Kumbalathuparambu Ayyappan (August 21, 1889 – March 6, 1968), better identified as Sahodaran Ayyappan , was a social reformer, thinker, rationalist, journalist, and politician from Kerala, India. A vocal follower of Sree Narayana Guru, he was associated with a number of events related to the Kerala reformation movement and was the organizer of ''Misra Bhojanam'' in Cherai in 1917. He founded ''Sahodara Sangam'', and the journal ''Sahodaran'' and was the founder editor of the magazine ''Yukthivadhi''.

Biography

K. Ayyappan was born on August 21, 1889, in Cherai, Vypin Island, in Ernakulam district of the present day south Indian state of Kerala in an aristrocatic Ezhava family of

ayurvedic Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...

physicians to Kumabalathuparambil Kochavu Vaidyar and Unnooli, as the youngest of their nine children. His father died when he was a child and was brought up under the guidance of his elder brother, Achuthan Vaidyar. His early education was in the traditional way and he learnt Sanskrit from local teachers such as Mattapilla Kannu Asan and Kochupilla Asan after which he started the formal education at a local school started by Nediyara Achan Bava. Subsequently, he studied at schools in Pallippuram and North Paravur before passing the pre-degree course from Malabar Christian College to join Maharaja's College, Thiruvananthapuram, the present-day University College for his under graduate studies. In between, there was a short break in studies due to health issues. During this period, he had the opportunity to interact with Narayana Guru and it was Guru who arranged for Ayyappan's stay in Thiruvananthapuram with the noted poet, Kumaran Asan. After completing his graduate studies in 1916, he returned to his native place to start his career started as a teacher at Rama Varma Union High School, Cherai but he could not carry his social and political life along with the teaching career and he quit the job. Later, he studied law but that was a futile attempt as he failed in the FL examination. Ayyappan was married to Parvathy and the couple had a daughter, Aisha and a son, Sugathan. He died on March 6, 1968, at the age of 78,following a cardiac arrest.

Reform movements

After his

graduation Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is a ...

, he returned to Cherai from Thiruvananthapuram in 1917 and founded ''Sahodara Sangham'' (The Brotherhood Association), a platform to launch his fight against the

Caste system Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...

. Under the aegis of this organization, he organized a ''Misra Bhojanan'', a feast where people of all castes sat and dined under one roof, at the house of Ayyappan's nephew, Raman Pillai, on May 30, 1917, a revolutionary venture during those days and the conservative Ezhava community opposed it. Around 200 people including members representing the Pulaya caste, who were considered

untouchable Untouchable or The Untouchable may refer to: People * Untouchability, the practice of socially ostracizing a minority group of very low social status ** A word for the Dalits or Scheduled Caste of India, a group that experiences untouchability * ...

attended the feast and the effort earned him the moniker, ''Pulaya Ayyappan'', meant to be derogatory but Ayyappan accepted it as a decoration. The founding of the ''Sahodara Sangham'' also earned him another epithet, ''Sahodaran Ayyappan'', with which he came to be known thereafter. Narayana Guru supported the efforts of Sahodara Sangham through a message sent on May 15, 1921, and in order to propagate his ideals, Ayyappan started a journal, ''Sahodaran'', from

Mattancherry Mattancherry (), is a locality in the city of Kochi, India. It is about 9 km south-west from the city center. It is said that the name Mattancherry comes from "Ancherry Mattom", a ''Namboodiri illam'' which the foreign traders then pronounc ...

; the journal continued to be in print until 1956. IN 1929, when M. Ramavarma Thampan, Mithavaadi Krishnan, C. V. Kunhiraman, and

M. C. Joseph Mookencheril Cherian Joseph, popularly known as ''Yukthivadi'' M. C. Joseph (യുക്തിവാദി എം സി ജോസഫ്‌), was an eminent rationalist from Kerala, India. He was one of the very significant figures of Kerala R ...

started the Yukthivadi (The Rationalist), he became the founder editor of the magazine. He modified the famous slogan of Narayana Guru, ''Oru Jaathi Oru Matham Oru Daivam Manushyanu'' (One Caste, One Religion, One God for Mankind) as ''Jati Venda, Matam Venda, Deivam Venda Manushyanu'' (No Caste, No Religion, No God for Mankind).

