Recognise true role of renaissance leaders

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Segmenting the renaissance leaders on the basis of thecommunity or caste into which they were born and showing reluctance to acknowledge their contributions in the evolution of modern Kerala would be a disgrace, noted poet and critic Puthusseri Ramachandran  has said.  Delivering the Chattambi Swami remembrance lecture at the “Tribute to the renaissance leaders” programme organised as part of the “ prathibha vandanam’’ being held as part of the CPM state conference here on Wednesday, he said as of late the communal overtones in the social fabric had made people consider history in an objective manner.  He pointed out that there has been a tendency to speak the truth that Chattampi Swamikal was the spiritual guru of Sree Narayana Guru. ‘’Sometimes our casteist mindset was behind accepting the facts as fact. It was Sree Narayana Guru who understood the greatness of Chattampi Swamikal for the first time.  When the Nair community tried to bestow him the title of  Nair community’s spiritual guru, Chattampi Swamikal rightly declined to accept any such offer. Instead his main endeavour was to create a casteless society. One of his efforts at this direction was to promote “panthibhajanam” as an effective weapon against untouchability.  He said Chattampi Swamikal’s main disciples were from the Ezhava community and it was in their houses that he arranged his usual meetings.  Delivering the lecture on the contributions of Sree Narayana Guru,  Sunil P Ilayidam said that Sree Narayana Guru had the infinite knowledge of blending  spiritual and material aspects of life into one  and make it comprehensible to the common man as well as to scholars. When the iconoclasts lambasted him for promoting idol worship, Guru pointed out that it was for those who were not so learned like them.  Guru pointed out that despite the efforts by the scholars over 2000 years to reject idol worship, it remained a major part of the rituals.  Sree Narayana Guru had a practical bend of mind to drive home certain facts to cross over  societal barriers. Marxist ideologue P Govindapillai inaugurated the seminar and delivered the Vaikundaswami lecture.  Rosekott Krishnapillai delivered the Barrister G P Pillai lecture.  Piappancode Murali welcomed the gathering and R Parvathydevi proposed a vote of thanks.