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Available Online at http://www.recentscientific.com International Journal of CODEN: IJRSFP (USA) Recent Scientific

International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Research Vol. 11, Issue, 08 (C), pp. 39542-39546, August, 2020 ISSN: 0976-3031 DOI: 10.24327/IJRSR Research Article

SAHODHARAN AND RATIONALIST MOVEMENT IN

Dr.Padmanabhan.N

Principal, CAS College, Madayi, -Kerala

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2020.1108.5524

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article History: Sahodharan Ayyappan occupied the most prominent position in the Rationalist Movement in Kerala.The spirit of rationalism germinated in his mind out of the socio-religious restrictions and Received 13th May, 2020 th disabilities imposed upon the non-caste .He was totally against , and Received in revised form 11 unapproachability.Ayyappan never wanted to discriminate people in the name of caste,creed and June, 2020 colour.He was a staunch advocate of the universal brotherhood. The term Sahodharan itself speaks Accepted 8th July, 2020 th that he is a brother to all.The journal entitled ‘Sahodharan’ was the mouth piece of his radical Published online 28 August, 2020 ideas. He was one of the outspoken followers of Sree Narayana . Sahodharan Ayyappan was born at in Vyppin Island. He formed an organization called Sahodhara sangam and arranged Key Words: 'Misra Bhojanam' in 1917 to give the opportunity to every human being to eat under one roof. He Social reformer-Humanist-Misra bojanam- was the founder editor of the magazine ‘Yukthivadhi’.A social reformer, revolutionary, rationalist, Sahodhara Sangam- Yukthivadhi poet, a faultless administrator and a legislator who brought in several landmark legislations, Sahodharan Ayyappan is considered as one of the foremost figures in the history of Modern Kerala.

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INTRODUCTION evils like untouchability and un-approachability led to segregation of Hindus of one caste from another. The practice Kerala Society was parceled out among innumerable castes and th of pollution was widely observed in society. The sub-castes in the beginning of the 19 century. It was based on Avarnas were denied access to schools, temples, public places categorization of superior and inferior and was marked by and were subjected to social humiliation2. pollution attached to touch and approach with one another. Therefore casteism kept the society fragmented into exclusive Apart from being one of the untouchable castes in the Hindu groups. The social status of a non- Caste Hindu remained society, the were socio-economically and unchangeable by education, wealth and power. Several educationally backward. Majority of them were illiterate. A irrational customs and practices prevailed in the society which few of them constituted an elite section within the community was dominated by the upper castes, especially the . like physicians, soldiers, scholars, traders, and The lower caste people were in a subordinate position and were martial artists, but majority of them were engaged in cultivation denied social freedom and equality. On the other hand the and other labours like toddy tapping, manufacturing of country 3 upper castes/savarnas were the land owning class and all sugar etc . In this context, many social reformers like political power and authority in the land were under their Sahodharan Ayyappan emerged in the society with control1. But the lower caste people had no voice or position in revolutionary ideas. the society and government oppressed, suppressed and Early Life marginalized by the upper castes. 4 Sahodharan Ayyappan was born into a traditional The Brahmins dominated all the means of production. The of Cherai in Island of Ernakulum district of occupied a higher position in the society, were the chief Kerala on 21stAugust 1889.His father, an Ayurveda physician tenants of them. The twin role of the Nairs as a serving class of by profession had keen interest in literature, particularly Hindu the Brahmins and the protectors of land enabled them to enjoy and epics and had passion for language, which a respectable position in the society. All other groups below motivated Ayyappan to become a renowned writer5.He lost his them like the Ezhavas, and the Pulayas were considered as th father at an early age and was brought up under the guidance of inferior. Though the British made some changes in the 19 his elder brother Achuthan Vaidyar who was a progressive century, conditions of them did not change basically. They thinker taught Ayyappan English language and gave him were the victims of social tyranny for centuries. The social progressive education. By virtue of his brother, Ayyappan

