed by the youth's valour and became the messenger of Lord Ayyappa and helped him in the wars in the mountainous region. As time passed, Vavar too became an ardent devotee of Ayyappa just like Kaduthaswami, and came to be known as Vavarswami. The old sword on the wall of the Vavar mosque symbolises the eminence of Vavar as a great warrior. It is believed that Lord Ayyappa himself instructed the King of the Pandya dynasty to build a mosque for Vavar at Erumely in Kottayam District. The Sabarimala shrine is about 50 km away, deep in the forest in [[Pathanamthitta district]].<ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/before-arriving-at-sabarimala-temple-in-kerala-devotees-visit-a-mosque/articleshow/50334905.cms\|title = Before arriving at Sabarimala temple in Kerala, devotees visit a mosque\|newspaper = The Economic Times\|last1 = Kumar\|first1 = KP Narayana}}</ref>

	~~There are many legends about Vavar and his association with Ayyappa. Some truth that Vavar~~ was a Muslim saint who migrated from Arabia to India with the intention of spreading Islam. Others suggest that he was a warrior who reached the shore of Kerala as a pirate in a ship to loot and plunder. During his encounter with Lord Ayyappa, he ~~was defeated. Impressed by the youth's valour,~~ Vavar became ~~messenger of Lord Ayyappa and helped him in the wars in the mountainous region~~. ~~As time passed~~, Vavar ~~too became an ardent devotee of Ayyappa just like Kaduthaswami and came~~ to ~~be known as Vavar swami~~. The old sword on the wall of the Vavar shrine symbolises the eminence of Vavar as a great warrior. It is believed that the Lord Ayyappa himself instructed the King of Pandala Desam to build a mosque for Vavar at Erumely in Kottayam District. Sabarimala shrine is about 50 km away, deep in the Forest in Pathanamthitta district<ref> https://~~economictimes~~.~~indiatimes~~.com/news/~~politics~~-~~and-nation/before~~-~~arriving~~-at-sabarimala-~~temple~~-~~in-kerala-devotees-visit-a~~-~~mosque~~/articleshow/~~50334905~~.cms</ref>		In another variation, when Ayyappan was looking for tiger milk, he encountered Vavar and became friends. Later, Vavar joined along with him to carry out his mission.<ref>{{Cite web \|last= \|first= \|title=Ayyappa And Vavar : മതമൈത്രിയുടെ പ്രതീകമായി സന്നിധാനത്തെ വാവര് നട; പ്രസാദമായി നൽകുന്നത് പഞ്ചകകൂട്ട്; ഐതീഹ്യം ഇങ്ങനെ \|url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/local-news/pathanamthitta/story-of-friendship-between-sabarimala-ayyappa-and-vavar/articleshow/95621795.cms \|access-date=2025-12-30 \|website=Samayam Malayalam \|language=ml}}</ref>

			In another variation, Vavar is a Muslim saint who came to the region to spread Islam. He joined forces with Ayyappan to defeat the outlaws.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web \|title=A God, A Pirate and the Birth of a New Urban Religion in the Deccan \|url=https://m.thewire.in/article/history/a-god-a-pirate-and-the-birth-of-a-new-urban-religion-in-the-deccan \|access-date=2025-12-30 \|website=The Wire \|language=en}}</ref>

	~~Erumely is the gateway to Sabarimala~~, the hillock shrine of Lord Ayyappa. This place is very famous for 'Pettathullal', a kind of mass spiritual dance perform by Ayyappa devotees. Pettathullal is performed in the Makaravilaku season, i.e., from mid December to ~~mid January every year~~ to ~~commemorate~~ the ~~annihilation of~~ a ~~'Mahishi' by Lord Ayyappa~~.		In another variation, Vavar belonged to [[Pandya dynasty\|Pandya Desam]] near Madurai and his family reportedly fled to the Travancore region to escape an assault by a Pandyan minister, where they subsequently met and befriended Ayyappan.<ref name=":0" />

			It is also believed that Vavar was born in [[Vaipur]] and the name of the village is derived from Vavar's ''oor''( malayalam for village/place).<ref>{{Cite web \|last= \|first= \|title=Ayyappa And Vavar : മതമൈത്രിയുടെ പ്രതീകമായി സന്നിധാനത്തെ വാവര് നട; പ്രസാദമായി നൽകുന്നത് പഞ്ചകകൂട്ട്; ഐതീഹ്യം ഇങ്ങനെ \|url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/local-news/pathanamthitta/story-of-friendship-between-sabarimala-ayyappa-and-vavar/articleshow/95621795.cms \|access-date=2025-12-30 \|website=Samayam Malayalam \|language=ml}}</ref>

