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Kerala has been widely regarded, throughout the latter part of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first, as one of the most progressive and egalitarian states of India. Its transformation, from one of the most oppressively hierarchical regions in the nineteenth century, has been facilitated by both radical politics and campaigning religious reform movements. The movement led by Trivandrum-born spiritual leader and social activist Sri Narayana Guru (1854-1928) has been especially influential. It has been prominent in countering caste-related and other discriminations, in encouraging education, inter-religious dialogue and wider social engagement. Each year, it is galvanized by a new year pilgrimage to the Guru’s final resting place. He foresaw that this could be an occasion for education, ‘enlightenment’ and taking stock. The concerns of participants and of wider society are addressed. Some pilgrims arrive following long, symbolically elaborated walking journeys; others simply travel by the most convenient means eg car or train. It frequently attracts commendation but also controversy. Its influence is increasingly apparent outside of Kerala, for instance within the South Indian diaspora. As the pilgrimage approaches its centenary, it is instructive to consider its contemporary significance, how far it fulfils its initial aims, and its relevance both for twenty-first century India and further afield.
Alex Gath has carried out fieldwork over three decades in the sociocultural anthropology of religion, especially concerning pilgrimage. This has been within South India, mostly Kerala, and Western Europe, mainly the so-called ‘Celtic’ nations. He has worked widely on the religious culture of the South Indian diaspora, in the UK, US and Europe. Beginning his career working on clinical issues within psychology, he has maintained an involvement with the fields of neuropsychology, affective disorders and eating disorders – both applied and methodological/philosophical aspects. He has degrees from Oxford, Sussex and Edinburgh Universities; he has published in anthropological and psychotherapy journals and divides his time between Oxford and London.
