Current Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended centenary celebrations marking the 1925 dialogue between Sree Narayana Guru and Mahatma Gandhi at Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi.
ABOUT SREE NARAYANA GURU
- Born: 20 August 1856 – 20 September 1928; a saint, philosopher, social reformer from Kerala’s Ezhava community.
- Beliefs: Championed social equality with motto – “One Caste, One Religion, One God for Mankind.”
- Reforms: Led the Aruvippuram Movement (1888); consecrated a Shiva idol to protest casteism.
- Institutions: Founded over 40 temples, ashrams, schools, and the Sri Narayana Guru Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) in 1903, advancing education and caste equality.
- Legacy: Key leader in Vaikom Satyagraha, promoted spiritual and social upliftment, established Sivagiri Mutt (1904), and authored philosophical works like Daiva Dasakam.