- Chattambi Swamikal was born on August 25, 1853 in Kannanmool, Thiruvananthapuram.
- The name, Chattampi Swamikal came to be called Vidyadhiraja.
- Vasudeva Sharma (Anandasharma) was his father and Thirunanga mother.
- Parents called him by name Ayyappan, but he was known by pet name ‘Kunjan’. He studied under ‘Asan’ from the Kollur Athiyar
- He supervised the class and therefore, he came to be known as ‘Chattambi’, which means ‘monitor’.
- He studied painting from Neelakandhan Acharya
- He was also served as an Accountant in the Government Secretariat.
- He worked at Secretariat construction for loading Kallu.
- Later Swamikal said “that in the construction of the Secretariat building Trivandrum, he carried loads of bricks and sand.’’
- ‘Jñānaprajāgaram’ a scholarly group started by Raman Pillai facilitated Kunjan to meet several great men.
- He learnt the art of ‘Hat yoga’ from Thaikkattu Ayyavu, a Tamil Pandit and hat-yogi.
- He also learnt Tamil vedic works from Pandit Swaminatha Desika.
- He became a disciple of the famous pandit and scholar Subha Jatapathikal.
- He obtained expert training in the art of yoga from Admananda Swamikal.
- Sree Vidhyadhiraja Theerthapada Paramabhattrakasram was established by Chattambi Swamikal in 1914
- Swamikal’s prominent disciples were Neelakanta Theerthapada and Theerthapada Parmahamsa
- His ‘Adi Bhasha’ is a research work in the field of linguistics.
- In his ‘Jivitakarunya Nirupanam’, Swamikal expressed his profound faith in Ahimsa and denounced animal sacrifice.
- In ‘Christhumatha Nirupanam’, he summarized the teachings of Jesus Christ.
- In ‘Vedadhikaranirupanam’, he shatters the myth of Brahmin monopoly of the Vedas.
- His another work Sarvamatasamarasyam gives the gist of the truths common to all faith and emphasizes the fundamental unity
- His Advaitha Chinta Pathati, expounds the principle of Advaitha philosophy.
Kerala Renaissance Leader for Kerala PSC: Chattambi Swamikal
