Decades after it was shut down, the magazine launched by the revolutionary social reformer Sahodaran Ayyappan will be relaunched this week. The magazine, Sahodaran , aimed at spreading the message of social justice, science and brotherhood, was first launched in 1917. But it was closed down in 1956 amid Sahodaran Ayyappan’s efforts to turn it into a daily.
The relaunch is scheduled for December 30. Academic and social activist M.K. Sanoo, who was associated with Sahodaran , will be the chief editor of the relaunched magazine. N.D. Premachandran, a lawyer and the president of Sree Narayana Seva Sangham, is the managing editor. The first copy of the relaunched magazine will be released by Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran.
The first copy of the relaunched Sahodaran will contain articles by noted social commentators and writers Sunny M. Kapikad, S. Ramesan Nair, Thottam Rajashekharan, K. Venu, Sachidananda Swami, Thampan Thomas, Shaukat and S. Shaji.
“We will stick to the ideas proposed by Sahodaran Ayyappan, who insisted that we speak only about what we believed in and act on what we talked about,” said Mr. Sanoo. The relaunch was an attempt to inculcate the ideals of equality, for which Sahodaran Ayyappan valiantly fought, he added.
Sahodaran Ayyappan’s idea was to use the magazine to spread the ideals of equality, social justice and reforms, said M.K. Sasheendran, who has been involved in spreading the ideals of the magazine. Eradication of the caste system, and spreading the ideals of social justice and brotherhood were among the aims of the magazine, he added.
Shaji George, managing director of Pranatha Books, said the ideals spread by the visionary were much ahead of his times. The publisher is bringing out a book of reflections by 20 writers on the significance of Jaathi Nirnayam by Narayana Guru, which was published in the third anniversary edition of Sahodaran in 1920. Jaathi Nirnayam contains the cornerstone of Narayana Guru’s ideal of the unity of humankind – Oru jaathi, oru matham, oru daivam, manushyanu (One caste, one religion, one god for all).
Mr. Premachandran said the basic idea behind the relaunch was a keen desire to see that the ideals of social justice, fraternity and scientific temper prevailed.
