Kerala Renaissance Leaders: The Complete Guide for LDC 2025

The Kerala Renaissance was a period of intense social reformation that transformed the caste-ridden society of Kerala into a progressive model. For PSC aspirants, this topic holds significant weight in LDC, LGS, and Degree Level exams.

1. Sree Narayana Guru (1856–1928)

Regarded as the father of the Kerala Renaissance, his famous slogan was "One Caste, One Religion, One God for Man."

• Aruvippuram Consecration (1888): He consecrated a Shiva idol, challenging the Brahmin monopoly on temple rituals.
• SNDP Yogam (1903): Founded for the upliftment of the Ezhava community. Dr. Palpu was the driving force, and Kumaran Asan was the first secretary.
• Atmopadesa Satakam: A major literary work emphasizing the oneness of humanity.

2. Ayyankali (1863–1941)

Known as the "Pulaya King," Ayyankali fought for the rights of Dalits to walk on public roads and access education.

• Villuvandi Samaram (1893): He rode a bullock cart through the public roads of Venganoor, a right denied to lower castes.
• Kallumala Samaram (1915): A movement encouraging women to discard stone necklaces (symbols of slavery).
• Education Strike: He famously said, "If our children are not allowed to study, weeds will grow in your paddy fields."

3. Chattampi Swamikal (1853–1924)

A contemporary of Narayana Guru, he worked for the reformation of the Nair community. His work Pracheena Malayalam argued against the caste system using Vedic knowledge.

4. Mannathu Padmanabhan (1878–1970)

Founder of the Nair Service Society (NSS) in 1914. He led the Savarna Jatha during the Vaikom Satyagraha and played a key role in the Vimochana Samaram (Liberation Struggle) of 1959.