The Kerala society of the nineteenth and early twentieth century was a hot bed of castism, untouchability, social discrimination, polluted laws and other inhuman oppression unparalleled in other parts of India. It was in this social context that Swami Vivekananda designated Kerala, a ‘beetlam’.

The awakening of the so-called lower caste people of the Hindu society against these social injustices and evils was the necessity of the time. The profound awakening which Kerala witnessed in the last quarter of the nineteenth century expressed itself in a number of socio-religious reform movements militant in spirit, yet peaceful and non-violent in action. The torch bearer of this reform movement in Kerala was Sree Narayana Guru.

Teaching of Narayana Guru on education and Society: Sree Narayana Guru, the great Saint and social reformer sowed the seeds of social revolution in Kerala. He is our supreme gift, a rare specimen of human life to the world at large. In him, the socially oppressed classes or ‘avarnas’ found a true saviour and through his silent revolution came the salvation of subalternate. His life and work forms one of the glorious chapters of Travancore history.

As a hermit who had deep insight into the then Kerala Society Guru understood the plight of the repressed sections. He organised, instructed and set in motion the process of reformation of the depressed classes in Kerala Society. The key slogan - ‘One caste, One Religion, and One God for Man’- contains the essence of Guru’s cosmic vision. This was an amalgamating experience. It intergrated the conflicting relgious sects into an equalitarian society through Guru’s ideas of intercaste marriages and intercaste feasting or ‘pandibhojanam’. Through the promulgation of these concepts, Narayana Guru brought the entire human community under one roof.

Narayana Guru was not an ordinary spiritual leader. He was quite conscious of the value of education in bringing freedom and enlightenment to the community. He reminded the people of Kerala that ignorance is the real cause of slavery and urged them to “seek liberation through education”. He also reminded them in the necessity of an organisation to fight against social evils. Hence he propagated the slogan: “Organise and be strong”. Guru himself took initiative and formed Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogham on 15th May 1903 to fight ill-treatment of the underdog.

The Ezhava community which was in the process of a rapid transformation to surge forward at the beginning of the 20th century, was benefitted by the new organisation. Dr.Palpu and Kumaran Asan took the reins of the Yogam. Asan was elected the general secretary and Narayana Guru became its life long president.

Knowledge is power. A society’s progress can be attained only if it is educated. At present in India’s educational policy, education is regarded as the main instrument for human resource development.

The S.N.D.P Yogam turned its attention on educational activities as the students of backward classes experienced great difficulty in getting admission to colleges. Under this circumstance they clamoured for the establishment of higher educational institutions.

The S.N.D.P yogam carried on a relentless struggle for educational rights and social reform through the stoppage of extravagant ceremonies.

The Sree Narayana movement under the leadership of the S.N.D.P yogam had spread through out Kerala within a span of ten years from the day of its inception. In keeping with Guru’s slogan of “Liberation through education”, the S.N.D.P Yogam started schools for the depressed classes in Kollam. Inspired by the success of this endeavour the S.N.D.P Yogam started High Schools all over the state.

The primary aim of the Sree Narayana movement is the eradication of the social injustices and inequalities which existed in Kerala due to the four-fold structure of the Hindu society. To achieve this goal it shifted its attention to the spread of higher education throughout the state irrespective of caste disctructions.

The cultural renaissance brought about by the S.N.D.P Yogam opened up the doors of higher education to one and all. Education is the most important instrument for bringing social change progressive realisation of ideal of equality of opportunity. Itwidens our attitude in discovering and nurturing talents and giving people adequate chances to realise their potential to enrich their life and the life of the community in which they live.

In view of starting a college the Ezhavas formed the Sree Narayana Guru memorial college committee with N.Kumaran as president, E.C.Govindan Asan as Treasurer and M.A.Kesavan Muthalali and A.K.Bhaskaran as Secretaries. A deputation on behalf of the committee met Sir.C.P.Ramaswamy Iyer, the then Dewan of Travancore and conveyed to him the intention of establishing a first grade college at Kollam. The Dewan’s response was positive and informed them that the government would assist with Rs.3 Lakhs provided they collect an equal amount from public. But later they were informed by the Dewan that establishment of a I grade College would atleast require 10 lakhs of which half would be provided by the Government. But due to financial constraints, the committee could contribute only two lakh rupees and decided to urge the S.N.D.P Yogam to collect the remaining amount and start the college under the latter’s initiative.

The responsibility of starting the college was entrusted to Sri.R.Sankar with the General Secretary of the Yogam. Sri.R.Sankar was a great follower of the teachings of Sree Narayana Guru. He was a versatile genius, who shines like a silver star in the mental horizon of the trampled communities. Born on April 30 1909 at Puthur in Kollam District, R.Sankar did his graduation from the then Maharaja’s College, the present University College, Thiruvananthapuram in1931. After a brief stint at teachings he studied law. He gave emphasis on education as panaca for social disabilities of the illiterate and the under privileged. He laboured with far sightedness for the fruition of Guru’s exhortation to liberate the backward communities through education. He started educational funds like the primary and secondary educational fund and the general educational fund to provide scholarship to poor backward students and aid to deserving students who desire to go abroad for higher studies.
R.Sankar, who desired to open the doors of higher education to the depressed classes took upon the responsibility of starting the college at Kollam on his shoulders and was full of optimism. Along with the collection of money through the educational fund, he also tried to gain land for the construction of the college. On 17th April 1947, the foundation stone for the college building was laid by Sri.M.Govindan, President of the S.N.D.P Yogam. The college named after Sree Narayana Guru, was formally inaugurated on 16 th June 1949 by Sri.Pattom Thanupillai, the then Chief Minister of Travancore. With the establishment of this college higher education was made available to all irrespective of caste and creed in Kollam.By gaining higher education the thinking of the people widened, they became broad minded and cultured.

In 1951 permission was granted by the University to start a second grade college at Kollam, namely the Sree Narayana College for women. It has been the biggest women’s college in the state with a strength of more than 4,500 students.
The Sree Narayana College at Kollam is a lasting monument both to R.Sankar’s labour and to the human values of the Sree Narayana movement. By starting this college, higher educational facilities which was confined till then only to the cities, finally entered into the rural areas. With the spread of education among the depressed classes, the outlook and mentality of the people changed. They became broad - minded and cultured. A sizeable number of students, who have passed out from the S.N. Colleges have gone to serve the country and attain fame in various walks of life.

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