CHAPTER IV NARAYANA GURU AND HIS SOCIETAL REFORMS. India was Shri Narayana Guru. All through his 72 years, it seems, he

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1 CHAPTER IV Introduction Alter E.V.R. Naicker the other well known reforms in south India was Shri Narayana Guru. All through his 72 years, it seems, he refused to stagnate, not only in action but also in thought. That distinguishes him from most other sanyasins. Shri Narayana Guru s life, on the other hand, was a continuous quest a saga of persistent exploration and a related cycle of action, movement and change, intended to strengthen the bridges of understanding. He was a jnana yogi and a karma yogi rolled into one. The crescendo of significant action began right from his early childhood and gained in rhythm, momentum and harmony as he matured in age and wisdom. Early Life The Guru was born on the 26 th of August 1856, at Chempazhanthi, a quiet little hamlet 12 km north of Thriuvananthapuram. His father was Madan Asan, a middle level farmer and an Asan or village schoolmaster. Kochupennu, his 23

2 mother, was a pious and kindhearted matron. The child was named Narayanan; the diminutive was Nanoo. The small mud walled hutwhere he saw the light of day exists even now. It is a protected historic monument. This annex alone survives of the sprawling Vayalvarath house, where lived a big joint family. The homestead was located beside extensive paddy fields, which the family partly owned and cultivated. Nanoo had three sisters. His uncle, Krishnan Vaidyar, was an Ayurvedic physician of considerable repute. Nanoo s family were hardy peasants. The Ezhavas, the community to which the Valyalvarathu family belonged, originated from the Uzhavars of the ancient Dravidian / Tamil culture of South India. Uzhavar means one who ploughs the soil. It is not a caste name, but a functional description. The Aryan Brahminical penetration from the North did havoc to the work oriented social set up of the South. In prehistoric times, till the Nampoothiri Brahmins came and wrested the initiative in Kerala, the dominant group was the tiller class of Uzhavars. There were other specialized functionaries, like carpenters, fishermen and unskilled labourers. Primarily it was their role in the productive process that differentiated them. The Aryanization of the South was a 24

3 catastrophe; it led to rifts and schisms in Uzhavar class; a breakaway group became the Sudras of the four fold caste structure (Varnashrama) imposed by the clever Nampoothiris. The latter dispossessed the Uzhavars of their holdings, took over and restructured their places of worship and branded them Avarnas (outside the Caste system) and untouchables. 1 By cleverly manipulating taboos and,customs they conspired to keep the salt of the earth as far away as possible from their freeholds and spiritual abodes. It as pointed that the upper castes in India were the most mobile lot who tried to spread in every nook and corner of India. Young Nanoo hailed from a typical Ezhava family of those days. Like most others, it was constrained to lead a hand to mouth existence; the machinations of the Caste Hindus had reduced them to that plight. Still it remained as integrated unit. Its members took care of those basic tasks which a self sufficient group was expected to cater to. Thus, agriculture, medicare, education etc crucial to civilized existence, were provided for. Nanoo was mounded by this hardy, independent, realistic and work oriented environment. In the Guru s teachings and ministry too, we come across these traits of self sufficiency, and study independence. 25

4 Narayana Guru s ideas As Shri Narayana Guru was a double pronged drive to reach the goal of love and fellow through social change. With the historic consecration of the Sivalinga at Aruvippuram, the thrust began. It was energetically followed up. One after the other, many more places of worship sprang up. Simultaneously the temple sabha started at Aruvippuram became a broad based forum to agitate against social and political discrimination. Its goal was to usher in the new social order to make universal the model abode ideal the Guru had announced at Aruvippuram. 2 It is doubtful whether Shri Narayana Guru had at any time been the victim of caste feeling. He himself did not observe caste. As a boy, he took pleasure in mingling with the lower castes. During the days of wandering and spiritual quest, he did not care at all for religious differences or caste taboos. He mixed freely and shared food with all and sundry - the fisher folk on the sea coast who were depressed Christians and indigent Muslims, the impoverished working people in inland regions, who were Pulayas or Paraiahs. He also moved freely with Nair families. One of his bosom friends was 26

5 Kunjan Pillai Chattampi Swamikal; to him caste or Varna systrem was anathema. The latter fought Brahmanism uncompromisingly. He spoke and wrote strongly about the evil consequences of Aryan intrigue on the Dravidian people. 3 About Shri Narayana Guru s tactics in solving problems, he was against confrontation or head-on collision. Frontal attack was avoided. What he chose to do was to side-track the issue with a view to exposing its gross inequity, his sense of humour prevailed, he turned the tables on his adversaries, without giving room for anger or bitterness. He however, was not a kind of Gandhians non-violence. But he was influenced by Gandhian thought. He did not approve of Satyagraham, as he thought it involved exploitation of sentiment and use of moral coercion. By focusing on the irrationality of the caste issue, he helped reason to prevail. This was the method he adopted even in the case of religious reform. Mention has already been made of his retort to the Nampoothiri, who questioned his right to officiate as a priest. Perhaps the relevance of the Guru s method of fighting evil is greater today. It is a fact that violent, revolutionary movements for changing society have not taken the race to the promised goal which shows the impact of Gandhi. Many such efforts 27

