Sahodaran Ayyappan

Sahodaran Ayyappan Biography

SahodaranAyyappan was a great social reformer from Kerala who played a significant role in the cultural renovation of Kerala in the first half of 20th century. He was an ardent follower of SreeNarayana Guru. A great radical activist and thinker belonging to the Ezhava community, Ayyappan took initiatives to break the caste discrimination and division that existed in Kerala in the early 20th century. He arranged the historical community feast in Cherai of Kochi in 1917, where people belonging to different castes were allowed to participate. Though he received several opposition for the conservative Ezhava community to which he belonged to, he was warmly welcomed and supported by Narayana Guru. He stood as a rationalist who didn't believe in any religion. No caste, no religion, no god - was his slogan. 

He was born in 1889 in Cherai of Ernakulam district. He lost his father at an early age. He later grew up under the guidance of his elder brother. He completed schooling from Cherai and North Paravoor and joined Malabar Christian College, Kozhikode for pre-degree. However he discontinued his studies due to ill health. It was in those days he got associated with social work. He used to speak in public platforms while at Kozhikode. He met SreeNarayana Guru in those days who encouraged him to complete his studies. Later he completed graduation from Maharaja's College, Ernakulam. By this time he got actively involved in social work to fight against caste system. 

He arranged a misrabhojan in Cherai in 1917, where he invited people belonging to all castes to have feast. In those days, lower caste people were allowed to sit along with upper class for meals.  The feast was attended by about 200 people including dalits and this move was strongly opposed by people belonging to his caste. He was called PulayanAyyappan, but Ayyappan took it as an honour. By this time he completed LLB from Thiruvananthapuram and supported Narayana Guru’s moves for inter-caste marriages and community feasts. He was the founder editor of the Yukthivadimagazine and one of the foremost members of trade union in Kerala. He has also served as minister in Cochin Legislative Assembly and Thiru-Kochi Assembly.

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Updated: June 13, 2018