SREE NARAYANA GURU: South Indian Dalit leaders

 SREE NARAYANA GURU (1855-1928)

Narayana Guru, eminent leder of low-caste protest movement in Kerala, was born in the year 1855 in a Champalantha village near Thiruvanthapuram in Kerala in the “Avama” community. He became an expert in Ayurvedam and he was a scholar in Sanskrit, Philosophy and Hindu Scriptures. He wanted to be a teacher, but his family could not permit him to teach Paraiahs, Pulayas and Kuravas the untouchable castes in Kerala”. As an educated Young man, he tried to protest against this discrimination, but his family could not listen. To register his protest, he left his home in search of Truth. During this period only the seeds of revolution were sworn in his mind.

He lived with the poor and ate the food given by untouchables. He discussed with Christians and Muslims regarding religious issues. He saw that the essential goodness of the human soul was stifled under the weight of unhealthy traditions and blinded by ignorance and superstitions. These are many retrogressive forces from which humanity is to be liberated. To find a solution he withdrew in to a forest for meditation. He says that Varna and caste system and its direct off shot, of untouchability as absolutely baseless, artificial and arbitrary. They are against the spirit of Advaitha and offend human dignity. So they must be broken down. People should not think, say or ask about caste. On further meditation he arrived at the logical conclusion that there is only one caste-Humanity, one religion- i.e. Humanism and one God i.e. the Universal spirit. He was family convinced with this principle.

The same principle became the dynamic centre from which he must act. It is not an easy task to make the poor ignorant people to realize the presence of the Universal spirit within them. They have to brought together to organize, and educated them. The future Slogan for his social reformation as follows. “Freedom through education Strength through Organization”. He also understood that the social degradation of the untouchables (avarnas) started when they were barred from entry into the temples and with the denial of education. So, he decided to restore the lost dignity and self-respect of the Avamas by means of the entry into temples and education.

The Aryan temples were citadels of caste superiority and domination. The caste hierarchy was strictly kept up by prescribing approachable distances from the sanctorum, for each caste. The untouchables were not allowed even to come near the compound wall. But, offerings from them in the form of cash or kind were always accepted. Such shameless exploitation of the people by their caste superiority was to be met with in a telling manner. The answer lay in the founding of new temples which are open to all equally.

Narayana Guru made a calculated move in this direction. He constructed a Shiva Temple at Aruvippuram, which is about 40 kms north of Trivendrum on the early morning hours of Shivarathri of 1888. It was an open challenge to the Brahman priesthood. In a caste-ruled society, an Avama Hindu, untouchable had performed the installation of deity defying all codes and norms. The Brahman priesthood could not stomach it. Their authority has so far been unchallenged. So a great Brahman scholar came to question the right of, an Ezhava who is Avama, to install a deity. The answer given by Guru has become famous that “This is not a Brahman Shiva, this is an “Ezhava Shiva” The revolutionary spirit that prompted this reply need no explanation.

The Guru’s philosophy of the equality of human beings is captured in this motto displayed at the entrance to Aruvippuram temple. This is model abode, where all men shall live Without caste distinctions and religious rivalries. The temple at Aruvippuram grew in stature. More and more people came to worship. Guru talked to them patiently. He persuaded the people to form a society for the management of the temple, as a first step towards unification of the people. A Gurukulam and a Sanskrit

School also were started at Aruvippuram to give religious training to young men of the lower castes of society. Sree Narayana Guru continued to construct and consecrate as many as 60 temples, throughout Kerala and in the neighbouring states of Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Sri Lanka also, they promptly display his messages.

  He is one of those rare persons who said that a temple building can be used for running a school. On the Social front, enthusiastic young Ezhavas like Dr. Palpu were trying for the upliftment and recognition of their community. The temple association of Aruvippuram was converted into Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) in 1903. The humble temple association became a great social force. The membership is opened to all the low caste, people. Its membership reached to 50 thousands. The mission main objectives are educating the low caste people by establishing Schools, Colleges and other educational institutions, literary organizations encouraged the literature on eradication of caste. He collected the donations from the rich and established hostels, libraries for low caste students.

The dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Sree Narayana Guru has become famous. Gandhiji complained that the lower caste Hindus are converting themselves to Christianity in order to get social privileges, and not no account of belief. Guru replied, ‘In that case, the best way to stop them would be, to give them privileges’ Gandhiji had no answer. By this time, Swami’s words have become law for his people. Through Vivekodayam a periodical by SNDPY, he struck at a number of Social Customs and ceremonies where money was wasted in feasting and festivities. He restricted the number of people to be present on the even of wedding to be ten. At the time of death, he advised fasting and mourning for ten days for the kith and kin of the deceased and to pray for the soul of the dead, rather than chanting unintelligence words by an ignorant priest. Feasting on account of death was strictly forbidden. He told the people to use the money to educate a poor man rather than wasting money on feast. Sree Narayana Guru advised to the temple management committee that he do not celebrate festivals spending money. Again and again Guru stressed the need for economy and economic independence.

Guru had advocated total abstinence from liquor even before Gandhiji included it in his programmes. He gave the message that ‘Liquor is poison, do not make it, do not vend it, do not drink it”. The Ezhavas willingly gave up their traditional profession of toddy tapping and resorted to weaving along, which was made a respectable profession. Guru said no religion is superior or inferior to another. All religions in essence, help man to evolve in to a perfect human being and lead him to salvation. All religions are equally good, and arguments about religious are meaningless. No one can defeat another. ‘Such discussions and arguments will only increase rivalry and destroy the unity of the people. Understanding this fact clearly he formulated his message to humanity at large.

Guru was the first man in India to organise an All Religions Meet in February 1924 at Alwaye, the birth place of Shankaracharya. On the entrance to the meeting hall was written “Whatever maybe the religion, let man improve”. “We meet here not to argue and win, but to know and to be known”. According to him, true religion should include the peace of Budha, the compassion of Christ and the brother hood of Mohammad. The theme of the Satyashodhak Samaj of Jotirao Phule and Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam founded almost all on similar ideology by spreading education among Shudras and Ati Shudras and condemned the middle man between God and Man such as priesthood. Both were thought of that education is only the key for social change.