Context:
Prime Minister has paid tributes to Sri Ayya Vaikunda Swamikal on his birth anniversary.
Ayya Vaikunda Swamikal:
- Ayya Vaikunda Swamikal – Was a pioneer in social reform movements in Kerala
- Also called – Mudisoodum Perumal
- Lived in – Travancore
- Timeperiod – 19th CE (1809 – 1851)
- Teachings –
- His teachings are elaborated in Akilath thirattu Ammanai and Arulnool which are the holy books of Ayya vazhi followers.
- Opposed the rule of the British as ‘Ven Neechan’ and the rule of the king of Travancore as ‘The Neechan of Ananthapuri’
- Emphasised on Dharma Yuga, peaceful earth free from all wars and violences.
- He called for equality and unity among all cases
- Gave the call of ‘One caste, One religion, One Clan, One world, One God’
- He insisted on abandoning the superstitions that prevailed in the name of religion.
- Contributions –
- Founded ‘Samathwa Samajam’, one of the early socio reform movement in India (1836)
- First to install a mirror for worshipping in South India
- Conducted practice like ‘sama panthi bhojan’ and ‘thottu namam podunkal’ to ensure equality and unity among Indians.
- Nizhal Thankals – Temples created by him for people who were not allowed in ordinary temples.
- Ayya vazhi – It is a religious way of living introduced by him
- Famous disciple – Thycaud Ayya
- Vaikunda Swami Temple – Swamithoppu (Kanyakumari)
Source: PIB
Previous Year Question
The Vital-Vidhwansak, the first monthly journal to have the untouchable people as its target audience, was published by:
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2020 Prelims]
(a) Gopal Baba Walangkar
(b) Jyotiba Phule
(c) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
(d) Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
Answer: (a)