6 have misfired the creed of end justifies means stands discredited. Tainted means can seldom lead to noble goals. Gandhiji s weapon of Satyagraha had been misused by the people; it has become now the butt of ridicule of all sensible persons. But to those who seek self aggrandizement, it is a convenient and effective device. The Guru s modus operandi was in a harmony with morality and purity of means like Gandhi. And invariably his moves were crowned with success. Among Hindus, there has been much religious heterodoxy. which results in utter confusion. It is much more acute than in other world religions. Guru felt that it was a very sad state of affairs. Divisive factors were overwhelmingly numerous in Hinduism. Consequently the vitality of the Hindu faith, which was old, was becoming much less. Its positive role has been lost. Chaturvarnya or the four fold caste system was its curse. As degeneration increased, castes multiplied. The temple became the bastion of caste; it was also digged in fortress of the priestly exploiters. That is why the Guru turned his look first of all to the sanctum sanctorum and claimed his right of entry into it. 4 28

7 Casteism in Kerala In Kerala, caste practices were distorted to absurd levels. The ingenuity of Keralites especially that of the Namboothiris, is displayed in its classic form, in the subtleties of caste distinction they have forged. Innumerable are the castes and sub castes. There was not only untouchability, but also unapproachability. Pollution by sight, or even by breathing the same air, is Kerala s ingenious addition to the system. This was a constricting prohibition. It denied to follow humans freedom of movement and even the right to fresh air. In the temples as well as outside, these were enforced with callousness. There was discrimination even in the mode and manner of worship. The Sudras, too, who were inducted into the caste Hindu hierarchy for other considerations. They had to keep at a * Foot Note:- Perhaps Kerala being more isolated from the happenings in Madras Presidency, it can be said that the caste system and its ISM was more serve than in any other part of the country in peninsular India. The Brahmin dominance had crossed all limits in exploiting the backward community. 29

8 humiliating distance. The chief among the varnas were Ezhavas or Thiyas. They were kept at a safe distance of 14 feet from the compound wall of the temple. 5 The so-called Chandalas like the Pulayas and Pariahs were privileged to maintain a more respectable distance! In the name of Sruti, and Smriti and Aryan intruders controlled the temple s core. The land and the tillers of the soil were manipulated dexterously. Such a system of exploitation reigned supreme in the homeland of Adi Sankara for centuries. Who are the Namboothiris, and when, and in what manner, they appeared on the stage of Kerala, are still matters of conjecture. The same questions crop up in the case of the Ezhava / Thiyas also. E.M.S. Namboothiris thinks that the so-called colonization by the Namboothiris and the Ezhavas is nothing more than a figurative expression for the penetration of the Brahmin and Buddhist cultures brought by small groups of Brahmins and Buddhists and consequent transformation of the social organization of Kerala. 6 This is a line of exploration which may, perhaps, yield good result. However, the fact remains that whether the number of the migrants was big or small, the impact of this event was considerable. The Nampoothiris by their superior dialectical skill, managed, around the 10 th century, to have a 30

9 stronghold on the native Dravidian inhabitants and their land and temples. Before the infiltration of this Aryan sect, Kerala, along with the rest of South India, had settled in peace and glory brought by Buddhism and Jainism. When this influence declined, there arose a vacuum. This was filled by the more credible creed brought by Nampoothiris. Were they the convincing New Scholars? The legend of Mahabali has something to do with the Golden Age before the Aryans came. It is thought that Kodungalloor with its present Devi temple was once a Buddhist centre of worship. It had monasteries and nunneries. Mention is also made of Shri Moolavasam. It was the centre of the Buddhist civilization in the Malabar coast. The Arabian sea submerged it. South Kerala might have had unnumerable Buddhist places of worship. Jainism flourished in Wayanad, which was closer to Karnataka. In all these areas there were places of worship. They were pagoda-like in appearance. After the Brahminical takeover, these temples underwent change. Idol worship was instituted. 7 It is significant that the temple architecture of Kerala is different from that of Tamil Nadu or elsewhere in India. It resembles more or less the structure of the Buddhist temples of Shri Lanka. Anyhow there is no doubt that Buddhist influence in earlier Kerala life was pervasive. But as it said that any reform movement in 31

10 India, which tried to reform Indian society, the Brahmins have seen to it that it resulted in a Jati-caste system: i.e. Buddhism, Jainism, Veershaivanism etc. The Schism which arose in the Buddhist faith helped the revival of Brahmin influence. The Mahayana faction introduced idol worship. Hindu rituals slowly found their place in Viharas and Mutts. And when the priests, after edging out, managed to get control over them, it was easy to convert them into Hindu temples. Even Lord Buddha was deified. He was absorbed into the Hindu pantheon as one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu. Ayyappa or Sastha is Buddha refurbished as a Hindu god. And once the places of worship were misappropriated, it was easy to manipulate the land as well as it rightful owners. The priests were clever tacticians. They knew how to divide and rule. A sizable group from among the people was persuaded to toe their line. That group was assigned the status of the Sudras in the four fold Caste order. The more scholarly and fair complexioned were, perhaps, taken straight into the Nampoothiri or Brahmin caste. The Aryan conquerors suffered from a paucity of spouses. To solve this problem, the system of sambandam or morganatic marriage was devised. 8 The Nampoothiris, however, 32

