Sree Narayana Guru Jayanti (August 23) has been celebrated with great aplomb across the state of Kerala.
Context
Sree Narayana Guru Jayanti (August 23) has been celebrated with great aplomb across the state of Kerala.
Who was Sree Narayna Guru?
- Sree Narayana Guru was a catalyst and leader who reformed the oppressive caste system that prevailed in society at the time.
- His philosophy always advocated social equality, education for all, and spiritual enlightenment. The caste system was rampant in Kerala at that time.
- Caste: Born in the Ezhava caste.
- Narayan Guru had experienced discrimination from the upper caste of society.
- One of his famous sayings in Malayalam was ‘One caste, one religion, one god for all.’
Contribution in anti-caste revolution
- Narayana Guru consecrated the first temple of Lord Shiva in 1888 where an idol was ordinated by a non-brahmin in Aruvippuram village of Kerala.
- His step sparked off the anti-caste revolution against the upper-caste Brahmin communities.
- In 1903, he established the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) as the founder and president.
- The organisation continues to mark its strong presence to this day.
- The famous ‘Vaikom Satyagraha’ protest movement against caste discrimination and untouchability abolished untouchability and inequality.
- Hence, this day is quite important in Kerala and is observed as a public holiday.
