Kochi: The idea of Panthibhojanam could have been conceived only by Sahodaran Ayyappan, the most radical of the disciples of Sreenarayana Guru. Predictably, it outraged the conservative Ezhava elite in those days and they hounded him by calling him Pulayan Ayyappan. But the message conveyed by Sahodaran and his supporters crippled the obnoxious caste practices prevailing even amongst those claiming to be the followers of Guru. Sahodaran was determined to expose this double standard and he chose the most vulnerable point - eating together - to hit the caste hierarchy.
As the date for the event neared, the conservative sections of society and community gathered all their strength to disrupt it. But Sahodaran and his supporters stood firm and overcame the obstacles and hosted the event at Thundiamparambil, Cherayi, on May 29, 1917. A person named Ayyaru and his five-year-old son Kannan were seated along with Sahodaran and others for the Panthibhojanam. Kannan was asked to mix the food so that everyone could share the same, dealing a deadly blow to the inhuman practice of impurity attributed to the people condemned as lower castes.
The event was followed by similar ones at Shringapuram, Moothukunnam and Chendamangalam. Except at Moothukunnam, at all other places Sahodaran came under attack by the conservatives. At Moothukunnam, a section of the people not formally associated with SNDP, provided the requisite support for Sahodaran and protected him from the attacks.
