1. The social reformer of Kerala who opened his family temple for everyone, irrespective of caste distinction?

(a) Narayana Guru

(b) Ayya Vaikundar

(c) E. V. Ramasami

(d) Mannathu Padmanabhan

Mannathu Padmanabhan is the right answer.
Mannathu Padmanabhan (1878 - 1970) was a social reformer and a freedom fighter from the State of Kerala, India. He is recognised as the founder of the Nair Service Society, which claims to represent the Nair community that constitutes almost 14.5% of the population of the state. He fought for social equality, the first phase of being the Vaikom Satyagraha, demanding the public roads near the temple at Vaikom be opened to low caste Hindus. In 1924 he took part in the Vaikom and Guruvayoor temple-entry and anti-untouchability agitation. He opened his family temple for everyone, irrespective of caste distinction He became a member of the Indian National Congress in 1947 and took part in the agitation against Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer’s administration in Travancore.

2. HWho was called the "Lincoln" of Kerala for steering socio-economically and educationally backward communities to the forefront. ?

(a) Pandit Karuppan

(b) Ayya Vaikundar

(c) E. V. Ramasami

(d) Mannathu Padmanabhan

Pandit Karuppan is the right answer.
As the first human rights activist of the Cochin State, Pandit Karuppan(1885-1938) used his literary skill and organizational ability to combat illiteracy, social injustice, casteism, and superstitions. He campaigned for the rights of lower-caste people, who at that time were not even permitted to enter Ernakulam.

3. Jathikummi, which criticised the prevailing caste system was written by

(a) V. T. Bhattathiripad

(b) Pandit Karuppan

(c) Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi

(d) Vakkom Moulavi

Pandit Karuppan is the right answer.
Jaathikkummi is a pioneering attempt in Malayalam literature questioning the caste system and untouchability. While Sree Narayana Guru, Kumaran Asan and Ayyankali worked for social changes in the Travancore State, the presentation of Jaathikkummi was the first step initiated in that direction in Cochin State by Karuppan, who was then a 19-year-old student.

4. Aacharabhooshanam which generated awareness among the depressed classes against superstitions was written by?

(a) Pandit Karuppan

(b) Chattampi Swamikal

(c) Padmanabhan Palpu

(d) Kumaranasan

Pandit Karuppan is the right answer
Pandit Karuppan wrote Aacharabhooshanam to generate awareness among the depressed classes against superstitions, the book being printed and distributed free of cost to the public by the Government. On the eve of the Shashtipoorthi celebrations of the Maharaja of Cochin in 1919, a drama script competition was organized. Karuppan’s script dedicated to the Maharaja was adjudged the best. The drama titled Baalakalesam discussed the progress achieved during the 16-year rule of the Maharaja but also criticized the atrocities suffered by the poor people in the name of caste.

5. Who formed regional groups called sabhas which persuade people to fight ignorance and superstitions?

(a) Pandit Karuppan

(b) Chattampi Swamikal

(c) Padmanabhan Palpu

(d) Kumaranasan

Pandit Karuppan is the right answer.
Pandit Karuppan organised the people of his own community into regional groups called sabhas. The main agenda of the sabhas was to persuade people to fight ignorance and superstitions. He put strong pressure on his fellow countrymen to become better educated and accept a healthier lifestyle.

6. 'Vayalvaram Veedu' is related to

(a) Narayana Guru

(b) Vallathol Narayana Menon

(c) Cherusseri Namboothiri

(d) Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer

Sree Narayana Guru is the right answer.
Vayalvaram Veedu was where Sree Narayana Guru was born.

7. The date of Temple Entry Proclamation in Travancore

(a) 12 November 1928

(b) 12 November 1936

(c) 12 November 1947

(d) 12 November 1951

12 November 1936 is the right answer.
The Temple Entry Proclamation issued by Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma in 1936 abolished the ban on the so called 'low-caste people' or avarnas from entering Hindu temples in the Princely State of Travancore. The proclamation was a milestone in the history of Travancore and later in rest of Kerala as well. Today, the Temple Entry proclamation day is considered as social reformation day by the Government of Kerala.

8. The first systematically organized agitation in Kerala against orthodoxy to secure the rights of the depressed classes.

(a) Vaikom Satyagraha

(b) Guruvayur Sathyagraha

(c) Mapila Lahala

(d) None of these

Vaikom Satyagraha is the right answer.
The right for ‘untouchables’ to enter the temple roads and use other spaces which were exclusively meant for the upper caste people were the initial demands of the agitators who later on raised the demand for temple entry. The movement was not confined to a single event. It went through a number of stages in the form of Vaikom Satyagraha which took place in Travancore in 1924, the Guruvayur Sathyagraha(in Malabar) of 1931, and the declarations in Kochi in 1947 gave the lower castes access to temples.

9. The savarna jatha to support the vaikkom satyagraha was organized by?

(a) Narayana Guru

(b) Mannath Padmanabhan

(c) Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi

(d) Vakkom Moulavi

Mannath Padmanabhan is the right answer.
Mahatmaji felt that the support of the Savarnas was essential for the success of the Vaikom Movement. So he suggested to the leaders at Vaikom, that a procession consisting of only Savarnas should march to Trivandrum, the capital, to register their solidarity with the Avarnas and lend their full support to the cause. The Savarna procession of about 500 men set out from Vaikom on November 1, 1924 under the leadership of Mannathu Padmanabhan, the unquestioned leader of the Nair Service Society. There was spontaneous welcome to the procession at every place they passed. On their way, the procession swelled as people joined. They halted at Sivagiri, paid homage to Sree Narayana Guru, and received his blessings. When the procession reached Trivandrum on November 12, 1924, with the jubilation of a conquering army, it had gathered nearly 5000 men.

10. Vivekodayam was published by

(a) Narayana Guru

(b) Chattampi Swamikal

(c) Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi

(d) Kumaranashan

Kumaranashan is the right answer.
Vivekodayam is a Malayalam literary journal established in 1904 to serve as a voice of the underprivileged communities particularly the Ezhavas. It was founded by Kumaran Asan, a poet, social reformer, disciple of Narayana Guru and founder-secretary of the associated SNDP Yogam, who was inspired by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

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