The pattern of Ayyavazhi worship centers reveals a deliberately simple and largely decentralized structure, in which sanctity is expressed through place rather than through a rigid hierarchy. At the heart of this network stands Swamithope Pathi, regarded as the chief and original center, functioning as a spiritual headquarters whose rituals and festivals set the model for others. Around it are grouped several other Pathis, major holy centers associated with key events in the life of Ayya Vaikundar, which serve as important pilgrimage sites in their own right. These Pathis are overseen locally, often through hereditary leadership or committees, and they acknowledge the spiritual primacy of Swamithope without being bound by a formal, centralized chain of command.

Radiating outward from these principal sites are the Nizhal Thangals, the local worship halls that bring the tradition into the everyday life of villages and towns. These centers are typically managed by local devotees or committees, and they rely heavily on voluntary service for their maintenance and for the conduct of festivals and gatherings. In such spaces, the absence of a rigid priestly hierarchy is striking: religious officiants and sincere devotees alike may lead prayers, readings from the scriptures, and devotional singing, so that authority is grounded more in devotion and familiarity with tradition than in formal ordination. Across all levels—Swamithope Pathi, the other Pathis, and the Nizhal Thangals—decision‑making remains predominantly local, guided by scripture, inherited custom, and the enduring example of the primary center, rather than by any codified, pan‑regional ecclesiastical system.