*Corresponding author: Dr.Padmanabhan.N Principal, CAS College, Madayi, Kannur-Kerala Dr.Padmanabhan.N., Sahodharan Ayyappan and Rationalist Movement in Kerala acquired good association with Sree Narayana Guru6 and intensified his activism in 1917 by Kumaran Asan7. launching the anti-caste agitations and organizing a movement After having his school education primarily in Cherai and for inter-dining (a grand feast of all castes sitting together North Paravoor, Ayyappan did his pre-university course at under one roof) at Cherai19.The feast was attended by about Malabar Christian College, Calicut. He had to discontinue his 200 people including the so-called untouchable Pulayas. This further education for the time being while at Madras due to ill was opposed forcibly by conservative sections of society, health8. During his studies at Calicut he attended the speeches including Ezhava Lords. It marked the beginning of a social of Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi9and revolution20. In a meeting held at Thundiparambu at Cherai on Guru10.Vagbhatananda’seloquentspeechesoncasteandidolworsh 29thMay 1917, Ayyappan recommended inter-dining as a ip further widened the mental horizon of Ayyappan.According means to eradicate caste system. Though it was a success it to Sivayogi religion and god are sources of sorrow and created controversies that had far reaching impact in the suffering and man is enslaved by them. Emancipation is society. Initially he received reverse response from his people possible only by discarding them11. Man has to realize that his as it was a new one for them and they opposed and criticized friend or enemy is his own mind. Neither God nor the devil is him21. The organizers were out casted. It earned him the responsible for the actions that spring from the mind which derogatory title ‘Pulayan Ayyappan’. Ayyappan was labeled an brings good or evil to man. Caste and the associated evils like outcaste and rebel.From then onwards Ayyappan came to be in equality are the creations of the mind. Sivayogi was an known as Sahodaran Ayyappan22. intellectual of the modern type, who advocated freethinking The movement began at Thundiparambu continued in different and rationalism12. These ideas of Sivayogi had a tremendous parts of the state. Later it received wide appreciation and many role in the shaping of the rationalist outlook of Sahodharan jointed in it. Though it was partially successful it could reduce Ayyappan. the disparity between different castes like Nairs, Ezhavas and Ayyappan was the first Ezhava to become a graduate in the Pulayas.On 15thMay 1921, sent a message of Cochin State. The financial burden forbade him from getting support to Sahodara Sangham during their annual conference, higher education further. However, with the support of Sree supporting "inter-caste marriages and community feasts"23. Narayana Guru, he joined Maharaja’s college, Trivandrum for Sahodharan Ayyappan conducted speeches and circulated B.A., which was a turning point in his life. During these days pamphlets and articles to popularize his vision. He got many he used to visit the SNDP office at Trivandrum13. His constant followers who propagated the ideas of Ayyappan. He association with Sree Narayana Guru and published some revolutionary writings through the newspapers. helped him to get sufficient internal and external strength to Later on, some newspapers rejected his revolutionary articles. herald a new social revolution in Kerala. Realizing the situation Ayyappan decided to launch a publication of his own, which resulted in the beginning of a Sahodhara Sangam(Association of brotherhood) journal and a newspaper in the same name Sahodharan in 1917 In Kerala, untouchability and un-approachability made the life and acted as its editor till its end by 195624? This was a turning of people deplorable. The idea of oneness of all humanity and point in the history of Sahodhara Sangham’ and social reform universal brotherhood could not be easily comprehended by the movement of Kerala. Hindu rulers of Cochin and . This made the Ayyappan advocated inter-caste marriage for several reasons. It eradication of untouchability a Herculean task for Ayyappan. was essential for promoting friendship and co-operation among In his opinion caste had to be eradicated for the attainment of different communities. On the very first issue he stated the brotherhood14.Sahodaran Ayyappan wanted to eradicate the vision and mission that “Sahodharan doesn’t have any caste or caste discrimination and inequality in the Hindu society. He religion”. He further stated that “everyone should think and act upheld the anti-caste principles of Sree NarayanaGuru. As part above the caste and should love and respect each other”25. It of the social struggle, Ayyappan advocated the inevitability to covered diverse topics which show his wide knowledge over get rid of caste by the twin means of inter-dining and inter- various subjects and his aim of bringing social equality. He marriage, for which he launched the modern phase of the advocated secularism through Sahodharan. To stir up the Ezhava movement started by Guru15. He preached and logical level of the readers he published articles like ‘Rajaram practiced the concept of equality among the castes. For the Mohan Roy’,‘Chaturvarnya’, ‘Hindu Daivangal’, and fulfillment of his aim he founded the ‘Sahodhara Sangham’. ‘Kerathile Hindu Matham’26. Throughout his life he fought against caste and social inequalities and was against caste hierarchy and Sahodharan laid stress on the greatness of principles of truth, 16 supremacy . liberty, equality, and fraternity. The Daily also popularized the principles of inter-dining and inter-caste marriage and asked to Ayyappan viewed inter-dining as a means to achieve the practice it. Personalities like Sree Narayana Guru and E.V. destruction of caste system, which undermined the ideal of Ramaswamy Naiker27 were admired through the newspaper. brotherhood. In his opinion, demolishing the caste was Sahodharan criticized caste and social issues like essential for the welfare of the human being. He was putting untouchability and superstitions. In his editorial Ayyappan emphasis on the dictum “ask not, say not and think not caste”, envisioned Modern Kerala through the abolition of the given by guru17. He said further, caste was an evil and a Zamindari system, granting of titles for farmers and tenants, superstition, and inter-dining and inter-marriage was the only equal wages for men and women, and compulsory free means to bring an end to caste competitions and hatred. The education till the age of 1628. abolition of untouchability was the birth right of the lower Buddhism communities18. 39543 | P a g e International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Vol. 11, Issue, 08 (C), pp. 39542-39546, August, 2020