11 continued the system of primogeniture. They carried on with the patrineial traditions of the Aryans instead of opting for the matriarchal system of the Dravidian peoples. The first born of the Nampoothiri alone married from his caste. Only he inherited the property. Through his progeny, the purity of the caste was ensured. Prosperity rights were kept in tact by this arrangement. Younger sons chose women from the Sudras. By their inbreeding there emerged numerous hybrid groups. As they increased and multiplied, they were made subordinate functionaries of the temple establishment. In that way arose many sub castes among the socalled Savarnas. 9 The majority was thus ostracized and segregated from the places of worship, their land was taken away. They were physically removed to a covenanted distance. Thus they had no options left. They slowly switched over to earlier, primitive and obsolete forms of worship. There were deities which originated from ancestor worship anthropomorphism and fertility rites. Lord Siva and Sakthi had assumed many disgusting forms. Amman Koils or temples to the 33

12 Mother Goddess were revived. Goddesses Bhadrakali, Marutha and Mariamma were rather ferocious aspects of Sakthi. Madan, Muthappan etc were earlier forms of Lord Siva or hangovers of ancestor worship. 10 Some of the deities of the tribals were also available to the dispossessed majority. Animal sacrifice was revived, black magic flourished. Liberation with liquor came in through the backdoor. And inevitably these places of worship became musty, stinking holes. They were sandwitched between narrow, crowned lanes, where the tillers of the soil were forcibly herded together. The original temple in the elevated, commanding height in a village was out of bounds to them. In fact the place of worship the majority patronized fully reflected their despair, ignorance and intellectual poverty. They showed the nature of the depression and despondency, which became the lot of the hard working people of Kerala, after the Buddhist Golden Age, the Mahabali Era, was past. 11 For many centuries this sorry state of affairs continued. By and large the tyranny of the so-called Savarnas became truly oppressive. The Sudras, as neophytes, were perhaps more aggressive. They had slowly acquired much economic power. This enhanced their political and social influence. Meanwhile, the non caste sector constituting the 34

13 majority languished further. They became more and more dehumanized as a result of persecution and denial. They had none to lead them, to point out an escape route. In modern times, conversion to Christianity and Islam opened up escape routes to a small percentage among them. The majority had to put up with social persecution and economic exploitation. It continued till the right leader led them out of the Slough of Despond. In Shri Narayana Guru, they found a true Saviour and Pathfinder. He took over the leadership of this modern Exodus. The consecration of the temple at Aruvippuram was its signal. 12 this shows how the backwards have suffered under the domination of Brahmanism. His Methodology The greatness of Shri Narayana Guru is that he analyzed the cause and found its solution. With malice for none and love for all he tried to implement it. He knew that the whole of the society which was affected. Both the Avarnas and the Savarnas were afflicted by the disease of was caste. The only way was to remove and wish to usher in harmony where strife, rancour and dissension prevailed. A peaceful change was called for. It would be a full fledged revolution a basic change in sentiments, feeling, intellect and perspective, a 35

14 change long overdue. He strove to bring that about, with the help of the poise, self assurance and insight that years of deep thought and tapas had brought to him. He also preferred harmonious means. Love and kindness had become second nature to him. He had realized the Advaitic unity of Consciousness. With a disarming sense of humour, he went about his task, led by the light of Truth. The first milestone in this historic pilgrimage to the Absolute is the Aruvippuram Pratishta. It was meant as a bold and courageous antidote to the caste venom. Further it was a clarion call to faith and hope, to devotion (Bhakti) of a cleaner, nobler and purer kind. 13 Guru in action Two things the Guru set to his heart was, one was to make everyone realize the absurdity of caste, which is the constrictor strangling our civilization. All alike have to be delivered from its grip. Secondly, he wanted to free religion from centuries old superstitions and taboos which hindered genuine Self-Realization. He wanted houses of gods to be clean airy, well ventilated places where people met and mingled freely and without inhibition. They should be abodes of Truth and Love. 14 The Guru probably had in mind the clean and tranquil Christian Church and Muslim Masjid. 36

15 Rituals in temples should be cut down; they have to be simple and solemn. He also preferred the worship of deities who represented humane and benevolent aspects of godhead as well as man. On the other hand Gandhiji tried to even reform the Brahmins and asked them to remove the ism which they had attached to the caste system. He was against the ISM. After Aruvippuram, Narayana Guru began consecrating temple after temple. In their holy precincts he made provision also for schools, reading rooms, too, came into being. The teaching of Sanskrit language and the Vedic texts denied to non-brahmins was provided for. He also encouraged the learning of English. A genuine renaissance can take place only through a cross fertilization of ideas, Times were changing, and we too have to change order, it will change us. The society was in ferment. A subterranean rumbling could be heard. He was foremost among those who sharpened their ears and anticipated its beneficent results. One of the rate qualities of the Guru was that, he could by no means be a reactionary or conservative like the typical godmen. He looked ahead with a catholicity of outlook, he imbibed new ideas. These he attempted to integrate with our traditional beliefs. The chief thrust of the Upanishads is Salvation by 37

