Narayana Guru’s Teachings Still Relevant Today, Says Siddaramaiah

Mangaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday underscored the relevance of Brahmashree Narayana Guru’s teachings in contemporary India, stressing that caste and religious inequalities continue to obstruct true social justice even decades after Independence.

He was speaking at the centenary celebration of the historic Gandhi–Narayana Guru dialogue held at Mangaluru University.

Siddaramaiah said Narayana Guru was a true secular reformer whose message of “one caste, one religion, one God for mankind” aimed to challenge deep-rooted discrimination.

Quoting Narayana Guru, he said, “A dog recognises another dog immediately, but when humans meet, the first question often becomes: which caste? This is the tragedy of our society.” He added that caste should never determine a person’s worth, yet societal attitudes continue to reflect inherited hierarchies.

Emphasising the need for harmony, Siddaramaiah said tolerance and coexistence must grow across society, as every religion teaches love, not hatred. He cautioned that divisions in the name of caste or faith weaken the social fabric. “When someone undergoes surgery, no one asks the caste or religion of the person whose blood saved them. But once cured, we return to such questions this selfish mindset must change,” he said. He stated that Dakshina Kannada should display such thought.

The Chief Minister recalled Swami Vivekananda’s criticism of caste practices in Kerala, saying the issue was not limited to one region but prevalent across India. “By birth, no one is superior or inferior. Both Narayana Guru and Gandhiji tried to drive home this truth,” he said.

Highlighting Narayana Guru’s reforms, Siddaramaiah spoke about how the Guru challenged untouchability by allowing the Ezhava community then treated as untouchables to build and manage their own temples. “When questioned about installing a Shiva idol, he said, ‘I have not installed your Shiva; I have installed our Shiva. Naryana Guru asked people not to go to the temples where their entry was not allowed. Instead he asked them to build their own temple and serve as archaks there. He created history with such acts,” he said.

Siddaramaiah also recalled Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to Shivagiri, where the poet had described Narayana Guru as a rare spiritual leader.

“Narayana Guru was not confined to a community. He fought for secularism and equality across Kerala and the coastal region,” he said.

Siddaramaiah also defined Gandhi–Narayana Guru dialogue of 1925 and the 1931 Gandhi–Ambedkar talksas “historic dialogues.”

The Chief Minister stressed that despite 79 years of Independence and 75 years of the Constitution, the mindset of caste-based superiority still persists. “Even today, a poor upper-caste person may be addressed respectfully, while a wealthy, educated Dalit may still be spoken to in singular. This is a sign of lingering slavery of the mind,” he pointed.

Speaking about the Congress government’s social welfare initiatives, Siddaramaiah said the government has come out with various programs including guarantee schemes.

“Shakti and Gruha Lakshmi programs aim to economically empower women,” he said.

Quoting Dr Ambedkar’s emphasis on social and economic empowerment, he said that without removing inequality, the true success of independence cannot be achieved.

He credited education as Narayana Guru’s greatest tool for empowerment. “Education creates self-respect, and self-respect leads to humanity,” he said, noting that the Guru even initiated industrial training institutes to ensure financial independence for the downtrodden.

Siddaramaiah said the Karnataka government led by him declared Narayana Guru Jayanti in 2016 to ensure the reformer’s message reaches all corners of the state. “Caste and religious divisions must go. Narayana Guru’s teachings should take root everywhere. That is why Narayana Guru Jayanti is celebrated in every Taluk and district of the state,” he said.

Responding to a request from Sachidananda Swamiji, the Chief Minister said the government would allot five acres of land in Dakshina Kannada or Udupi for establishing a branch of the Shivagiri Mutt once a suitable location is identified.

“I ask BK Hariprasad and others to identify the available land. Once it is identify we will provide 5 acre land to Shivagiri Mutt branch,” he declared.

Stressing on social harmony, Siddaramaiah said, “No religion teaches hatred. Unity in diversity is the foundation of our Constitution. In Dakshina Kannada, we should live as human beings first with tolerance and fraternity.”