Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha
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| Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | PRDS |
| Type | Religion, New Religious Movement, Dalit Liberation Theology, Kerala Renaissance Movement |
| Headquarters | Sreekumar Nagar Eraviperoor |
| Founder | Poikayil Yohannan aka Poikayil Sreekumara Gurudevan (Divine Identity) |
Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha (PRDS) emerged as a pivotal socio-religious movement for Dalit communities in early 20th-century Kerala, India.[1] It was founded in 1910 by Poikayil Yohannan (also known as Poikayil Appachan, Posthumously as Sree Kumara Gurudevan).[2] It addressed centuries of caste-based oppression faced by groups like Parayas, Pulayas, and others labeled as "untouchables".[3][1] PRDS blended elements of Christianity with Dalit experiences, critiquing both Hindu caste hierarchies and missionary Christianity's failures to deliver true equality.[1] It emphasized spiritual and material upliftment, self-governance, and ritual discourses centered on ancestral slavery.[1]
Kerala's pre-colonial society was rigidly feudal and caste-stratified, with Dalits excluded from temples, schools, roads, and public spaces.[3][4] Protestant missionaries in the 19th century introduced ideas of equality, leading to mass Dalit conversions to Christianity for social mobility, but caste discrimination persisted within churches like CMS, Marthoma, and Brethren denominations.[2][4] Converts faced segregation, intermarriage bans, and inferior treatment by Syrian Christians.[3] PRDS arose as a breakaway, independent response to these injustices.[1]
Early Development
Poikayil Yohannan, born a Sambava (Paraya) around 1879, converted to Christianity as a child, joining Marthomite and later other denominations.[2][3] But following the caste prejudices and discrimination within these churches with co-founders like Njaliyakuzhi Simon Yohannan (Njaliyakuzhi Asan) and Koduveli Varghese, he established PRDS in the year 1910 officially.[2] Even though the movement started way before 1910.[1] Yohannan's charismatic preaching, prophecies, and Bible interpretations critiqued churches for perpetuating casteism and Hinduism for exploitation.[2] Under Yohannan, PRDS fostered education, land ownership, and community consolidation, mirroring broader Kerala reform discourses.[2] Followers gifted lands for PRDS institutions, promoting education and asset-building.[1] He led PRDS until his death in 1939, amassing properties and followers through esoteric worship, songs, and revelations that deified him as God's incarnation (avatar).[5]