16 Knowledge. One of the inspiring exhortations of the Guru was: Educate to be free. The others which went with it were, Organize to be strong and Thrive through industry. 15 This showed a rational perspective which agrees with our times. He had in mind two programmes for creating enlightenment. Of these the immediate thrust was to be on religion. He reformed its practice. Temples were reorganized and restructured as centers of intellectual life. They were to be arenas of genuine understanding, brotherliness and harmony. People should also learn to cherish their links with their environment. The way in which he accomplished this goal, threw light on the quality of his vision. The kinds and forms of Pratishta he undertook reveal it. Reformers tried to apply various methods in their own to reform Indian society, in different parts of south India i.e. Bombay and Madras presidency. The constitutional-reform Acts had its own impact. One of his early Pratishtas after Aruvippuram was at a place called Muttakkad, quite close to the famous Kovalam Beach Report. The idol there is that of Lord Subramania. 38

17 By now the renown of the Saint had spread far and wide. After the Aruvippuram Pratishta, he was on the more incessantly for about 15 years. From one end of Kerala to the other and even in TamilNadu he went raising funds for his temples, Mutts and schools, and enthusing people in their religious and social awakening. His appeal for funds was generously responded to by the poor as well as the rich. Money and land grants grew from a trickle to a steady flow. 16 The Guru consecrated new places of worship only when the need for one was brought to his notice by the people concerned. But in the case of renovation, he deliberately encouraged. A stage came when he almost set his face against new temples. He even impressed upon people that schools and libraries should receive priority. Again, there was a significant change in the nature and quality of the deities installed. All these point to the fact that the Guru was a different kind of religious teacher. He knew the spirit of the age. He acknowledge in all his acts, the inevitability of change and the necessity of progress. His ethos was essentially modern and realistic. 39

18 Temple consecration was already showing results. Thereby he was giving a fillip to the self respect of the Ezhavas / Thiyas multitude. They were slowly cured to their century s old lethargy and helplessness. The Dharma of Shri Narayana Guru was remoulding them. The new temples side tracked to an extent the popularity as well as prosperity of the temples under the control of the Savarnas. A big chunk of their income was also being taken away. 17 Later on the Guru blessed the idea of the annual pilgrimage to Sivagiri on the threshold of the New Year. This appreciably lessened for a long while the urge to go to Sabarimala and Kodungalloor. Being the most numerous among the Hindus, it was the poor Ezhava folk who went to these pilgrim centers in large numbers. In fact, as a result of such subtle moves of the Guru, there arose a current of opinion against the superstitious follies which had enslaved the masses for ages. Sahodaran Ayyappan, a disciple of the Guru, a rationalist and atheist, was doing effective propaganda against the evils prevailing in the Hindu faith. The Christian Church was also going all out for more converts to their faith. Eminent Ezhavas / Thiyas like C. Krishnan of Calicut exhorted the community to embrace Buddhism en bloc. The struggles for Human Rights launched by the backward sections in Travancore and Cochin made steady headway. The Self Respect 40

19 Movement and E.V. Ramasamy Naicker s Dravida Kazhakam in the adjoining state of Tamil Nadu also created substantial impact. No less significant was the fact that among the Savarnas there were many who welcomed changes in tune with the times. The famous Vaikom Satyagraha brought to the forefront such progressive minded persons. Many of them subscribed to the Guru s call for One Caste, one Religion and One God for man. All these factors later on made possible the historic Temple Entry Proclamation (1937) by the Maharaja of Travancore. 18 It has to be noted that the princely state like Maharaja of Travancore., the justice party, the self respect movement, Maharaja of Mysore had been inclose touch with the Kolhapur movement. The Maharaja of Gwaliair was in touch of reformers in North India. The princely States played and important role for reformation of the caste-system. Political Ideology Shri Narayana Guru s effort towards a reformed worship also caused certain important side effects. Among them is the idea of a United Kerala. The political fragmentation of the land of the Malayalees into Travancore, Cochin and Malabar had hampered the 41

20 flourishing of their culture, literature and arts. Human rights also were in default. The Guru s efforts to build temples for the powerful Thiya (Ezhava) community of Malabar helped to create an All Kerala perspective. The dream of Ayka Kerala thus engendered by diverse factors was fulfilled in Thiyas of Malabar came to know about the Guru and the good work he was doing for their counterpart in South Kerala. Some of them met him and invited him to Malabar. Thus it was that the Guru happened to consecrate, among several others, the three major temples of Kozhikode, Tellicherry and Mangalore. At Kozhikode, in the heart of the city he established the Sreekanteswaram Temple. Rarichan Mooppan, a Thiya was then one of the very rich men of the area. With his all out support and with the co-operation of influential public men like C. Krishnan the temple to the Lord with the Blue Neck was built. Its inauguration was conducted with great fanfare. The numerically strong and economically upcoming Thiya community approved this venture with vigour and fervour. This enthusiasm was infectious. Other sections of society also sharpened their ears. The enlightened among the caste Hindus welcomed the events. There was no longer any questioning of the right of a non 42

