.svg)
Ayyankali: Difference between revisions
→Freedom of movement
No edit summary Tags: Reverted Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
Tags: Reverted Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
||
| Line 29: | Line 29: | ||
In 1893, Ayyankali, dressed to provoke in clothing traditionally associated with the Nairs,{{sfnp|Nisar|Kandasamy|2007|p=67|ps=}} defied the social conventions that applied to lower castes and untouchables by riding on a road in a [[bullock cart]] that he had bought. Both the act of purchase and that of travelling on a road that was traditionally the preserve of the upper castes amounted to a significant challenge. In a similar act of defiance, he entered the marketplace at [[Nedumangad]]. These protests, which have been described by Nisar and Kanadasamy as "laying claim to the public space", strengthened resolve among others from the oppressed communities of Travancore, leading to further protest acts elsewhere, such as in [[Kazhakkoottam]].{{sfnp|Nisar|Kandasamy|2007|pp=66-68|ps=}} The outcome of continued protest marches, which sometimes turned violent and became known as [[Chaliyar riots]],{{sfnp|Nisar|Kandasamy|2007|p=67|ps=}} was that by 1900 the Pulayars had gained the right to use most roads in the state, although they were still barred from those that led to Hindu temples.{{sfnp|Mendelsohn|Vicziany|1998|p=97|ps=}} | In 1893, Ayyankali, dressed to provoke in clothing traditionally associated with the Nairs,{{sfnp|Nisar|Kandasamy|2007|p=67|ps=}} defied the social conventions that applied to lower castes and untouchables by riding on a road in a [[bullock cart]] that he had bought. Both the act of purchase and that of travelling on a road that was traditionally the preserve of the upper castes amounted to a significant challenge. In a similar act of defiance, he entered the marketplace at [[Nedumangad]]. These protests, which have been described by Nisar and Kanadasamy as "laying claim to the public space", strengthened resolve among others from the oppressed communities of Travancore, leading to further protest acts elsewhere, such as in [[Kazhakkoottam]].{{sfnp|Nisar|Kandasamy|2007|pp=66-68|ps=}} The outcome of continued protest marches, which sometimes turned violent and became known as [[Chaliyar riots]],{{sfnp|Nisar|Kandasamy|2007|p=67|ps=}} was that by 1900 the Pulayars had gained the right to use most roads in the state, although they were still barred from those that led to Hindu temples.{{sfnp|Mendelsohn|Vicziany|1998|p=97|ps=}} | ||
Later, in 1904, Ayyankali was inspired on hearing a speech given by the reformist [[Ayyavu Swamikal]]. This Hindu [[sanyasi]] had been preaching the need to break down caste divisions because he thought that doing so would limit the number of people who were converting from Hinduism to [[Christianity in India|Christianity]].{{efn|The number of conversions to Christianity had burgeoned after 1860, when the influence of Christian missionaries as a route to achieve social change became apparent to the oppressed populace.{{sfnp|Padmanabhan|2010|p=104|ps=}}}} A branch of Swamikal's Brahma Nishta Matam organisation was established in that year by Ayyankali and some friends in Venganoor. Ayyankali also drew inspiration from the activities of [[Narayana Guru]], a contemporary social reformer from the [[Ezhava]] caste, although the two men differed in their philosophy and the means of turning it into reality.{{sfnp|Nisar|Kandasamy|2007|p=69|ps=}} Narayana Guru had attempted to forge an alliance between the Ezhavas and | Later, in 1904, Ayyankali was inspired on hearing a speech given by the reformist [[Ayyavu Swamikal]]. This Hindu [[sanyasi]] had been preaching the need to break down caste divisions because he thought that doing so would limit the number of people who were converting from Hinduism to [[Christianity in India|Christianity]].{{efn|The number of conversions to Christianity had burgeoned after 1860, when the influence of Christian missionaries as a route to achieve social change became apparent to the oppressed populace.{{sfnp|Padmanabhan|2010|p=104|ps=}}}} A branch of Swamikal's Brahma Nishta Matam organisation was established in that year by Ayyankali and some friends in Venganoor. Ayyankali also drew inspiration from the activities of [[Narayana Guru]], a contemporary social reformer from the [[Ezhava]] caste, although the two men differed in their philosophy and the means of turning it into reality.{{sfnp|Nisar|Kandasamy|2007|p=69|ps=}} Narayana Guru had attempted to forge an alliance between the Ezhavas and Pulayars but there had been violent opposition to the idea from his brethren and the Pulayars remained voiceless until the emergence of Ayyankali.{{sfnp|Mendelsohn|Vicziany|1998|p=97|ps=}}{{efn|The Ezhava and Pulayar communities did ally occasionally on later occasions, one of which was the [[Vaikom Satyagraha|campaign to gain access to the temple at Vaikom]].{{sfnp|Thachil|2014|p=190|ps=}}}} | ||
===Education=== | ===Education=== | ||