Narayana Guru Ezhava, Vaikom Satyagraha, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana, Nataraja Guru, Billava, Chekavar, List of Sree Narayana Institutions, Nettur P. Damodaran, Sivagiri, Kerala, Padmanabhan Palpu, Swami Saswathikananda - new book

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 64. Chapters: Ezhava, Vaikom Satyagraha, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana, Nataraja Guru, Billava, Chekavar, List of Sree Narayana Institutions, Nettur P. Damodaran, Sivagiri, Kerala, Padmanabhan Palpu, Swami Saswathikananda, Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker, Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, Idiga, Temples consecrated by Narayana Guru, Muloor S. Padmanabha Panicker, Sahodaran Ayyappan, Thandan, Jnana Vigraham, Cheerappanchira, R. Sankar, Nitya Chaitanya Yati, R. Sugathan, G. Balakrishnan Nair, Channar, C. R. Kesavan Vaidyar, Bhandari caste, Vagbhatananda Gurudevar, S. L. Puram Sadanandan, T. K. Madhavan, C. Kesavan, Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham, Sree Narayana Jayanthi Boat Race, Sree Narayana Guru College, Maalikapurathamma, Sree Narayana Trust, Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi, A. P. Udhayabhanu, Moorkoth Ramunni, Vellapally Natesan, Sri Narayana Jayanthi, Sarada Mutt, Moorkoth Kunhappa, Moorkoth Kumaran, I. K. Kumaran, Mithavaadi Krishnan, M. P. Appan, Pallathu Raman, Alwaye Advaita Ashram, Bodhananda Swamikal, Sree Bhavaneeswara Temple, Paravoor Sreedharan Thanthrikal, Sree Dharma Paripalana Yogam, M. K. Sanu, Perunnelli Krishnan Vaidyar, Kuroolli Chekon, Velutheri Kesavan Vaidyar. Excerpt: The Ezhavas (Malayalam: ) form the largest group among Hindu communities in Kerala. They are considered to be descendants of Villavar the founders of ancient Tamil Chera Dynasty who once ruled parts of southern India. In Malabar they are called Thiyya, while in Tulu Nadu they are known as Billavas. They were formerly known as 'Ilavar'. There were Ayurveda Vaidyars, Warriors, Kalari Trainers, Soldiers, Farmers, Cultivators, Siddha Phyisicans, and Traders. Some were also involved in texile manufacturing, liquor business and toddy tapping. Ezhava (Thiyya) dynasties such as the Izhathu Mannanars also existed in Kerala. The Chekavar, a warrior section within the community, were part of the militias of local chieftains and kings. There were also renowned Kalari Payattu experts among them. The circus holds a special attraction among community members in north Kerala and many of the famous acrobats of India come from this community. Historians believe that Ezhavas of Kerala are soldiers of Villavar tribe who founded Chera Kingdom. Villavars of Travancore were known as 'Ilavar' (now known as Ezhava). The word Ilavar is derived from Villavar which means archers who were a warrior caste among the Dravidians who ruled most of India. According to historian C. V. Kunjuraman, the two gods of the Buddhist Ezhavas, namely Cittan and Arattan, are in fact Buddhist Sidhan and Arhatan from Buddhism. Some others argue that ezhava god Arattan is Lord Buddha himself. T. K. Veluppillai, the author of The Travancore State Manual, believes that during Buddhist ascendancy in Kerala, before the arrival of the Tulu Brahmins, "the Ezhavas enjoyed great prosperity and power" (II, 845). However, he also says that it is very unlikely that the Ezhavas came from Sri Lanka and spread all over Kerala; instead they were the mainstream of Munda-Dravidian immigrants who left Tamil Nadu in the fifth, sixth, and seventh centuries to avoid persecution at the hands of their political enemies. Mahakavi Kumarana