21 Brahmin to priesthood and its prerogatives. The Guru s credentials were now beyond doubt. In fact, on this occasion, the Theosophical Society of Kozhikode accorded him a grand reception. It presented a welcome address which, amidst other things, acknowledged that he was a great soul who was born with qualities befitting a great leader, one with the true Brahmin soul sent by God as the successor of the great Sidhas who had lived in our motherland. 20 In his native Travancore, among caste Hindus the Guru did not receive such unreserved acceptance and admiration. The Malabar region, because of its traumatic experiences during the Mysoream invasion and also due to direct British rule, ceased to have the kind of caste intolerance that Cochin and Travancore still had. In fact, caste in these native states was an excuse and a smokescreen for maintaining in tact undue privileges till economic and political matters. In the name of caste was maintained a monopoly of official patronage and the consequent material advantages. Caste in the Indian context is essentially class polarization. The long spell of British rule also helped to foster the national spirit in Malabar. In the two princely states, however, national awareness which is basically an 43

22 urge for freedom took the form of agitations by the depressed and backward groups for their human rights. 21 The Thiyas of Tellicherry were very enthusiastic about having a temple of their own. Their indignation against caste Hindu discrimination was genuine. Still many among them were averse to castes below theirs entering the new temple. Moorkoth Kumaran, the eminent writer and an ardent discipline of the Guru, was on the side of the progressive. 22 The Guru was silent till the opposing groups ironed out the differences through long drawn out discussion. When the conflict fizzled out, the Guru christened the place Jaganath Temple. That was done purposely. The famous Jagannath Temple of Puri in Orissa is unique in the sense that it has always been open to all castes The temple at Mangalore was set up at the request of the Billavas or Thulu Thiyas of that area. Here also the Guru had a specific aim. He was against ostentatious and expensive ceremonies and rituals in temples. He advised those concerned to save money and invest it in socially useful work like running schools, libraries and the like. Devotees are to spend as little as possible for the purpose of worship. Thus he hoped to plug the sleuths through which poor 44

23 man s money is drained by priests and their touts. The majority of the Billavas was poor. Still they emulated well to do people, went on pilgrimage to far away Tirupathi and wasted their resources. Therefore the Guru chose to consecrate a replica of Thirupatheeswaran. He assured his followers that they would get all the spiritual benefits of Thirupati if they worshipped at the local shrine which he called Gokarnanath temple. 23 Shadow can t subsist unaided, without s model original As this manifest world itself sans its original Shade is it neither, nor reality; but all things Seem like a snake an artist cleverly draws. 24 The world of reality and the world of appearance are often juxtaposed and contrasted in Vedanta. The Guru denies this duality. The Self, Aum or Universal Self and the image are one and the same essence, through they appear as different. Reality and appearance both cancel themselves out within the neutrality of the Absolute. It is this Advaitic unity that the Guru emphasized through the Mirror Pratishta. This tour de force marked the climax and culmination of his mission to reform worship. He started with idols; the task ended 45

24 with sponsoring and demonstrating the Nirguna form of worship, which is the sublimest stage of Bhakti. The Mirror Prastishta is a highly intellectualized symbol of Guru s Philosophy of Atma Vidya. Two other temples established by the Guru deserve special notice. One is the temple of the Goddess of Learning (Saraswathi) at Sivagiri. It is interesting to recall that the Mahadevar Pratishta there turned out to be an ill starter. The Lingam was installed on the hill top and a thatched shed was built over it. The plan to erect a solid temple somehow did not materialize. And one day the thatched shed caught fire, destroying the idol also. That was the end of it. It is this very spot which hosted later on the Guru s mortal remains. The imposing Samadhi Mandiram stands over it as the most eloquent monument to this unique friend of man. 25 Temples The Guru was unusually keen and enthusiastic about the temple to Saraswathi Devi. In fact he urged and encouraged his disciplines and the S.N.D.P. Yogam to expedite work on it. A cute little pagoda like Sreekovil came up inside a circular enclosure with a half wall and the yard spread with snow white sand. The beaming idols of the 46

25 Devi, veena in hand, radiates peace and tranquility. It is pleasing as well as elevating to gaze on it and worship. The installation ceremony was a mammoth festival spread out over several days. The day of the inauguration saw one of the greatest ceremonies witnessed in those parts. People arrived like a flood flowing down the hill. The entire hill was gaily adorned with flags and festoons of various colour. The caparisoned elephants, whose gold plated ornaments covering their foreheads, reflecting the yellow, orange the red rays of the setting sun, provided an unforgettable sight. Instruments, music and an assorted assembly of drums, folk songs, folk dances and procession, all provided, as Kumaran Asan put it, a heavenly sight never before experienced by anyone of the huge crowd assembled there. 26 There was no Puja of the usual type. No rituals like Nivedyam and the sterile mumbling of mandra were provided for. Indeed, the procession of the idol, its ritual ablution, festivities and other related observance are dispensed with. The devotees of darsan, they sang hymns or they were lost in silent meditation. The Brahmachari in charge, bestows floral offerings if requested to do so. The emphasis is on silent meditation on that Power which disseminates knowledge and helps illumine the inner light. 47

