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Difficulty: MediumSocio-Religious Reform Movements of the 19th and 20th Centuries

Consider the following statements regarding the socio-religious reform movement led by Shri Narayana Guru in southern India:

1. He challenged traditional caste privileges by consecrating a Shiva idol at Aravippuram in 1888.
2. He propagated the famous moral maxim 'One Caste, One Religion, One God for Man'.
3. His disciple Sahodaran Ayyappan advocated an anti-specious transformation of this movement with the slogan 'No Caste, No Religion, No God for Man'.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A
    1 and 2 only
  2. B
    2 and 3 only
  3. C
    1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2, and 3Answer

Answer

All three statements (1, 2, and 3) are correct.
All three statements are historically accurate. In 1888, Shri Narayana Guru openly defied upper-caste hegemony by installing a Shiva idol at Aravippuram. He preached universal brotherhood under the message 'One Caste, One Religion, One God for Man'. His reformer associate Sahodaran Ayyappan took this further from a rationalist standpoint with the slogan 'No Caste, No Religion, No God for Man'. Therefore, the option containing all three statements is correct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Statement 1 regarding the Aravippuram consecration
Statement 1 is correct. In 1888, Shri Narayana Guru consecrated a idol of Lord Shiva at Aravippuram, Kerala, asserting that high-caste Brahmins did not hold exclusive rights to temple rituals.
This event marked a revolutionary milestone in anti-caste movement history in South India.
2
Evaluate Statement 2 regarding Narayana Guru's core philosophy
Statement 2 is correct. Narayana Guru coined the famous universalist motto 'Oru Jathi, Oru Matham, Oru Daivam Manushyanu' ('One Caste, One Religion, One God for Man').
It aimed at fostering social equality and spiritual unity among oppressed lower-caste communities.
3
Evaluate Statement 3 regarding Sahodaran Ayyappan's contribution
Statement 3 is correct. Sahodaran Ayyappan, a prominent reformative follower of Narayana Guru and founder of Sahodara Sangam, extended the philosophical reform toward rationalism by coining 'No Caste, No Religion, No God for Man'.
This reflected the secular/atheistic current within the broader Ezhavas emancipation movement.

Key Concept

Socio-Religious Reform Movements of South India: Temple Entry Initiatives and Anti-Caste Ideologies
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Topics

Socio-Religious Reform Movements of the 19th and 20th Centuries

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