SREE NARAYANA GURU AS A SOCIAL REFORMER AND HIS BLOODLESS REVOLUTION FOR THE DOWNTRODDEN IN KERALA( my published Abstract and paper selected for publication)

Sree Narayana Guru, the renowned social reformer, philosopher, saint and sage played a prominent role in elevating a society like Kerala engrossed in caste evils and untouchability to a state that stands in front in equality and literacy now. Being a karma yogi and jnana yogi rolled into one, his mantra of “with malice towards none and love for all” enabled him to fight against the heinous acts of casteism and became the voice of the marginalized. His indefatigable preaching of the doctrine “one caste, one religion, one god” turned out to a be a clarion call for the multitudes of oppressed sections of Kerala to make them aware of the need for the social and spiritual upliftment. In order to materialize his dream for the unfortunates, he began temples and educational institutions with the motto “progress through education, strengthen through organization”.

  My paper will begin by examining the role of Narayana Guru and how he succeeded in earning a status for the ‘Avarnas’ or the low castes with his silent revolutionary competence. The paper intends to focus on the social inequalities he also faced in his own Ezhava community where they had to keep a certain distance from others as per the unwritten hierarchy. He envisioned a noble place where “all live in brotherhood without difference in caste or cancor of religions”. The paper would throw light on his Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, consecration of Ezhava Shiva temple at Aruvippuram that created a maelstrom in Kerala, Vaikkom satyagraha and Temple entry proclamation. His proficiency in Sanskrit, Tamil and Malayalam are reflected in the form of literary outputs like “Atmopadesa Sathakam”, “Darsanamala” and translation of “Thirukkural” into Malayalam. The aura of this magnetic personality inspired Kumaran Asan, one among the trios of the Modern Malayalam poetry to prove his pen is mightier than sword with his realistic poems. I would like to conclude the paper stressing the fact that Sree Narayana Guru and his contributions to God’s own country can be never be ignored. There by proving that “posterity will not willingly let this charismatic prodigy die”