26 In connection with the Sarada Pratishta, the Guru, for once, overlooked his own commandment about simplicity and against the wasting of energy, money and resources. For him, so crucial was this Pratishta. The Mirror Pratishta at Kalavankodam was a brain wave. In the case of Sarada Devi, it was the result of a well thought out plan. Educate to be free is one of the exhortations of the Guru. He cherished learning as the light and illumination of life. 27 Arivu is in the core of his Darsanam. To him, Saraswarthi is more than the goddess of Learning; she is also the very incarnation of Love. He conceived here as the Eternal Mother, as the most humane and endearning aspect of Sakthi. Mother worship is basic to Dravidian culture. The Ardhanareeswara concept is a unique feature of the Saitive Philosophy. Indeed, Sarawathi was, to the Guru, a blended symbol which harmonized the finest elements in Aryan and Dravidian civilizations. That is, perhaps, why he gave the greatest priority and precedence to the installation of the Goddess of learning. 28 Advaitashram founded by the Guru at alwaye. It is veritably a prayer hall for all religions. Here is the meeting point for all religions. Attached to it was a free Sanskrit School which welcomed 48

27 even the lowliest among the low-caste boys. After the establishment of the Mutt, the Guru strove every way to further his ideal of One Religion. In Atmopadesa Satakam (verse 49) he surmised thus: Always do man everyway strive For self s Happiness; count this As the only Religion of this world; And shunning evil, restrain the inner Self. 29 Self Knowledge or Atma bodha was the cornerstone of the Guru s Advaita philosophy. Know Thyself is its ancient Greek form. This is the One Religion he projected in his greatest message, the clarion call of his life ennobling mission, viz. One Caste, one Religion and One God for Man. 30 The place became soon the venue of the first All Religions Conference in India. Scholars representing different religions participated. They compared notes. The motto of the Conference was understanding co-existence. The Guru instructed the following message to be prominently displayed at the venue: Not to argue and win, but to know and to instruct. 31 It was from Advaitashram that he 49

28 had the following message of far reaching significance: Whatever be the difference in dress, customs, caste or religions of individuals, since they are all human beings, there can be no objection to their inter-dining or inter-marrying. 32 Some of his ways of thinking, approach reform resemble to a great extent that of Gandhi. It is however doubted whether he was influenced by Gandhi or not is a subject of research. What Dr. Palpu said about the Guru s temple building activity is worth close study: Temples and Mutts have been of great help for the progress of this (Thiya) community. Such institutions have not only catered to the religions needs of the people, but they also have enthused them in many kinds of good deeds. Through their help, people differing in social position and character have become united with a sense of equality. Thus have been engendered in them mutual love and a feeling of brotherhood. Temples have been helpful in making ordinary people act with rectitude and a sense of morality. These are verily institutions which propagate religions as well as moral conduct. They are also intended to give craft based and specialized kind of education and training. The community s resources are conserved by them to be utilized for its well being as 50

29 well progress. These institutions owned by them have become the means to assert the self respect of this community which has been thoroughly ruined by long years of social persecution. Theses temples are intended to be accessible to members of all castes, lower as well as higher. As a results of that, those persons who really need this kind of opportunity will be much more benefited. That is why it has been so decided. 33 From this it can be said that the country of backwards in the temple in Maharashtra- madras did not and have not achieved much. Hence Guru Work has achieved much infighting the caste-system compared to the other parts of south India. This assessment comes from one who was easily the most dedicated leader of the Ezhava (Thiya) community. He was also an enlightened proponent of the change and progress modern Kerala has witnessed. He was the informing spirit, which, along with that of the great poet, Kumaran Asan, infused dynamism into the Shri Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, the organization which undertook to propagate and implement the teachings of this unique Guru, was further continued. His message was for all, its emphasis being on 51

30 universalism. The Guru unleashed the momentum for this secular and social thrust by being the inspiration and fountain head of a reformist movement viz. the S.N.D.P. Yogam. There are very few instances of a Jnanin becoming the founder and life time president of such an organization. Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa did not think of establishing a Sabha for the dissemination of his Dharma. 34 It was left to his great disciple, Swami Vivekananda, to found the Ramakrishna Mission. Luckily the Guru had in Dr. Palpu and Kumaran Asan two illustrious lieutenants. They took upon themselves the main burden of organizing and building up the Yogam. In fact, the Yogam was the brain child of the indefatigable; its foster mother was the poet. The Guru became the fountain source of a torrential flow which inundated the parched social land scale of Kerala. It washed away the dross and dirt of the by gone days. Dr. Palpu himself was a victim of caste and hence and inveterate enemy, but diverse were the ways in which he fought this evil. It happened that he met Swami Vivekananda and took his advice during the latter s visit to Bangalore. The Swami is truly the Father of Modern India, as none else had understood the nation and felt its pulse as he had done. His comment on politics is valid even 52

31 today. If you want to speak of Politics in India, you must speak through the language of religion. 35 That is what Gandhiji did and with tremendous success. When told by the Doctor about the plight of his community in Kerala, Swamiji advised him to organize a broad based movement with a religious man of sufficient following at its head. That ensures credibility as well as acceptability. The Guru satisfied fully this stipulation. Dr. Palpu realized that it would be ideal to get it transformed into the organization he had in mind. It could be the vanguard of the depressed and exploited groups, especially of the non caste sections. The Guru fully approved of Dr. Palpu s suggestion. There was identity of views. He too had felt the need of a wider forum to further his life s work. His mission was not to be confined within segregated limits. The target of his religious thrust was universalism. Thus, in the year 1903, the Temple Sabha became the S.N.D.P. Yogam. Its aim, as the full title declared, was to further as well as implement the Moral Law expounded by Shri Narayana Guru. His protégé and disciple, Kumaran Asan, was assigned the general secretaryship. The Guru himself agreed to be its lifetime president. 36 Thus, in and through him and the organization, socio-political and religious goals were 53