In his search for values to bring about an egalitarian society, spread his message of equality and wrote many poems to Sahodharan Ayyappan was more fascinated by Buddhism than propagate it. From 1917 to 1940 he wrote about 70 poems, half the teachings of guru. To him, Buddha was the ‘herald of of dozen of which were on freedom like Swathantra Gadha, universal brotherhood’29. No wonder that the Ashtanga Marga Ujjivanam etc. His poetry covered variety of topics like and non- injury as preached by Buddha and his denunciation of , Kingship, freedom, Rationalism, and Buddhism40. the authority of scriptures and casteism, the silence on the Through these works Ayyappan shaped the literary culture of existence of god, and the emphasis on universal brotherhood Kerala. made an appeal to men like Ayyappan in the context of an The revolutionary move launched at Cherai was the beginning awakening against the evils and superstitions and the struggle of his political career. Through several hardships and for democratic values30. criticisms Ayyappan emerged as a strong activist. He regarded Ayyappan believed that Buddhism would bring great moral SNDP Yogam as the platform for his social reform movements. benefits to man as a religion that inculcated a higher moral In order to strengthen the organization he decided to expand the consciousness based on the values of humanism. He felt that activities of Yogam in different parts of the State. As a part of the Buddhist dharma capable of leading man to achieve his activities Ayyappan decided to construct orphanages, old international co-operation and peace and the establishment of age homes, hospitals, schools, and libraries which made him human greatness and human freedom31. It was against this more popular. He advocated that the political activities should background that Ayyappan was induced to Buddhism as an be free from religious activities. Ayyappan cautioned his ideological base for his struggle against casteism and followers not to have blind faith on him41. discrimination. The challenge of Buddhism to and its In the opinion of Sahodharan Ayyappan, granting of jobs to the negation of casteism was the base of his rational approach. He Avarnas was not merely to reform those communities but to reformed culture and society of Kerala through his radical reform the whole society. Ayyappan was pointing to the real political democratic interventions and rationalist practices and issue namely, a share in the governance. In his opinion, questioned the social evils existed in the society and even communal representation was not antagonistic to nationalism, challenged it32. but would foster nationalism by eliminating communal Yukthivadhi (The Rationalist) discrimination, by providing equality of opportunity for all in the government services42. In other words, the argument of Ayyappan was one among the pioneers of the rationalist Ayyappan was that natural justice would be ensured to all only movement in Kerala. ‘Sahodhara Sangam’ begun by him was a when all communities would get representation in the rationalist organization in a true sense. Even the Sahodharan administration. According to him, communal representation published some writings against superstitious believes and evil was required till the communal system was eliminated. The practices in the society. He took initiative to start another ideal system of casteless society could be achieved only rationalist journal Yukthivadhi, along with C.V. Kunjuraman, through the elimination of caste differences after strengthening C.K. Krishnan and M.C. Joseph in 192933. The journal was all the communities by providing temporary safeguards. continued till 1960.Ayyappan launched the anti-caste discourse Communal representation was such a safeguard43. against Hinduism and its society. By challenging Hindu religion he indirectly rejected the discourse of Guru. As Political Activities against the meta-physical nature of Guru, Ayyappan, was a While he was the leader of the SNDP Yogam, Sahodharan revolutionary, created by modernity, turned against Ayyappan organized the abstention movement and called it as Hinduism34. While he criticized Hindu religion for its anti- non-co-operation movement. He spread the activities of Yogam human aspects, Guru upheld the humanitarian and ethical role among the farmers and labourers and organized unions like of religion across culture and society. He modified the AdiVaipin Thozhilali Sangham‟, Ochanthuruth Thozhilali message of Guru, ‘one caste, one religion and one God for 35 Union, Thiruvithamkoor Labour Association and Cochin man’ into ‘no caste, no religion and no God for man’ . 44 Labour Union .Ayyappanwas one of the founding fathers of The first target of Ayyappanwas to fight against the Bharani the trade unionism in Kerala. He contributed much to the festival36. He led a campaign against the obscene songs and development of trade unionism and literacy movement among animal sacrifices at ‘Bharani Fest’.Ayyappan, along with the working classes. In 1933, he started a newspaper called hundreds of followers marched towards it with a slogan “don’t Velakkaran (The Labourer) for the labourers at Alappuzha45.In go to Bharani”. He made a speech against it and blocked them. this tri-weekly paper, Sahodharan Ayyappan set forward the The angry devotees tortured them by throwing the blood and views of Marx and Lenin and wrote of the success of Russian pieces of the animals upon them36. Even after the incident he revolution. In his speeches to the workers, he asked them not continued this mission and also gave a petition to the King of to accept charity relief from either the factory owners or the Cochin to pass legislation against it. Government but demand higher wages as a matter of right. He attempted to organize an Alepey Trade Union through his Through Yukthivadhi Sahodharan Ayyappan attacked the speeches and a year’s newspaper campaign46. However, he did religious perceptions of Gandhi and Tagore37. He was against not advocate or encourage strikes and pickets as he had done Gandhiji for his positive attitude towards the system. earlier. He was of the opinion that social change could come Ayyappan vehemently criticized the ‘Hindu about only through democratic means and not through violent Mahamandal’38formed by Mannath Padmanabhan39 and R. revolutionary action47. While he used Marxist ideas of Sankar. He wrote some poems on rationalism and published it exploitation and class conflict to create a social awakening in the first volume of Yukhtivadhi. He used pen as a weapon among the workers and the poor, he was not committed to a against inequality and social evils. Poetry was his medium to violent revolutionary path as this went against his belief in the 39544 | P a g e Dr.Padmanabhan.N., Sahodharan Ayyappan and Rationalist Movement in Kerala non-violent path of Buddhism and of Sree Narayana Guru’s NOTES AND REFERENCES teaching. In this sense, he was not a full Marxist. The Velakkaran issued at the rate of three per week had a very short 1. 1.S.R,Jincy,Sahodaran Ayyappan: The Rationalist and 48 period of life . After eight months its publication came to an Critical realist in Dr.P.F.Gopakumar,(ed)Faces of Social end. Reform in Kerala,Thiruvanandapuram,2015:166;Also

