Sree Narayana Guru (20 August 1856 – 20 September 1928) was a saint, philosopher, spiritual leader, and a social reformer from Kerala, India. Driven by the strong desire to break superstitions and taboos that were holding back the Indian society from progress, the Guru underwent years of strict penance and meditation before attaining enlightenment. Following which he went on to pave the way for social reform and change in India. So great was his influence that he attracted some of the greatest thinkers, philosophers, and fellow social reformers of his time, who sought his advice and/or aided him in his efforts. These included luminaries such as Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, and many others, who were all enthused by the Guru’s ideals and teachings.

Casteism was widely practised in Kerala during the 19th and early 20th centuries and the lower caste people suffered discrimination by the upper caste. Born in the Ezhava caste, Sree Narayana Guru too experienced discrimination. It was against this discrimination that the Guru performed his first major public act. He consecrated a temple for Lord Shiva with a slab inscribed with the words, Truth, Ethics, Compassion, Love. This was the first time that a Hindu idol was ordinated by a non-brahmin in Aruvippuram village of Kerala, and it sparked off the anti-caste revolution against the upper-caste communities.

The Guru went on to establish more than 40 temples across the state of Kerala, to enable everyone, including the lower caste and oppressed segments of society, to practise their faith. The Guru also led the ‘Vaikom Satyagraha’ protest movement against caste discrimination, untouchability, and inequality. The Sivagiri foundation was established in 1924 by the Guru to promote virtues of cleanliness, education, devotion, agriculture, handicrafts, and trade.