	~~It is believed~~ that ~~the aim of the incarnation of Lord Dharmasasta as son of Shiva and Vishnu~~ was ~~the annihilation of the Rakshasi Mahishi. Since Ayyappa is considered as~~ a ~~human incarnation of Dharmasasta~~, ~~Erumenly is an important place of worship for Ayyappa devotees~~.		In 1950, Sabarimala ''thanthri'' Kantararu Shankararu testified before the Kerala High Court that Vavar was a Muslim, born to Pathumma and Seythali. He emphasized that his shrine at Erumely adheres to Islamic tradition by containing no idols.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Fb \|last2=Tw \|last3=Linkdin \|last4=Whatsapp \|last5=Us \|first5=GNFollow \|title=Firebrand Hindu leader airs doubt on Vavar Swami's Muslim roots \|url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/south/sasikala-on-vavar-swami \|access-date=2025-12-30 \|website=Asianet Newsable \|language=en}}</ref>

	~~After killing~~ the ~~Mahishi at Erumely, Dharmasastha performed a dance on her dead body~~. ~~In order~~ to ~~commemorate this event~~, the ~~devotees perform the ritual called pettathullal in Erumely~~.<ref>~~The Indian festival that brings Hindus and Muslims together, by William Dalrymple, the Guardian, March 27, 2010, [~~https://www.~~theguardian~~.com/~~travel~~/~~2010~~/~~mar~~/~~27/sabarimala~~-~~pilgrimage~~-~~inida~~-~~kerala~~-~~religion]~~</ref>		==Vavar Palli and Vavarnada==
			[[File:Vavarunada sabarimala.jpg\|thumb\|Vavarunada in Sabarimala]]
			The Vavar Palli, also called the Erumeli Nainar Juma Masjid is dedicated to him. It is the place where Vavar is believed to have died. The shrine takecarers of the Vavar mosque are the Vettiplackal family, the descendants of Vavaruswamy.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Bose \|first=Abhish K. \|date=2016-12-03 \|title=Vavar mosque heralds harmony {{!}} Vavar mosque heralds harmony \|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/031216/vavar-mosque-heralds-harmony.html \|access-date=2025-12-30 \|website=www.deccanchronicle.com \|language=en}}</ref>

			Vavarnada is a shrine dedicated to Vavar in [[Sabarimala]] next to the main temple. As per Islamic teachings there is no idol, but just a carved stone slab symbolises the deity of Vavar.<ref>{{Cite news \|date=2023-12-06 \|title=Embracing Harmony: Sabarimala's Unique Tradition of Praying at the Mosque of Vavar \|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/soul-search/embracing-harmony-sabarimalas-unique-tradition-of-praying-at-the-mosque-of-vavar/photostory/105772988.cms \|access-date=2025-12-30 \|work=The Times of India \|issn=0971-8257}}</ref> A green coloured silk cloth is hung across one of the three walls. The fourth side is open. An old sword is also kept near the wall.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=CK \|first=Faisal \|date=2018-11-20 \|title=Sabarimala epitomises confluence of various faiths in India \|url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/sabarimala-epitomises-confluence-of-various-faiths-in-india \|access-date=2025-12-30 \|website=National Herald \|language=en}}</ref> The main prasadam from the shrine consists of black pepper and rock sugar. These same items are given as offerings to Vavar as well. The prasadam is distributed in memory of Vavar, who is believed to have been a Siddha healer.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=അയ്യപ്പന് അരവണ; വാവരുസ്വാമിയുടെ പ്രസാദം എന്തെന്നറിയുമോ? \|url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/latest-news/kerala-news/do-you-know-what-the-prasadam-of-vavar-swami-in-sabarimala/articleshow/125716297.cms \|access-date=2025-12-30 \|website=Samayam Malayalam \|language=ml}}</ref>

	The barefooted devotees perform this dance by wearing black dhotis, and garnishing their body with different colour powders and flowers and carrying toy bows, arrows and shrub branches and chanting the slogan "Ayyappa-thin-thakathom, Swami-thin-thakathom"

	~~The place name Erumely is believed to have been derived from the word 'Eruma kolli' fence formed with the help of buffaloes, which later was transformed to Erumely.~~

	En route the pilgrimage to Sabarimala during the makaravilakku season almost all of the Ayyappa devotees will come to Erumely and perform the ritual. Pettathullal starts from the small temple situated at the heart of Erumely town known as 'Kochambalam'. From there the dance procession advance to the Muslim mosque called 'Vavar palli' opposite to Kochambalam and the devotees worship 'Vavarswamy'.

	~~Finally the procession ends up at Dharmasastha temple known as 'Valliyambalam'.~~

	~~==Shrine==~~
	~~[[File:Vavarunada sabarimala.jpg\|thumb\|Vavarunada in Sabarimala]]~~
	~~There~~ is a shrine dedicated to Vavar in [[Sabarimala]] next to the main temple. As per Islamic teachings there is no idol, but just a carved stone slab symbolises the deity of Vavar. A green coloured silk cloth is hung across one of the three walls. The fourth side is open. An old sword is also kept near the wall. The main ~~offering~~ to Vavar is ~~black pepper~~. ~~A Muslim priest still performs~~ the ~~rituals today as he was a Muslim~~.

