Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha

Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha (PRDS) is a religious protest movement founded in 1909 by Poykayil Sreekumara Gurudevan in Kerala, India.[1]

Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha
AbbreviationPRDS
TypeReligion
HeadquartersSreekumar Nagar Eraviperoor
FounderPoykayil Sreekumara Gurudevan
Official websitehttp://www.prathyaksharakshadaivasabha.org/

The PRDS has its head office located at Eraviperoor, Pathanamthitta. The PRDS rejected both Christianity and Hinduism, and preached that God would send an incarnation to liberate the slaves.

Now PRDS has hundreds of Shaka(Branch)s and thousands of devotees across Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. PRDS also runs schools and colleges

History

Poykayil Sreekumara Gurudevan, on seeing discrimination prevailing against the Depressed class in the Christian Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, left Marthoma Church and started the new organization - PRDS. He himself was renamed as Poykayil Sree Kumara Devan.

He even made efforts to convince his Hindu and Christian Brothers to become members of PRDS. He convinced many fellow Dalits to leave what he regarded as superstitious beliefs, and to stop practicing "black magic" and sacrificing animals. He taught the members of his faith to observe cleanliness and lead a life of high moral standard. He evolved a common prayer in the name of the incarnate God. His followers prayed in separate prayer halls.

Poikayil Yohannaan bought approximately 125 acres of land in different parts of Travancore for the use of PRDS. There was 7.5 acres of land at Eraviperoor. 5.5 acres at Madappally, Changanacherry and 13.5 at Neyyattinkara in Trivandrum district.[2]

References
  1. Mylapore Institute for Indigenous Studies; I.S.P.C.K. (Organization) (2000). Christianity is Indian: the emergence of an indigenous community. Published for MIIS, Mylapore by ISPCK. pp. 258–. ISBN 978-81-7214-561-3. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  2. Rāmacandra Kshīrasāgara (1 January 1994). Dalit Movement in India and Its Leaders, 1857-1956. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. pp. 100–. ISBN 978-81-85880-43-3. Retrieved 7 April 2012.

Further reading
  • Mohan, P. Sanal (2013). "Religion, Social Space, and Identity: The Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha and the Making of Cultural Boundaries in Twentieth Century Kerala". In Channa, Subhadra Mitra; Mencher, Joan P. (eds.). Life as a Dalit: Views from the Bottom on Caste in India. SAGE Publications India. ISBN 978-8-13211-777-3.


  • V.V.Swamy and E.V.Anil, "Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha - Orma, Pattu, Charithrarekhakal",Adiyardeepam Publications,2010
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