Sahodharan Ayyappan always shared the feelings of the see.V. NagamAya, The Travancore State Manual, Vol. working class and therefore he argued for their cause in the II, Gazetteers Department of Kerala, legislature. He played a vital role in the course of the struggle , 1999:52 for responsible government in the of Cochin. He 2. M.Sahadevan, From Brahmanism to Liberalism, was elected to the legislative assembly of Cochin and became a Ideologies, Attitudinal Changes and Modernity in member of Cochin Prajamandal and a minister in the ministry Kerala, , 2008:292. of Parvoor T.K. Narayana Pillai.Thushe became the voice of 3. S.R, Jincy, n.1:167; see. A. Sreedhara , Kerala the depressed classes50. Very soon he became a popular History and its Makers, Madras, 1990:222. politician and got continuously elected to legislative assembly 4. He was the son of Kumabalathuparambil without opposition. KochavuVaidyar and Unnuliyamma 5. Shornur Karthikeyan, Sahodaran Ayyappan During his first tenure in the Cochin legislative council (Biography), , 2012:45. Ayyappan showed his commitment to progressive programmes. 6. He was a saint, philosopher and famed social reformer On one occasion he demanded that registration be given to all from Kerala love marriages. Many constitutional reforms of Cochin were 7. He was a social reformer, philosopher and poet of the results of his hard work. He became instrumental in the literature. enactment of a series of legislations including the Adult 8. M. Sahadevan, n.2:292. 51 Franchise in the Panchayats and the Civil Marriage Act . 9. He was also known as Alathur Shivayogi or Alathur