Political career

In 1928, Ayyappan successfully contested the election to the Cochin Legislative Council and he retained the seat for the next 21 years. He became a minister in the Cochin Legislative assembly in 1947 and when the state of Travancore and Kochi was united to form Travancore-Cochin state, he continued to serve as a minister, only to resign from the post when the government started dismissing lower level employees as an austerity measure. However, in the next elections in October 1949, the Prajamandalam Party secured majority to form a ministry under the leadership of

E. Ikkanda Warrier Ikkanda Warrier (ഇക്കണ്ട വാര്യര്) (1890 – 1977) was the third and the last Prime Minister of the state of Cochin, India, beginning in 1948. Early life Warrier was born in 1890 as the member of the Edakkunni Warria ...

, he joined the ministry along with

Panampilli Govinda Menon Panampilly Govinda Menon (1 October 1906 – 23 May 1970) was an Indian politician, freedom fighter, and lawyer. He was born in a village near Kathikkudam and completed graduation from '' St.Thomas College, Thrissur''. He started his legal pra ...

and C. A. Ouseph. He also served as a minister under

Paravoor T. K. Narayana Pillai Paravoor Thazhathuveettil Krishnan Kartha Narayana Pillai (25 March 1890 – 23 June 1971) was an Indian freedom fighter during the British Raj in India and was a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) which fought against the British ...

but resigned the post when the ministerial responsibilities interfered with his social life.

Literary career

Ayyappan published six books of poetry and an essay compilation, ''Sadhesheeyam'. Besides, he also wrote several articles and editorials which appeared in the publications he was associated with.

Memorials and honours

On February 14, 1996, Shankar Dayal Sharma, the then president of India, unveiled a statue of Ayyappan in Kochi. The Government of Kerala has set up Sahodaran Ayyappan Memorial at the house where Ayyappan was born which houses Sahodaran Ayyappan Smaraka Library and the Sahodaran Ayyappan museum. Three educational institutions in Kerala bear the name of Ayyappan, viz. Sahodaran Ayyappan Smaraka (SNDP) Yogam College, Konni, Pathanamthitta district, Sahodaran Memorial High School, Cherai, and the Sahodaran Ayyappan Memorial College of Education, Poothotta. One of the main arterial roads in Kochi has been named after him as Sahodaran Ayyappan Road. An annual award, the ''Sahodaran Media Award'', has been instituted to recognize excellence in journalism.

Popular media

* A documentary film about Sahodaran Ayyappan, part of a series of films on prominent Malayalis, was narrated by

M. K. Sanu M. K. Sanu (born 27 October 1928) is a Malayali writer, critic, retired professor, biographer, journalist, orator, social activist, and human rights activist. He has authored over thirty-six books. He is a permanent member of the International B ...

, who also wrote a biography of him.

Gallery

സഹോദരൻ-അയ്യപ്പൻ-സ്മാരകം-കൊച്ചി.jpg, Statue of Ayyappan in Kochi MishraBhojanaSilpaMathil.jpg, Mural depicting Mishra Bhojanam Mrs.Aysha Ayyappan.jpg, Aisha Gopalakrishnan, Ayyappan's daughter YUKTHIVADI.JPG, Issue of Yukthivadi magazine dated April 4, 1936 Birthplace Of Sahodaran Ayyappan.jpeg, Birthplace Sahodaran Ayyappan Statue Stone.JPG, Statue stone Sahodaran Ayyappan Smaraka Library.jpeg, Sahodaran Ayyappan Smaraka Library

References

External links

*
Kerala.gov.in: Orma Film Festival 2004 - documentary on Ayyappan narrated by M. K. Sanu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ayyappan, Sahodaran Narayana Guru Malayali politicians Politicians from Kochi Indian materialists Indian atheists 1889 births 1968 deaths Indian social reformers Journalists from Kerala Writers from Kochi 19th-century Indian people 20th-century Indian journalists Activists from Kerala 20th-century Indian scholars Scholars from Kochi Malabar Christian College alumni University College Thiruvananthapuram alumni