Topic Kerala Renaissance

Thycaud Ayya (1814 -1909)

* Guru of Ayya Vaikundan, Sri Narayana Guru , Chattampi Swamikal and Ayyankali.

* Born in Madras

* His original name was Subharayan.

* First social reformer. He started "Panthibhojanam"(inter-dining) in Kerala

* Famous saying: "intha ulakathile oru jaathi oru matham orukadavul"

* Founder of famous ” Saiva Prakasha Sabha” ofchalai,Trivandrum .

Ayya Vaikundar (1820-1851)

* Worked for the upliftment of the Dalit Hindus.

* He is referred to as Sampooranathevan (Mudi sodum Perumal), adeva (a deity) according to his followers.

* Founder of Samathwa Samajam, a reform movement for nadar community.

Brahmananda Swami Shivayogi (1852-1929)

* Founded the Ananda Maha Sabha and Anandamatham (religion ofbliss)

* Founded the Asramam at Alathur in Palghat district

* Condemned caste barriers, penance, pilgrimages, idol worship etc.

* Works: Mokshapradipam, Anandasutram

Chattambi Swamikal (1853 -1924) 

* Nair reformist

* Born in Kannammola, Trivandrum.

* Real name was Kunjan pillai.

* Literary works: Advaita Chintha paddhathi, VedadikaraNirupanam, Pracheena Malayalam, Vedaantha Saaram etc

* Sanyasi disciples: Narayana Guru , Neelakanta Therthapada,Theerthapada Parmahamsa

* Quotation: The whole universe is one mind. Between mind andmind there is no vacuum

* Swamikal died at Panmana, Kollam. Chattambi swami memorial isalso at Panmana.

Sri Narayana Guru(1856-1928)

* Father of Kerala Renaissance

* Born in Chempazhanthy in an Ezhava family (VayalvarathuVeedu).

* The parents of Sree Narayana Guru were Madanasan andKuttiyamma.

* He met Chattampi Swamikal at Aniyur temple near Chempazhanthy.

* Erected a temple to Shiva at Aruvippuram in 1888. Last temple consecrated by Guru is at kalavancode, Alappuzha.

* S.N.D.P Yogam was founded in 1903 and Guru became the life time President and Kumaranasan as Secretary.

* The Vavoottuyogam started at Aruvippuram is considered as thepredecessor of S.N.D.P. Yogam

* ‘Atmopadesh Satakam’’, ‘‘Nirvriti Panchakam’’, ‘‘Darsanamala’’, ‘ Jatimeemamsa ,‘Ardhanareeswara Sthothram’, "Daiva Dasakam","Gajendra moksham vanchippattu"etc are the major litrerary works of Guru

* Guru founded Sarada temple at Varkala in 1915 and founded the Advaitasrama at Aluva on the banks of Periyar.

* Tagore met Guru at his ashram in Sivagiri in November 1922.Kumaranasan was the translator of their conversation.

* Gandhiji visited Guru at Sivagiri in 1925.

* Consecrated a mirror,with the message “Om shanti”, in atemple in Kalavankode.

* His famous saying was “One Caste, one Religion, one God for man” (gave at advaitasrama).

* Anandatheertha swamikal was the last sanyasi disciple of swamikal.

* Died in Sivagiri, Varkala.

* Only Keralite whose birthday and death anniversary are observed as holidays.

Dr Palpu (1863 -1950)

* "Political father" of Ezhavas.

* Born in Petta , Trivandrum

* Palpu was the third signatory to the Malayali Memorial in1891.

Ayyathan Gopalan (1863- 1949)

* Gopalan was born in Thalassery.

* He started the Kozhikode branch of Brahmosamaj in 1898.

* He also founded Chandavarkar Elementary School in Kozhikode toencourage education among Dalits.

* He was later honored with the title 'Rao Sahib'.