A Comparative Study of Vaikundaswamy, Ramalingaswamy Community Thoughts

Abstract

In the 19^th century there was a great domination of the higher-class people towards the lower-class people in Kanyakumari district. The latter was discriminated on the basis of social, political and caste system. When this discrimination was at its high peak social reformers like Vaikunda Swami and Ramalinga Swamy came to rescue the segregated class of people. Vaikunda Swami hailed from Kanyakumari District and Ramalinga Swami from Southarcot District. These two reformers advocated the policy of ‘one caste, one religion and one God.’ They revamped the society with their principle and revolutionized the spirit of people to live a civilized life. They fought for the Social Justice of the socially downtrodden People. In order to commemorate the struggle and service rendered to the socially, politically and Economically segregated Sect, Vaikunda Swami and Ramalinga Swamy are regarded as Gods among the people. Vaikunda Swamy’s Akila thirattu Ammanai and ArulNool contain the social reformation of his age. Similarly, Ramalinga Swamy’s Thiruvaruttapa and Thiruvarutppa Varainadaipakuthy portray social atrocities confronted by the lower-class people. This article attempts to compare the ideas between Vaikunda Swami and Ramalinga Swamy’s reformative books titled Akilathirattu Ammanai, ArulNool and Thiruvaruttpa, Thiruvaruttpa Vurainadaipakuthy.