Ayyappan served as a minister two times in Cochin Legislative swami, was an atheist sanyasi from Kerala who founded Assembly and one time in Thiru- Assembly. He was the Ananda Maha Sabha in 1918 and Ananda Madham appointed to the ministry by the Maharaja on 9th September in 1919. 194652.He later resigned from the Cabinet, along with 10. He was a social reformer in Malabar and the founder of Panampilli Govinda Menon and C.R. Iyyunni, when Home the Atmavidya Sangham, which was fundamentally a Minister, T.K. used the police force to put down labour group of professionals and intellectuals who sought struggles and popular agitations. In popular elections in change. October 1949, the Prajamandalam party secured 11. Pavanan, Shodaran Ayyappanum Yuktivadi overwhelming majority and Ikkanda Warrior was elected Prasthanavum, (n.d.):8. leader of the party53. Sahodaran Ayyappan was one of his 12. Yukthivadi, Vol.1, No.4, M.E.1105, Vrichikam (1930 colleagues in the cabinet. Ayyappan was minister for a brief November-December) :113-120. period in the Paravoor TK ministry, but soon resigned from 13. G,Priyadarshanan SahodaranAyyappan, Kerala active politics and concentrated his energy into socio- cultural SahityaAcademy, Trissur, 2008:42 54 14. M.K.Sanu, Sahodaran.K.Ayyappan, Kottayam, 1980:30- activities . 33. After his retirement from active political life, Sahodaran 15. Puthuppalli Raghavan, Kerala Ayyappan dedicated more on social welfare measures. He PathrapravarthanaCharithram (Mal.), Trissur, 2008:. 55 founded the ‘Sree NarayanaSevika Samaj’ . He constructed a 141. Gurumandir at the hilltop and started a school for the poor 16. Ibid. children. Later on, it became a major pilgrim centre. Ayyappan 17. K.N. Panikkar, Culture and consciousness in Modern th passed away on 6 March 1968. His body was taken to : A Historical Perspective, New Delhi, 1992:4-5. Sreenarayana Giri and buried there. Then His social service 18. Editorial, Yukthivadi, Vol.3, No.12, was continued by his wife Parvathy Ayyappan and his M.E.1107Karkkidakam (1932 July-August):1. followers. 19. 19.C.K.Gangadaran, SahodaranAyyappan, ,

CONCLUSION 1984:8. 20. Editorial, Yukthivadi, Vol.1, No.1, M.E.1105Chingam 1 Ayyappan was widely respected by all sections of people (1929 August):2-3. across the society because of his selfless social work and also 21. K.Ayyappan, PuthiyaAdarshangal in Yuktivadi, vol.15, on account of his impeccable personal integrity. Sahodaran No.7, Kumbham M.E. 1119, :8 Ayyappan was the great humanist in modern Kerala. He was 22. Guru, , Autobiography of an Absolutist, inspired by the ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity as well Gurukula Publishing House, Varkala, 1989:36-38.;Also as rationalism, secularism and humanism. Ayyappan succeeded see M, Sahadevan “Ideological Basis of Modernity in to carve out an immortal niche for himself in the annals of Kerala” PhD thesis, Calicut University, 2002. socio-religious and political movement in Kerala by the 23. Joseph Mathew, Ideology, Protest and Social Mobility, revolutionary changes he effected and the sufferings he Inter India Publications, New Delhi, 1986:63-65 underwent for the uplift of the people in general and of the 24. K.A, Subrahmanyan, Sahodaran Ayyappan(biography), lower class in particular. Cochin, 1973:46. 25. Sahodaran, Vol.I No.4, Dhanu M.E.1093: 49. 39545 | P a g e International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Vol. 11, Issue, 08 (C), pp. 39542-39546, August, 2020

