FinlayPulido6 at 13:35, 2 December 2025

2025-12-02T13:35:13Z

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{{Short description|1915 social unrest in Kollam district, India}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}

'''Kallamaala Samaram''' ({{Translation|Stone Necklace Protest}}) (Not ''Kallumaala Samaram'') is a period of social revolution by the [[Pulayar]] community that took place at [[Perinad]] and nearby villages such as Cherumoodu, [[Kanjavely]] in [[Kollam district]] on 24 October 1915.

It is at the climax of [[Perinad]] Lahala or [[Perinad]] Mutiny.

== History ==
[[File:Ayyankali Statue Kollam Cantonment.jpg|thumb|Memorial at Cantonment ground, Kollam]]
Kallamaala Samaram was a sudden uprising against the upper class's dictum of the minority castes to not use the public road, wear good dresses, use umbrellas, receive education, enter temples, take days off from labor, and wear gold or metal ornaments.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Communist-Party-of-India-revives-Perinad-Lahala-memories-to-fight-extremism/articleshow/54670958.cms|title=Communist Party of India revives Perinad Lahala memories to fight extremism|date=4 October 2016|newspaper=The Times of India|access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref>

There was a ''naattukoottam'' organised to discuss these issues but the landlord class rejected the proposals from [[Pulayar|Pulayas.]]The unrest intensified following this and the lower caste communities decided to convene a large meeting at Plavilapurayidom, Cherumoodu, near [[Perinad]] on 24 October 1915.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ചരിത്രത്തിൽ നിന്നുള്ള ഉറവയുമായി കമ്മാൻകുളം|url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/district-news/kollam/2021/03/01/kollam-kamankulam-with-a-source-from-history.html|access-date=2021-03-04|website=ManoramaOnline|language=ml}}</ref> On the day of meeting a group of [[Nair|nair landlords]] under leadership of Koori Maathu and Kannan Pillai attacked and injured many who have gathered at the meeting place. There was violent clashes between both the groups and arson ensuing this incident.

At the end by December, a meeting was convened under the chair of [[Ayyankali]], [[Changanassery Parameswaran Pillai]] and British officials on 21 December 1915 at [[Peeranki Maidan]] bringing together both the conflicting groups. In this meeting, women belonging to Pulaya community threw away the ''Kallamaala'' (ornaments made out of stone and woods) and proclaimed that they will only use gold or metal ornaments. ''Kallamaalas'' were chains of beads worn by their ladies as a symbol of slavery and inferior caste status.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://socialscienceijksubdist.blogspot.in/2010/01/kallumala-samaram.html|title=kallumala samaram|website=socialscienceijksubdist.blogspot.in|access-date=2016-10-05}}</ref>

During pre-independence era, several rules were imposed on women from lower castes in Kerala There were strict diktats regarding dress codes and ornaments and there were taxes to be paid to erstwhile [[Travancore]] kings for covering their breasts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/200-years-on-nangelis-sacrifice-only-a-fading-memory/article5256145.ece|title=200 years on, Nangeli's sacrifice only a fading memory|last=Surendranath|first=Nidhi|date=2013-10-21|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=2016-10-05}}</ref>

Once the unrest was over, there were many cases and counter cases that were filed before the magistrate. The advocate Elanjikkal John Vakil represented the cases for Dalits.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2004-07-13 |title=Social reformer |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-bookreview/social-reformer/article28467510.ece |access-date=2021-03-02 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In lieu of the lawyer's fees, he asked the accused to contribute labour to build a pond for public use at Kollam. This pond named Kamman kulam still exist near the Kollam district panchayath office, Thevally.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sudhish|first=Navamy|date=2019-12-14|title=A pond etched in Dalit history in ruins|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/a-pond-etched-in-dalit-history-in-ruins/article30307613.ece|access-date=2021-03-02|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Caste system in India]]
* [[Ayyankali]]
* [[Caste system in Kerala]]
* [[Channar revolt]]
* [[Ooruttambalam]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:History of Kollam district]]
[[Category:Caste system in India]]
[[Category:1915 in India]]
[[Category:People from Kollam district]]

Kallamaala Samaram - Revision history

FinlayPulido6 at 13:35, 2 December 2025