Why in news? A delegation led by Minister for Kannada and Culture and Energy to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and submitted a petition seeking the establishment of a corporation after the 19th-century social reformer Narayana Guru.

Highlights:

• The demand is likely to be included in the State Budget to be presented by Chief minister , who also holds the Finance portfolio.
• The corporation should be aimed at uplifting the economically disadvantaged Billava community, the followers of Narayana Guru, by extending them various facilities, like other government-run corporations in the State
• Narayana Guru fought against untouchability and his thoughts and preachings are ever relevant

About Narayana Guru

• He was a philosopher, spiritual leader and social reformer in India.
• Led a reform movement against the injustice in the caste-ridden society of Kerala to promote spiritual enlightenment and social equality
• Philosophy: Vedanta

The Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam)

• Founded : 1903
• With the efforts of Padmanabhan Palpu,(Dr. Palpu), with Narayana Guru as its founder president.

Motto :One Caste, One Religion, One God for All

Aruvippuram Pratishta:

• Narayana guru consecrated a piece of rock taken from the river, as the idol of Shiva, has since become the Aruvippuram Shiva Temple
• The act, later came to be known as Aruvipuram Pratishta, created a social commotion among the upper caste who questioned Guru’s right to consecrate the idol
• To reply that “This is not a Brahmin Shiva but an Ezhava Shiva” later became a famous quote, used against casteism

Vaikom Satyagraha

• Agitation by the lower caste against untouchability in Hindu society
• Location : Travancore.
• Reason for the protest: Narayana Guru was stopped from passing through a road leading to Vaikom Temple by an upper caste person

Follower during the movement:

• Kumaran Asan and Muloor S.Padmanabha Panicker, composed poems in protest of the incident.
• K. Madhavan petitioned the Sree Moolam Popular Assembly in 1918 for rights to enter the temple and worship, regardless of the caste.
• Paryatanam movement : K. Kelappan and K. P. Kesava Menon, formed a committee and announced movement and with the support of Mahatma Gandhi
• The agitation developed into a mass movement which resulted in the opening of the temple as well as three roads leading to it to people of all castes.
• This influenced the Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936

Sivagiri pilgrimage

• Conceived by three of the disciples : Vallabhasseri Govindan Vaidyar, T. K. Kittan Writer and Muloor S. Padmanabha Panicker which Guru approved with his own recommendation
• Goals: Promotion of education, cleanliness, devotion to God, organization, agriculture, trade, handicrafts, and technical training

Writing

• Atmopadesa Śatakam (hundred-verse spiritual poem) and Daiva Dasakam (universal prayer in ten verses).
• Thirukural of Valluvar, Ishavasya Upanishad and Ozhivil Odukkam of Kannudaiya Vallalaar.

Philosphy

• Non-dualistic philosophy of Adi Sankara by bringing it into practice by adding the concepts of social equality and universal brotherhood.

All Religions’ Conference

• Guru organized an All Religion Conference in 1923 at Alwaye Advaita Ashram,
• Reported to be first such event in India
• To counter the religious conversions Ezhava community