Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha

Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha (PRDS, "God's Church of Visible Salvation") was a Dalit religious protest movement founded in 1909 by Poikayil Yohannan in Kerala, India. [1] 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 Dalits.[2]

Inception

Poikayil Yohannan, 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 superstitious beliefs, and to stop practicing black magic and sacrificing the 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 sperate 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.

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