The social reform movements in Kerala: A role of Narayana Guru in the development of Ezhava community

The traditional Indian society was stratified based on caste. The hierarchical caste society suppressed the lower strata of the social order. Ezhava was one among them, who faced suppression and they started protest against the order with an ideological base of Narayana Guru. The philosophical work of Narayana Guru influenced the Kerala society in different ways. An untiring endurance of Narayana Guru and his Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Movement (S.N.D.P) brought many changes in the society. The movement established new schools and created new social idioms for Ezhavas. The movement created a public space for women. The present article discussed about the emergence of Ezhava community and the role of Narayana Guru and S.N.D.P.