32 unified. And till almost the end of his life, this unity in action and aim was maintained. The political programmes of the Yogam, with emphasis on safeguarding and ensuring the civil rights and human status of the community, necessarily roused ill-will amidst and conflict with other groups and sections. This trend would undo the harmony, universalism and sense of brotherhood the Guru hoped to inculcate among the people as a whole. Anticipating such a schism, he established an Order of Monks for upholding his broad based spiritual and moral goals. 37 The Shri Narayana Gurukulam was another independent body which propagated the teachings of the Guru. This had won for the Guru s thoughts a wider audience especially abroad, with its headquarters at Varkala, and branches in many Western countries. As regards the goal of social change, the Yogam became the Guru s most effective forum for immediate action. It was registered as a joint stock company. Among its objectives were, besides the dissemination of the Dharma and the administration of the Mutts and temples, the sponsoring of the religious and secular education of the people and also their professional advancement. 38 The majority of 54

33 the Ezhavas was engaged in agriculture. Many of them also took to weaving and coir making. A small section had also ventured into commerce and business. Significantly the temples and Mutts established by the Guru were expected to encourage the above secular activities also. Thus there was a genuine dove-tailing and coordination of the spiritual and material needs of the community, which has not happened with reform movements of the same objectives which also tried for economic development. The Guru was above all kinds of religious prejudice`s. He believed in the oneness of all religions. No matter what one s religion is, it is enough man betters himself, was his motto. 39 Christianity and Islam did influence him. The most distinguishing characteristic of Islam is equality leading to brotherhood. In the reformed worship that the Guru set up, he included many a humanistic ideal from these world religions. The transformation of the Temple Sabha was the signal for a radical change in the perspective of the Ezhavas community. The rich as well as the poor rallied behind its banner. Earlier, in different parts of Travancore, there were many local Sabhas, Which merged in 55

34 the Yogam. Steadily the Guru s influence spread and his spiritual sway increased. With the instinct of a born leader, he noted that the time had come to administer, preferably in homeopathic doses, his humanistic ideas. Of course, the first step must be to enthuse those who were already his followers. By and by, the others too will enter the magnetic field. Thus would manifest in the whole of society a genuine desire for change and progress. In this sense, though this activities were confined to a particular sector, by their wider relevance, they would come to have tremendous significance. There is no doubt that the Guru s modus operandi is worthy of close study by sociologists because of its usefulness as a model to follow. Dr. Palpu s aim in organizing the Yogam was, by and large, political. He girded up his loins to fight the Travancore Government for its consistent denial of civic and human rights. The Ezhavas were kept arbitrarily out of schools and colleges. They were denied jobs under the government. They were insulted with untouchability and unapproachability. Temples and public roads were out of bounds to them. Caste was the excuse for keeping out even well qualified candidates, of which Dr. Palpu himself was a victim. He was denied 56

35 admission in Trivandrum Medical College, he fared no better. He got an opening only in the Mysore State Medical Service. 40 * Stray Ezhava youths who managed to crawl through the closed door educational institutions were impudently told by the State Government to take up their so-called caste profession viz. toddy tapping. The resentment against such insulting treatment was smoldering. Right from the beginning, the Yogam highlighted such grievances. Its Secretary, Poet Kumaran Asan, took up such issues with the authorities. The response was disappointing. But the Yogam perished. It continued to harp vociferously on such inequality and injustice. Simultaneously the Yogam began demanding political rights. Appropriate representation in the legislature was an important demand. Freedom for commuting through public roads was another. * Foot note:- The Mysore princely state was in close touch with the Kolhapur movement. Besides education of the non- Brahmin masses was the major objective of this movement, because which Palpu to gel admitted. 57

36 Yet another reasonable claim was for admission into Government-run schools and colleges which were out of bounds for non caste Hindus. The agitation was mostly in the form of resolutions, speeches, representations and petitions. The Guru approved of these moves. Simultaneously he sought to build up the dignity and self reliance of the depressed people. He took the far sighted, long term step of reforming and strengthening the group from within. This two pronged thrust produced a strong impact and led to welcome results. A high-tide of awareness and a strong urge for change manifested themselves. The people s initiative was on the increase. This was exactly Gandhiji s modus operandi later on in the struggle for national freedom. The similarity is not accidental. Both the Guru and the Mahatma were products of our Renaissance. As great leaders of them, they were reacting characteristically to the objective situation before them. 41 A brief resume of the role played by the Yogam in the socio political transformation of Kerala during the last eight decades is of much relevance today. The Yogam s pre-eminence as pioneer in the field is undisputed; its impact on the times was tremendous. The Pulaya Mahasabha began functioning in 1905 under the leadership of 58

