Swamikal strived to reform the heavily ritualistic and caste-ridden Hindu society of the late 19th century Kerala.

Chattampi Swamikal was born as Ayyappan Pillai on 25 August 1853 at Kannammoola in southern Travancore, present day Kerala.

Knowing his thirst for learning an uncle took him to the traditional school conducted by Pettayil Raman Pillai Asan, a renowned scholar and writer who taught him without any fee.

Kunjan Pillai was introduced into the science of yoga by the Thycaud Ayyavu Swamikal[2] a scholar and yogi who used to give lectures at 'Jnanaprajagaram'.

Mastering this mantra gave him a new vigour and zeal and he assumed the name Shanmukhadasa due to his deep devotion of Subramanya.

He stood first in a test for clerical posts in Government Secretariat Trivandrum conducted by Sir T Madhava Rao the then Divan of Travancore State.

[3] In one of the Philosophical Conferences organised annually by the Travancore Kings at the Palace complex adjacent to Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple Kunjan Pillai met Subba Jatapadikal from Kalladaikurichin in Southern Tamil Nadu; a renowned teacher well versed in Tarka, Vyakarana, Mimasa, and Vedanta.

He later translated his work Nijananda Vilasam containing the cream of Vedanta into simple Malayalam to guide spiritual aspirants.

[5] At the end of his wanderings and quest Kunjan Pillai was led to self-realisation by an avadhuta whom he met at a wayside in Vadaveeswaram a village in Tamil Nadu with whom he lived for many months in the forests without any contact with the outside world.

[6] It is believed that this avadhuta belonged to the line of immortal masters of Southern India; the Siddhas who knew the scientific art for realising God.

as well as sanyasi disciples like Neelakanta Therthapada and Theerthapada Parmahamsa who played very important role in renaissance and reformation in Kerala.

A few works were discovered and published eight decades after his death and inspired serious discussion, such as Adhibhasha and Pracheena Malayalam Part -II.

[15] The Centre for South Indian Studies has formed the Chattampi Swami Digital Archive (CSDA) project as an attempt to collect and collate extant documents related to Swamikal.

[21] Pracheena Malayalam also aimed at awakening the mind of the people of the region divided by various complexes to a collective sense of 'We'.

B. Hrdaya Kumari says that Pracheena Malayalam is not only a good example of Swamikal's logical arguments but is the earliest example of application of hypothesis and fixed methodology for historical studies.

He stated that ancient religion and law in India gave equal status to women and that their role is very important in family and society.

[23] He stated that it was the misinterpretation of ancient texts resulting from male arrogance that degraded the position of women and their enslavement.