Around 200 people spread out mats and sat for lunch on a sultry afternoon on May 27, 1917 at Cherai in then Cochin State. They may not have had any inkling of the effect it would have on their society which was mired in deep caste divisions.
The event, aptly titled ‘Misra Bhojanam’, or inter-dining of people from all castes, followed a meeting of the Sahodara Sangham set up by K. Ayyappan, which later transformed into the Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham. It was there that he rephrased the famous exhortation of Sree Narayana Guru and denied the need for caste, religion, and God. The cultural, social, and political spheres across the State were on the cusp of a change.
The Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham is celebrating the centenary of this significant chapter from history with a three-day programme in Kozhikode from May 27.
Padmanabhan P., a member of the district unit of the sangham, said here on Tuesday that the year 1917 was epochal in world history for more than one reason. “The first World War was on. The Russian Revolution happened in the same year. In Kerala, Guru came up with his ‘I don’t have a caste’ exhortation. All these had a profound impact on our caste-ridden society too,” he said.
Mr. Padmanabhan added that the programmes in Kozhikode were the culmination of a year-long programme that began in Cherai last year.
Cultural development
“It will be an evaluation of our cultural development in 100 years. We will also try to highlight the significant part played by Sahodaran Ayyappan in our State’s history,” he said.
Krishnan Iringal, secretary of the sangham, said writer and academic K.S. Bhagavan would inaugurate the first day’s events on May 27. V.T. Balram, MLA, among others, will be present. A painting exhibition and release of books on rationalism will be the highlights of the day.
Free thinkers C. Ravichandran and C. Viswanathan will present papers on May 28. Muktha Dabholkar, daughter of slain rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, will participate in a session later, and financial assistance will be provided to the family members of Farooque, who was allegedly murdered for professing atheism.
