Bodheswaran (Aged 89), also known as Bodheswarananda, was a Malayalam poet, social reformer, and Indian independence activist, born on 28 December 1901. He gained fame for his nationalistic poems, particularly Keralaganam, and his participation in social movements like Vaikom Satyagraha, which led to the Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936. Since an early age, he was influenced by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and left his studies to visit Narayana Guru, a social and religious reformer, with whom he stayed for around two years.
After travelling throughout India and attending public meetings by Mahatma Gandhi and Motilal Nehru, he assumed the name of Bodheswarananda during a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and on his return to Kerala, he met Chattampi Swamikal on the advice of Narayana Guru, who was a significant influence in his life. Bodheswaran continued to associate with Swamikal and became involved in the Indian freedom struggle, making several public speeches that attracted large crowds.
After a brief period of favoring the Arya Samaj movement, he got involved in the Vaikom Satyagraha and related events until the Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936. He also joined the Indian National Congress and changed his name once more to Bodheswaran.
Bodheswaran was honored with the Thamra Patra (Copper Plaque) by the Government of India for his contributions to the Indian independence movement. He passed away on 3 July 1990, and his birth centenary was celebrated in 2002, where K. R. Narayanan, the then-president of India, inaugurated the Bodheshwaran Foundation, an organization established to promote his ideals. Keralaganam, his patriotic song, was declared as the cultural song of Kerala in 2014.
Bodheswaran
(1901 – 1990) – (Kerala)
Bodheswaran (Aged 89), also known as Bodheswarananda, was a Malayalam poet, social reformer, and Indian independence activist, born on 28 December 1901. He gained fame for his nationalistic poems, particularly Keralaganam, and his participation in social movements like Vaikom Satyagraha, which led to the Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936. Since an early age, he was influenced by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and left his studies to visit Narayana Guru, a social and religious reformer, with whom he stayed for around two years.
After travelling throughout India and attending public meetings by Mahatma Gandhi and Motilal Nehru, he assumed the name of Bodheswarananda during a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and on his return to Kerala, he met Chattampi Swamikal on the advice of Narayana Guru, who was a significant influence in his life. Bodheswaran continued to associate with Swamikal and became involved in the Indian freedom struggle, making several public speeches that attracted large crowds.
After a brief period of favoring the Arya Samaj movement, he got involved in the Vaikom Satyagraha and related events until the Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936. He also joined the Indian National Congress and changed his name once more to Bodheswaran.
Bodheswaran was honored with the Thamra Patra (Copper Plaque) by the Government of India for his contributions to the Indian independence movement. He passed away on 3 July 1990, and his birth centenary was celebrated in 2002, where K. R. Narayanan, the then-president of India, inaugurated the Bodheshwaran Foundation, an organization established to promote his ideals. Keralaganam, his patriotic song, was declared as the cultural song of Kerala in 2014.
News