§ Ayya
Vaikundar(Vaikunda Swami)(1809-1851), a great humanist and social thinker,
lived in the Princely Kingdom of Travancore in the early decades of the 19 th
Century Kerala, is still remembered as the first well known social reformer in
India who critiqued the caste discrimination and religious hierarchy and fought
against the practice of untouchability.
§ Being
the founder of ‘Samathwa Samajam’, the first socio reform movement in India (1836),
Ayya Vaikundar is considered as the pioneer of such revolutionary movements in India
.
§ Ayya
Vaikundar called the rule of the British as ‘Ven Neechan’ and the rule of king
of Travancore as ‘The Neechan of Ananthapuri’.
§ He
is the first to install mirror for worshipping in South India.
§ He
was the exponent of a new path of spiritual thoughts named ‘Ayya Vazhi’.
§ His
exhortation ‘One caste, One religion, One Clan, One world, One God’’ is world
famous.
§ No
evidence of any picture or any of his human figure are kept to prove his visual
identity .So that he still remains as in the form of absolute wisdom.
§ His
theory and practice like ‘samathva samajam’ , ‘sama panthi bhojan’ , ‘thottu namam
podunkal’ were much enough to cultivate a thought of equality and unity in Indian
minds.
§ Ayya
Vaikundar was born to the couple Ponnu Madan and Veyilal Amma in at Poovandanthope
in the Kanyakumari District.
§ They
initially named the child Mudisoodum Perumal, meaning “Lord Narayanam with a crown”.
§ But
due to the heavy protest of upper castes the name had to change as ‘Muthukutty’
because at that time only upper castes were allowed to use the names of gods as
their names.
§ Ayya
Vaikunda Nather stayed at Swamithoppu and sent his disciples far and wide to
carry his message to the masses.
§ He
mainly had five disciples named with Pancha Pandavas as Mailady Sivathaanu (Dharma
Cheedar), Kailasapuram Pandaaram ( Bheeman Cheedar), Pillayarkudiyirippu
Arjunan (Arjunan Cheedar), Kulachal Subbayyan (Nakulan Cheedar ) ,
Thamarakkulam Harigopalan (Sahadevan Cheedar ).
§ He
asked his five disciples to preach his principles and lead a holy life . He
gave a Pathiram (guideline for a systematic life based on his principles ) to
them and insisted to adhere it strictly.
§ People
congregated at Swamithoppu to get his blessings and called ‘Ayya’. He used the holy
mud - Namam - and the holy watermunthiri patham to cure the people of their illness
and absolve them from sins.
§ He
preached a new prayer which his followers called as Pothippu. People came to
him with their first produce like banana bunch, arecanut bunch, paddy, betal
leaves and flowers.
§ Ayya
Vaikundar advised his followers to practice Dharma. ‘Annadhanam’ was considered
as the important form of Dharma.
§ Ayya
Vaikundar’s preaching about temple worship was of great significance. He discouraged
idol worship.
§ Ayya
Vaikundar discouraged slaughtering of animals in the name of sacrifice. He discouraged
keeping Hundis in temples and also giving Kanikka (offerings).
§ Ayya
Vaikundar organized ‘Sama Panthi Bhojana’ in each and every place of worship in
the name of “Annadanam’.
§ In
1836 Ayya Vaikundar organized a massive movement named ‘Samathva Samajam’. To propagate
his concept of equality and dignity of all human beings this organization led a
significant role.
§ During
the ‘Chariot Festival’ of Sucheendram temple Ayya Vaikundar captured the
chariot thread (Kampa vadam) along with his followers and ready to pull the
chariot along with the high caste.
§ He
declared that the low castes including him have the right to pull the temple
chariot. This act provocated the high caste authorities.
§ When
the King, Swathi Thirunal, was visiting a nearby place , they complained to him
that Vaikundar was deceiving the masses in the name of God. As they had full
influence over the King and the State, they convinced the King to arrest Vaikundar.
The King believed the words of the high caste chieftains and consequently sent
a troop to arrest Ayya Vaikundar.
§ The
troop arrested Ayya Vaikundar from Swamithoppu.
§ Ayya
was brought before the King.The King ordered to take Ayya Vaikundar to Thiruvananthapuram,
the capital of Travancore.
§ At
Thiruvananhapuram Ayya Vaikundar was punished with imprisonment for some months
and put in the jail at Singarathoppu from November 1838.
§ King
later ordered to release Ayya Vaikundar by signing an agreement forcing him to
be only the leader of the people of his caste only . But Ayya Vaikundar refused
to sign such an agreement .
§ He
said that he has no caste or creed and was common to every body. He also told the
King that he would leave the jail only when he desires to do so.
§ On
the 19th day of Tamil month Masi (March 3, 1839) Ayya Vaikundar decided to go
back to Swamithoppu.
§ With
all glories, his followers carried him back to Swamithoppu overnight and
reached there on 20th day of Masi. This day is very auspicious to all his
devotees and now every year this day is celebrated as Masi procession.
§ During
that period , Nanchi nadu was the storehouse of the paddy in Travancore. These
paddy fields were taxed heavily. At the same time the land cultivators had to pay
two types of taxes. One for land and other for trees. The majority of the land owners
were high caste people. Even then Ayya Vaikundar entered in this issue. He told
that the tax can be given to land only and organized hundreds of farmers of
Nanchi nadu and proceeded to Thiruvananthapuarm. Addressing the farmers agitation
at Thiruvananthapuram , Ayya Vaikundar asked the King to stop treetax which was
an additional one. He also pointed out that only if the farmer toil in the mud
, the King can eat in the golden plate. This event may be the first agitation
of farmers against a Kingdom in the history of India.
§ This
part of the 19 th century witnessed cruelty against women . They were not allowed
to cover their breasts and below the knee in Travancore.
§ An
young Nadar lady came to market by wearing a blouse at the place called Kottaram
near Kanya kumari.
§ The
high caste chieftains tore her blouse and captured her wedding chain with
thaali. From this incident onwards , this market is known as Thaali Aruthaan
Chanthai.
§ The
men of Nadar community protested against this. The agitation spread over to different
places. Several social workers intervened in this issue. The London Missionary
Rev.Charles Mead went to the Court against this anti-human activity.
§ Straight
fights between low caste and high caste men became common. The Govt. authorities
stood on the side of high caste men.
§ They
were not ready to consider the Court Verdict. So the Nadar men finally decided
to break the hands of those who tear the blouses of their ladies. Strong fights
went on.
§ Observing
this severity of the agitation, the Govt. decided to permit Nadar women to wear
the blouse.
§ But
they were not permitted to put a shawl over the blouse. Ayya Vaikundar strongly
opposed this and lead the agitation which was known as Mel Mundu Samaram.
§ As
he foretold earlier Ayya Vaikundar attained Nirvaana on a Monday mid-noon 2nd
of June 1851.
§ After
the period of Ayya, many of his prophecies came to reality. Thousands of people
became his followers.
§ His
spiritual thoughts turned into a new way of life – Ayya Vazhi.The people who
criticized him while he was alive, had recognized his way of thought-that is
Ayya Vazhi.
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இந்த புகைபடத்தில் இருப்பவர் அய்யாவைகுண்டர் அல்ல. அய்யாவைகுண்டரின் அவதார காலத்தில் கூட பலமுறை பலர் புகைப்படம் எடுக்க முயற்சித்தும் நடக்கவில்லை என்பதற்கு ஆதாரம் உள்ளது. இது சாதிவெறியர்களின் கற்பனையில் உருவான உருவம்.
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