Mannam Jayanthi in 2025

When is Mannam Jayanthi?

Mannam Jayanthi is a regional Indian holiday in the state of Kerla on January 2nd each year.

This holiday commemorates an important Indian social reformer on the anniversary of his birth in 1878.

History of Mannam Jayanthi

Mannathu Padmanabhan Pillai was born in Changanacherry, British India on January 2nd 1878.

Originally a primary school teacher, he became a lawyer in 1905 and started practising law, in the Magistrates Courts.

In October 1914, he founded what is his most enduring legacy, the Nair Service Society (NSS). The NSS is an organisation created for the social advancement and welfare of the Nair community.

The Nairs are a group of communities in Kerala based on the Caste system. Today they make up about 12% of the population of Kerala state.

Padmanabhan was the secretary of the NSS for 31 years, serving as president for three years.

Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and his principles of Satyagraha (non-violent resistance), Padmanabhan led movements demanding that public roads near temples be opened to low caste Hindus. This led to the "Temple Entry Proclamation", which was issued in 1936 and abolished the ban on 'low caste people' from entering Hindu temples in the Princely State of Travancore, now part of Kerala.

Padmanabhan died in February 1970, having reached the age of 93.