Akilattirattu Ammanai - Versions

Versions

The texts written by Hari Gopalan Citar are seen as damaged and it is hard to read the contents. It is still preserved as a relic by his descendents. There are three direct versions which were copied from this first version. They are,

• Panchalagkuricchi Version
• Swamithoppe Version
• Kottangadu Version

Of these, the Panchalankuricchi Version is believed to be written down by Hari Gopalan Citar by copying from the main version and the other two versions were copied later. Apart from these the Nariyan vilai Version, Varampetran-pantaram Version, Saravanantheri Version are the other early palm-leaf versions of Akilam.

Other release versions include the Palaramachandran version, the VTV published twice, the Kalai Ilakkiya-peravai Version and the Vivekanandan Version. But of these, The Ayya Vaikundar Thirukkudumbam version is often criticised for the removal and adding of additional Verse (poetry)s from various versions. It was argued that such additions and removals are made in over 300 pages. Though Thirukkudumbam claim that these additional lines were added from the early palm-leaf versions (Panchalankuricchi Version and Kottangadu Version) which are believed to be missing, to Akilam, this version is not accepted widely.

All the release versions except Palaramachandran version schedules the whole contents to seventeen sections as per the Thiru Eadu-vasippu partition. The Sentrathisai Ventraperumal version which was released in 1965 includes more than 2000 verse which were not found in other versions. The Palaramachandran version is the widely accepted and the largest circulated version.