	==See also==		==See also==
Line 38:		Line 32:

	[[Category:Indian Muslims]]		[[Category:Indian Muslims]]
			[[Category:Tamil Muslims]]

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{{Refimprove|date=July 2007}}
Vavar The Friend of Lord [[Ayyappa]]. Great Masjid [[Erumeli]]
'''Vavar''' (also known as '''Vavaraswami''') is a figure that related to lord [[Ayyappa]] in [[Hindu]] belief. There is a shrine dedicated to Vavaraswami at Sabarimala, as well as Vavaraswami's mosque at [[Erumely]] next to an Ayyappa temple. The devotion of Vavaraswami to Ayyappan and the key role that the Islamic Masjid has in the Ayyappa Pilgrimage, highlights the communal harmony in [[Kerala]]. The devotion of Vavaraswami also highlights the relevance of Ayyappa devotion for members of all faiths, and the equality shown to all, whether they are Muslims, Hindus or Christians.

==Legend==

There are many legends about Vavar and his association with Ayyappa. Some truth that Vavar was a Muslim saint who migrated from Arabia to India with the intention of spreading Islam. Others suggest that he was a warrior who reached the shore of Kerala as a pirate in a ship to loot and plunder. During his encounter with Lord Ayyappa, he was defeated. Impressed by the youth's valour, Vavar became messenger of Lord Ayyappa and helped him in the wars in the mountainous region. As time passed, Vavar too became an ardent devotee of Ayyappa just like Kaduthaswami and came to be known as Vavar swami. The old sword on the wall of the Vavar shrine symbolises the eminence of Vavar as a great warrior. It is believed that the Lord Ayyappa himself instructed the King of Pandala Desam to build a mosque for Vavar at Erumely in Kottayam District. Sabarimala shrine is about 50 km away, deep in the Forest in Pathanamthitta district<ref> https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/before-arriving-at-sabarimala-temple-in-kerala-devotees-visit-a-mosque/articleshow/50334905.cms</ref>

Erumely is the gateway to Sabarimala, the hillock shrine of Lord Ayyappa. This place is very famous for 'Pettathullal', a kind of mass spiritual dance perform by Ayyappa devotees. Pettathullal is performed in the Makaravilaku season, i.e., from mid December to mid January every year to commemorate the annihilation of a 'Mahishi' by Lord Ayyappa.

It is believed that the aim of the incarnation of Lord Dharmasasta as son of Shiva and Vishnu was the annihilation of the Rakshasi Mahishi. Since Ayyappa is considered as a human incarnation of Dharmasasta, Erumenly is an important place of worship for Ayyappa devotees.

After killing the Mahishi at Erumely, Dharmasastha performed a dance on her dead body. In order to commemorate this event, the devotees perform the ritual called pettathullal in Erumely.<ref>The Indian festival that brings Hindus and Muslims together, by William Dalrymple, the Guardian, March 27, 2010, [https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/mar/27/sabarimala-pilgrimage-inida-kerala-religion]</ref>

The barefooted devotees perform this dance by wearing black dhotis, and garnishing their body with different colour powders and flowers and carrying toy bows, arrows and shrub branches and chanting the slogan "Ayyappa-thin-thakathom, Swami-thin-thakathom"

The place name Erumely is believed to have been derived from the word 'Eruma kolli' fence formed with the help of buffaloes, which later was transformed to Erumely.

En route the pilgrimage to Sabarimala during the makaravilakku season almost all of the Ayyappa devotees will come to Erumely and perform the ritual. Pettathullal starts from the small temple situated at the heart of Erumely town known as 'Kochambalam'. From there the dance procession advance to the Muslim mosque called 'Vavar palli' opposite to Kochambalam and the devotees worship 'Vavarswamy'.

Finally the procession ends up at Dharmasastha temple known as 'Valliyambalam'.

==Shrine==
[[File:Vavarunada sabarimala.jpg|thumb|Vavarunada in Sabarimala]]
There is a shrine dedicated to Vavar in [[Sabarimala]] next to the main temple. As per Islamic teachings there is no idol, but just a carved stone slab symbolises the deity of Vavar. A green coloured silk cloth is hung across one of the three walls. The fourth side is open. An old sword is also kept near the wall. The main offering to Vavar is black pepper. A Muslim priest still performs the rituals today as he was a Muslim.

==See also==
*[[Ayyanar]]
*[[Sabarimala]]
*[[Maalikapurathamma]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Indian Muslims]]

Vavar - Revision history

Flightsvilla: small updated details for accuracy further and added references

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