INTRODUCTION : 
Chattampi Swamikal (1853-1924) was a Hindu sage, philosopher and a social reformer. He was against caste discrimination. He fought for the welfare of the poor, and also given help to the poor and widowed women and provided food, clothes and shelter to the poor and the homeless people. He was interested in yoga and meditation, and taught it to the common people.
He along with his friend and a great spiritual person, Sri Narayana Guru, tried to improve the living standard of the people in kerala. He also worked for the welfare of women and given sufficient financial aid for conducting marriages for the poor girls in kerala. Swamikal was a strict vegetarian and asked others also to follow it. Swamikal treated all the religious people as one and the same. According to him, each religion contains wonderful teachings and it tells the proper way of living in the life. Hence he tells that he finds no difference between the religions, since there is only one god, and he only through his great supreme powers is protecting this entire world. Through his good lectures and teachings, he got many followers and friends from different regions of Kerala. He had written several books on spirituality and meditation. His birth name was Ayyappan.
LIFE
Chattampi Swami was born in the year 1853 at Kollur in Kerala. He belonged to a pious family. Since his parents were poor, he learnt the basic education only by visiting his friend’s house. After some time, through the help of one good person, he learnt the entire education, scriptures and Sanskrit language from a famous scholar at free of cost. His teacher also provided him free food and took care of him properly.
In order to look after his family, he had done many manual works, and he also served as a clerk in an office. Even though he got a good job in the kerala government, he left the job, and entered into the spiritual world. He also learned about Christianity and Islam, and studied the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran.
During his spiritual wanderings, he met a great siddha in Vadaveeswaram village in Tamil Nadu and spent many months by living with him in the forest. Through him, he got great spiritual powers. And he returned to Kerala as a great scholar and saint.
Swamikal's main disciples are Narayana Guru, Neelakanta Theerthapada and Theerthapada Parmahamsa.
Swamikal died in the year 1924 in a village in Kollam District, Kerala.
FAMOUS WORKS
1. Advaita Chinta Paddhati
2. Vedantasangraham
3. Vedanta Saram
4. Vedadikara Nirupanam
5. Adi Bhasha
6. Devi Manasa Puja Stotra Vyakhyanam
7. Nijananda Vilasam
8. Pranavavum Sankhya Darsanavum
9. Moksha Pradipa Khandanam
IMPORTANCE
He was the main person in promoting the rights of the people and invoking the spiritual energy in the minds of the people, and also done several social welfare activities. Though now he is not physically available, his services cannot be forgotten by the people of kerala, and they will remember him for ever. He encouraged the people who were in their critical condition of life, and made them to come forward in their life, and also fought for the rights of women and conducted free marriages for the poor women at his own cost.
He will always speak supportive to the people who were treated as lower caste, during his period. According to him, all of them are equal before god, and god is treating every one as equal, and in each and every person’s soul god is dwelling.
Let us worship the great saint and be blessed.
“OM SREE CHATTAMPI SWAMIGALE NAMAHA”
SENT BY
R.HARISHANKAR
