Sri Narayan Guru

Sri Narayan Guru

Subject: Modern India

Section: Social reform

Context-  PM participates in the inaugural ceremony of year-long joint celebrations of 90th anniversary of Sivagiri Pilgrimage and Golden Jubilee of Brahma Vidhyalaya

Concept-

• Both Sivagiri Pilgrimage and Brahma Vidhyalaya were started with the blessing and guidance of great social reformer Shri Narayana Guru.
• The joint celebration symbolizes the immortal journey of that idea of India, which keeps moving forward through different mediums in different periods.

About Sri Narayana Guru:

• Shree Narayana Guru (1856–1928), also known as Shree Narayana Guru Swami, was a saint & social reformer of India.
• The Guru was born into an Ezhava family, in an era when people from backward communities like the Ezhavas faced social injustice in the caste-ridden Kerala society.
• Gurudevan, as he was known among his followers, led Reform movement in Kerala, revolted against caste system and worked on propagating new values of freedom in spirituality and social equality which transformed the Kerala society.
• He also gave the universal message, “One caste, one religion, one God.”
• Aravipuram Movement was launched by Sri Narayana Guru on Shivaratri day of 1888.
  • On that day, Sri Narayana Guru defied the religious restrictions traditionally placed on the Ezhava community, and consecrated an idol of Shiva at Aravipuram.
  • This drew the famous poet KumaranAsan as a disciple of Narayana Guru.
• In 1913, he founded the Advaita Ashram at Aluva. This was an important event in his spiritual quest. This Ashram was dedicated to a great principle – OmSahodaryamSarvatra (all men are equal in the eyes of God).