Vayalar Ravi seeks Sree Narayana Guru's statue in Parliament
New Delhi, Dec 7 (UNI) Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi has urged Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to install a statue of well known social reformer of Kerala, Sree Narayana Guru, in Parliament.
''The people of Kerala and all those who believe in social equality and inherent dignity of man will be grateful to you for this'', Mr Ravi said in a letter to the Speaker.
Sree Narayanan Guru was a great social reformer and a Vedantist who radicalised the Kerala society in early part of the 20th century by synthesizing the spirit of Vedanta and the dynamics of social change, Mr Ravi said. In an extremely caste-ridden society, the Swamy's powerful advocacy of a casteless society and oneness of mankind based on his deep perception of the fundamental precepts of the Vedanta philosophy had set off a storm which resulted in the complete transformation of the Malayalee mind, the Minister pointed out.
Though born into a backward social group, Sree Narayana Guru installed an idol of Shiva in a place called Aruvippuram in Thiruvananthapuram causing a great amount of disquiet among the priestly class, as they felt that he had no spiritual authority to do so.
The Guru's work in the field of social reform attracted the attention of Gandhiji who met the Guru and was greatly impressed by his personality and teachings, Mr Ravi recalled. Many radical social and religious reforms which took place in Kerala during early part of the 20th century were the result of the movement led by Sree Narayanan Guru, Mr Ravi said.His famous words ''one caste, one religion and one God'' profoundly influenced the thinking of his times, the Minister said.
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