Within the Ayyavazhi tradition, caste is treated not as a sacred order but as a human distortion that obscures the deeper unity of existence. Its scriptures and teachings condemn caste-based hierarchy and discrimination, portraying such divisions as products of a degraded age rather than expressions of divine will. Ayya Vaikundar is remembered as a figure who actively opposed caste oppression and brahminical supremacy, especially the humiliation imposed upon marginalized communities. The underlying monistic vision emphasizes that all souls stand equal before the one reality, so that birth-based distinctions lose any spiritual legitimacy. In this sense, caste is understood as an artificial social construct that fragments what is, at root, a single human family.

This theological stance found concrete expression in the communal life of Ayyavazhi. Worship centers such as pathis and nizhal thangals were opened to people from all castes, and shared practices—rituals, mass bathing, and common meals—were consciously used to challenge taboos of segregation and exclusion. Participation in religious ceremonies is not restricted by caste, and there is no priestly monopoly modeled on orthodox Brahminical structures. Leadership and religious roles are framed in terms of devotion and knowledge rather than inherited status, offering a spiritual refuge and a measure of dignity to those long subjected to caste-based oppression. Historically, this made Ayyavazhi especially significant for communities such as the Nadars and other so‑called lower castes, who found in it an alternative to rigid social stratification.

At the same time, the movement did not entirely escape the gravitational pull of the surrounding social order. While its ideals are strongly egalitarian, subtle caste distinctions and local status differences have sometimes persisted in practice, shaped by broader historical and social forces. Hereditary patterns of leadership and lingering caste identities can still appear informally, even when they lack doctrinal support. Thus, caste within the Ayyavazhi world functions both as something to be transcended and as a residual reality that must be continually confronted. The tradition’s enduring contribution lies in its sustained critique of caste and its attempt to embody a vision in which spiritual equality gradually reshapes social life.