https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Ezhava_Memorial_PetitionEzhava Memorial Petition - Revision history2026-11-04T01:32:11ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ezhava_Memorial_Petition&diff=498773&oldid=prevVikifzj: Put up info2025-12-17T02:59:59Z<p>Put up info</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|1896 petition in India}}<br />
{{Multiple issues|<br />
{{Notability|date=December 2025}}<br />
{{Context|date=December 2025}}<br />
}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2025}}<br />
The '''Ezhava Memorial''' or the '''Ezhava Memorial Petition''' was a great petition signed by 13,176 [[Ezhava]]s and submitted to the [[List of Maharajas of Travancore|King of Travancore]] on 3 September 1896 under the leadership of [[Padmanabhan Palpu]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=അവകാശ സമരങ്ങൾക്ക് കരുത്തേകിയ പടവാൾ |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/editorial/2021/09/03/125th-anniversary-of-ezhava-memorial-submission.html |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=അവകാശ സമരങ്ങൾക്ക് കരുത്തേകിയ പടവാൾ |language=ml}}</ref><br />
<br />
==Background==<br />
A petition named [[Malayali Memorial]] was already submitted to the King of Travancore under the leadership of [[G. P. Pillai|GP Pillai]] on 1 January 1891, for the natives to get a fair share in the government service. At that time [[Varna (Hinduism)|Avarnas]] like Ezhavas were not appointed in [[Travancore]] posts with a monthly salary of more than 5 rupees.<ref>{{Cite book |last=A |first=Shaji |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pbZEDwAAQBAJ&q=Ezhava+Memorial |title=Politicisation of Caste Relations in a Princely State |date=2017-12-17 |publisher=Zorba Books |isbn=978-93-87456-00-6 |language=en}}</ref> When those who converted to [[Christianity]] got all the benefits, Ezhavas did not get any benefits. The same was the case for school admission. Through the Ezhava Memorial, the Ezhavas demanded that they too get these without changing their religion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=അനിരുദ്ധന് |first=ആര് |date=2024-01-29 |title=ഡോ. പല്പ്പുവും ഈഴവ മെമ്മോറിയലും |url=https://www.mediaoneonline.com/mediaone-shelf/analysis/dr-palppu-and-ezhava-memorial-243971 |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=www.mediaoneonline.com |language=ml}}</ref><br />
<br />
GP Pillai had drawn the attention of the House of Commons and Congress meetings in England about the disadvantages of the Ezhavas, but to no avail. Having obtained an LMS degree, Dr. Palpu applied for a job under the Travancore government, but the application was rejected.<ref>{{Cite book |last=സത്യരാജ് |first=സി പി |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FnI8BAAAQBAJ&q=%E0%B4%88%E0%B4%B4%E0%B4%B5+%E0%B4%AE%E0%B5%86%E0%B4%AE%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%AE%E0%B5%8B%E0%B4%B1%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%AF%E0%B5%BD |title=സാമൂഹിക നവോത്ഥാനവും മാധ്യമങ്ങളും |publisher=Kerala Press Academy |language=ml}}</ref><br />
<br />
Not amused by the presentation of the Malayali memorial, the [[Tamils|Tamil]] [[Brahmin]] group soon submitted a counter-memorial to the King, refuting all its arguments. In effect, this created an atmosphere of competition between communities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=മാറ്റത്തിന്റെ വഴിയിൽ ഒപ്പം നടന്ന് |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/editorial/2021/09/03/ezhava-memorial-submission-and-malayala-manorama.html |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=മാറ്റത്തിന്റെ വഴിയിൽ ഒപ്പം നടന്ന് |language=ml}}</ref> In May 1895 Dr Palpu himself submitted a petition to Diwan Shankarasubbayar in his own capacity. When the discussion with the Diwan did not yield any results, under his leadership, in September 1896, a petition signed by 13176 members of the Ezhava community was submitted to the King, which came to be known as the Ezhava Memorial.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iyer |first=Meera |title=Palpu: A doctor, activist who fought the plague and the caste system |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/palpu-a-doctor-activist-who-fought-the-plague-and-the-caste-system-876229.html |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref><br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:History of Thiruvananthapuram]]<br />
[[Category:Kingdom of Travancore]]</div>Vikifzj