37 Ayyankali. Its services to that community were Herculean. The caste Hindus, especially the powerful Sudra (Nair) community, followed suit. In 1914 came into being the Nair Service Society. To start with, it was devoted to eradicating the taboos and false beliefs prevalent in that community. Inspite of being comparatively affluent, the Nairs had to redeem their honour and self respect. 42 There were among them many silly and ridiculous customs like thalikettu and thirandukuli. Then there was the system of morganatic marriage, which was a shameful relationship. Subservience to the princely establishment was economically advantageous; but it involved often the bartering of sex. Enlightened members of the community felt that it was an obnoxious relationship. Among the Sudras (Nairs) of those days there were several sub castes and sects; between them was a pracised different levels of ostracism and discrimination. The society, started by stalwarts like the later Gandhian, Kelappan and a distinguished judge, Changanassery Parameswaran Pillai, was intended to cleanse the community and rid it of such humiliating abuses and misuses. Indeed, it was essentially a social reform movement. The society lobbyed successfully for the Nair Regulation which was a progressive measure. One of the early leaders of the Society was Mannath Padmanabha Pillai. He played a crucial role in 59

38 the Vaikom Satyagraha. In those days he was an enlightened and forward looking leader. In his autobiography, he acknowledged his indebtedness to the teachings and exhortations of Shri Narayana Guru. The Hindu priestly class, the Nampoothiris, also organized their own forum, the Yogakshema Sabha. The initiative for this came from among the progressive minded young Nampoothiris. They wanted to reform their community from within. The plight of their womenfolk was heart rendering. They were treated just like chattel. Widow re-marriage was one of the planks of the Sabha s activity. 43 Foot note:- Perhaps Gandhi was more close with the reformist who did not propagate anti-god feelings among masses, he also felt along with reforms, economic development was also important, which was not the case with the Satya Shodhak movement, the justice movement, the self-respect movement etc. Thus came into being different organizations representing the major sections among Hindus. These had the avowed goal of 60

39 exposing superstitions and fighting the inhuman custom and taboos arising from them. The latter were vitiating the lives of all sections of Hindus and also retarding their progress. Though the organizations represented the respective communities, they were not communal in the sense in which the word is understood now. They had, in fact, constructive, progressive role to play. But once that phase was past, they became instruments in the hands of vested interests who exploited caste and community feelings for their selfish ends. And at present, these organizations have more or less become the handmaids of the communal politics which was deep rooted in Kerala social life. The Yogam fulfilled a historical need, Guru was its fountainhead; its objective was to further his chosen mission. He continued to be its centrifugal force. For 16 years the Secretary, Poet Asan, pleaded and petitioned. In his preface to the bye-law of the Yogam, Asan made the objectives explicit. Reading it, one could easily see that the rules reflect the viewpoint of the Guru along with that of Dr. Palpu. In the bye law he points out religion is the life breath of India. It alone animates the people who constitute its different bodily parts. When religion was practiced justly, the advantages arising from it were incomparable

40 Right from the beginning, the Yogam emphasized two things viz. the advantage of united action and benefits of education. The Yogam made them the firm planks of its organized efforts. In the first annual gathering of the Yogam, Dr. Palpu reminded the audience about the need for united action. About education, he expostulated thus: A society or for that matter a group, makes durable progress and achieves prosperity only through education. In our community there should be none without at least primary education. For that one and all should specially strive. When you refer to an Ezhava male or female, it should imply that he or she is one who knows how to read and write. 45 Dr. Palpu also emphasized the need for hard work and industry. Indeed, the third important objective of the Yogam, and that of the Guru, was to help the community register economic progress. Hence the slogan. Trive by industry. It formed the third leg of the holy triangle of the Yogam s long term objectives. 46 The work of the Yogam created a strong impact. Consequently the conservative elements, having a strangle hold on the social set up and in the Governmental system, had slowly to yield ground. The 62

41 Yogam took up the issue of representation in the Legislature of Travancore. That body was crammed with officials and their nominees. Most of them belonged to the Nair community. The Ezhavas, who formed one fifth of the population, did not have even a single member. The Yogam repeatedly brought this anomaly to the notice of the authorities. Meanwhile, the Legislative body in Travancore underwent many changes. * It came to have an elected majority. Still no Ezhava managed to get in. Even poet Kumaran Asan failed to muster enough votes. After many urgent pleas, he and a few others were nominated. These representatives did excellent work from within the legislature. The views of the insulted and the * Foot note:- These political changes took place because of Maontford Chelmsford Reforms, which introduced communal representation. Both Gandhiji and British tried use the reformers. Gandhi for Nationalism, and the British to weaken, the non-brahmins by encouraging communal-representation. (Nominations was a set back to Gandhiji`s movement.) 63

42 injured were thus slowly being heard in the corridors of power (British). Another plea of the Yogam was about appointments in Government services. The growing Christian community managed to get in with the help of the British Resident. The Ezhavas were systematically kept out. Right of admission for Ezhava children in schools was another important demand. The Yogam voiced these grievances in all kinds of ways, through resolutions, petitions, and by heated discussions in conferences and in the columns of journals. 47 The role of Christian missionaries also helped British role for continuation, by providing English education to the masses. Yogam managed to create a strong wave of awareness among the Ezhava multitude and its intelligentsia. This had its healthy repercussion on Kerala society as a whole. Kumaran Asan became as a poet of distinction committed, as the Yogam Secretary, to life and its burning problems, had a mouthpiece, a monthly journal, Vivekodayam. The title was a tribute to Swami Vivekananda, who was the kindly light of modern India s destiny. It was edited by Asan. The journal did yeoman service in ventilating the views of the Yogam. It also spread the message of the Guru. The journal was by 64