SNDP Yogam - a great reformist organization drifting with no sense of direction!
SNDP Yogam - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!
1903 : That was the year Sri Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam founded in Guru's name by his followers. The organization played a pivotal role in the development of people in later years based on the principles and directions put forward by Narayana Guru. For the foundng fathers of the Yogam, it was the embodiment of the mottos "Strength through Organization" and "Progress through Education" .

The hindu religion, as disorganzied it was for centuries, did not have an organizational body on national, state or local levels. The only organization one found in the hindu religion was closely connected to the temples, even these were isolated and were not under a central control or direction. On top of everything the religious bodies were the monopoly of higher castes. Lower castes were considered "untouchables " and so, though part of hindu religion, were a kind of social outcastes. How can there be social development in such a scenario?

Kerala was fortunate in a way to be exposed to other faiths from the beginning of time. Apostle St. Thomas landed in Cranganore in the year AD 52 and Cheraman Perumal, the local King of Chera Dynasty went to Arabia and came back with Muslim faith, proof of which is seen in the existence of Cheraman Juma Masjid, again at Cranganore. Both these religions had substantial following in Kerela (today 20% each, probably the per centage was comparable during 19th century too).

The purpose of the SNDP Yogam was to foster social development. The yogam played key role in later movements to eradicate untouchability, social dogmas and in the struggle for securing the right of temple entry to people of all castes. Vaikom Satyagraha was in 1925, the right of way in the public street was given to all people. But it was only in 1937 that the Travancore State Government issued an order in the name of the Maharaja and gave the right of entry to temples to the Harijans also, for the first time in the whole of India.

Schools and Colleges

SNDP founded schools and colleges in the independent India. Previously the only private colleges were those managed by the Church. The movement started with SN College, Quilon and continued to late 70s. Great leaders like R.Shanker had the vision for future. According to M.A.John (idealist Congress leader), Shanker was the best Chief Minister we had and Shanker ministry laid the foundation for long term progress in Kerala - in the form of educational institutions and industries. Just as this momentum was lost during the later coalition governments, SNDP Yogam also lost its direction in the coming years. Today we have cheap leaders in the government and cheap leaders in all organizations! SNDP and NSS are no exception.

A Multicaste Organization

Though SNDP Yogam is mainly managed by Ezhava community, there is nothing in the bye-laws stopping other castes or religions into the body. As had been the case, many social reformers of other 'castes' were close friends or associates of SNDP Yogam. We see notable names like Mannath Padmanabhan (founder of NSS), V.T.Bhattathiripad, M.C.Joseph(Rationalist) and in recent times Singer Yesudas and P.A.Backer who produced the movie on Sree Narayana Guru. Both Mannam and Marxist leader A.K.Gopalan were influenced by Guru and shed their caste endings from their names.

The ultimate debacle of the Yogam

Guru advocated against the consumption of alcohol. It was especially relevant those days when the vocation of the Ezhava community included making toddy from coconuts. Many low caste families did n't come up because of their obsession with alcohol.

In later years many of Guru's followers became rich by selling alcohol directly or indirectly through Ayurvedic Medicines like "Arishtas"! This happened even during Shanker's period. But those days, educated and sensible people still controlled the Yogam. There has been a general degradation of standards (political, social and religious) in Kerala in the 80s and 90s. This has affected the Yogam too. Today the Yogam is solely controlled by Liquor contractors! At the same time, it will be a great mistake to point fingers at a single person! The whole community in general and the office bearers of the 80s and 90s are responsible for the current state of affairs.

Lost Direction!

Yogam had been drifting without direction or leadership for quite some time. [The author of this article was a student of an SN College and yet there had been not a single meeting or seminar honouring Guru at the College during my time or afterwards!!] The social activities started and originally undertaken by the Yogam are completely forgotten. The meaningless and futile discussion about "Job Reservation" in the Government Jobs doesn't have much significance when more than a million Keralites are forced to flee the country to Gulf and elsewhere in search of jobs! The last nail in this deteriortion is the sad spectacle of Yogam washing the feets of various political parties in Kerala!!!

In the larger arena of fight against supertitions, there is practically no activity at all. We can't even see the shadow of people like K.Ayyappan or C.R.Kesavan Vaidyar. Instead, Yogam and the community are playing lullaby to the Godmen and superstitious charlatans who are exploiting the society as they had done in the past!

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