26. M,Sukumaran, “The Social Philosophy of Sree 41. .R, Sunil Kumar“DrPalpu and the Malabar Economic NarayanaGuru,”un published PhD thesis, Kerala Union”, Journal of Kerala Studies, Vol. XXX, University, 1985. Department of History, Kerala University, 27. He was commonly known as Periyar. He was an Indian Thiruvananthapuram,2003.See.Jacob, George, Religious social activist and politician who started the Self- Life of the Illavas of Kerala: Change and Continuity, Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam. He is ISPCK, Delhi, 1995. known as the 'Father of the Dravidian movement'. 42. M.Govindan(ed.), Kumaranasan Birth Centenary 28. T.M. Thomas Isaac, and Michael Tharakan, “Kerala: Volume, Sameeksha, Madras, 1974:16 Towards a New Agenda,” 43. P.K.K,Menon,The History of Freedom Movement in 29. Economic and Political Weekly, 30:31-32, 5-12 August, Kerala (1885-1938), Vol.II, Regional Records Service 1995 Committee, Thiruvananthapuram, 1970:176-78 30. 29.K.Ayyappan, Buddamargam‟, in Buddha 44. P.R, Nair Gopinathan, “Education and Socio Economic TatwaPradeepam, Calicut, 1929:7-8. Change in Kerala (1793- 1947,” Social Scientist, 4: 37 - 31. M.K, Saralamma“Social Change and Fertility Behaviour 48, No 1-12, 1975-76. in Kerala: An Over view”, in Journal of Kerala Studies, 45. C. J, Baker and David Wash Brooke, : Vol. XVIII, Department of History, University of Political Institutions and Political Change (1880 - Kerala, March - December, 1990.M. Sahadevan, n.2: 1940),The Macmillan Company of India Limited, Delhi, 293. 2004:57-59 32. K.N ,Ganesh(ed.), Cultural Encounters under 46. Ronald J, Herring, Land to the Tiller: The Political Colonialism: The Case of Education in Keralam in Economy of Agrarian Reform in South Asia, Yale Culture and Modernity: Historical University Press, UK,1988:65-68 Exploration, Publication Division, University of 47. 47.M.Dilip,Menon, Caste, Nationalism and Communism Calicut,2004. in South India, Malabar (1900- 1948), Cambridge 33. Kuttipuzha Pillai, „Stoic Thatwachinta‟, University Press, London, 1994:72 Pavanan(ed.), Yukthidarsanam, Calicut, 1982:264-267. 48. K.N,Panikkar“Land Control, Ideology and Reform: A 34. K. Ayyappan, „Matatinteyum Dharmatinteyum Study of the Changes in Family Organisation and Vyathiasangal‟ in Mithavadi Viseshal Prati, 1924, Marriage System in Kerala”, The Indian Historical Calicut: 75-78. Review, 4:1, July 1977. 35. Yukthivadi, Vol.2, No.5, M.E. 1106 Dhanu (1931 49. Yukthivadi, Vol.2, No.2, M.E. 1106 Kanni (1930 December 1932 January):133.Also see.Ashokan September-October):61. Mundon, “Renaissance and Social Change in Malabar: 50. CR, Vaidyar, Kesavan, Sahodaran Ayyippan, A Study with special reference to Ananda Samajam, Smaranakalum Patanangalum, DC Books, Kottayam Samajam, and AtmaVidya Sangam”, 1996:32-36 unpublished Ph D thesis, Calicut University, 2003 51. K.Sabukuttan,C. Krishnan and Social Change in Kerala, 36. Itwas in the KurumbaBhagavathy temple at Lulu Books, Kottayam, 2002:48. . 52. M.Sahadevan, Towards Social Justice and Nation 37. M,Prabha“SahodaranAyyappan” in M Govindan (ed.), Making: A Study of Sahodaran Ayyappan, Sophia, Kumaranasan Birth Centenary Volume, Sameeksha, Palakkad, 1993:102-118 Madras, 1974:58 53. C.K, Gangadharan,Shodaran Aiyyappan (biography), 38. 38.M.C.Kurippukal, Yukthivadi, Vol.11, No.10, M.E. Ernakulam, 1984:24-27. 1115 Etavam (1940 May-June):.289-290. 54. M.K,Sanu,Sahodaran K Ayyappan, DC Books, 39. He was an Indian social reformer and freedom fighter Kottayam, 1980:53.Also see. PuyappilliThankappan, from the south-western state of Kerala. He is recognized Sahodaran Ayyappan Viplavangalude Margadarsi, as the founder of the , which claims Cochin, 1996:73. to represent the Nair community that constitutes 12.10% 55. It is a charitable organization situated at of the population of the state. Thottumugham, , , Kerala, 40. M.K. Sanoo (ed.), Sahodarante Padya Krithikal, India which is also known as Sree Narayana ssssGiri. It Kottayam, 1981:247-249;Also see.K.S, was established in the year 1965 under Societies Madhavan“Formation of Identity in Kerala” in Registration Act, Travancore, 1955. Prabhakaran P (ed.), Symposia on : Life and Culture of the Marginalized, The Post –Graduate Department of History, Nehru Arts and Science College, Kanhangad, 2012.

How to cite this article:

Dr.Padmanabhan.N.2020, Sahodharan Ayyappan and Rationalist Movement in Kerala. Int J Recent Sci Res. 11(08), pp. 39542- 39546. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2020.1108.5524

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