to the ayyavazhi devotees, there are five holy places, called pathis, with "panchappathis" as the most important. the temple of swamithoppepathi is the head of the ayyavazhi religion. the vakaippathi, where 700 families were sent to thuvayal thavasu by vaikundar was approved as a pathi in akilam although this place has no direct association with the activities of vaikundar. there is a big disagreement within the followers of ayyavazhi as to the holiness of some of the places of worship. the avatharappathi in thiruchendur was accepted by the book "akilam" as a pathi, but as some of the followers believe that the place at which the present temple is located is not the exact place where ayya vaikundar incarnated from the sea, they disagree with the other devotees. there are also some followers which strongly quarrel thiruchendur as a pathi though they accept it as a secondary holy site.