REPORTING ON ANTI-CASTE RADICALISM IN KERALA, MAHARASHTRA AND NORTH INDIA
The SNDP Yogam and the Self-Respecters: The S.N.D.P. Session
We are publishing elsewhere in this issue a somewhat long account of the 26th anniversary of Sri Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam held at Kottayam on the 6th, 7th and 8th instants. The Travancore State has a population of about 40 lakhs, of which the Hindus count about 21 lakhs. Of the Hindu population, all the depressed communities number about 13 lakhs. Of this big figure, the Ezhava community alone has a population of not less than 7 ½ lakhs, which is more than one third of the Hindu population. The S.N.D.P. Yogam, founded by the lamented Narayana Guruswamy is the most representative organization of the Ezhavas. The Yogam has done a great deal for the past 40 years or so in securing equal privileges and opportunities for its people socially as well as politically. We had the pleasure of witnessing the huge pandal, presence of a big enthusiastic audience and arrangements made for the reception of the leaders. The whole credit goes to Mr. T. K. Madhavan, a zealous worker and the chief organiser of the Yogam. He has spread no pains in making the Conference a grand success. We congratulate Mr. Madhavan and his co- workers for their unflinching work and wish the Yogam a long life and serviceable career.
The S.N.D.P.Yogam, Kottaiyam (26th Annual session)
The 26th annual session of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, the most representative organization of the Thiyya community began on the 6th May at Kottayam under the presidentship of D. P. Palpu, lately of the Mysore and Baroda services in a tastefully decorated shamiana specially erected for the purpose. A number of other Conferences were also held in the same pandal.
Political Conference
The political conference held under the auspices of the Ezhava Political League began at 10 a.m. with Mr. M. Govindan, B.A., B.L., retired District Judge, in the chair. In his opening speech, the President detailed the various disabilities the community was labouring under. He made reference to Pandit Malaviyaji’s recent speech at Madras and showed how the sentiments expressed therein were not acceptable to Ezhavas under the present circumstances. The view held by Pandit Malaviya to the effect that it was impossible to abolish caste system was criticized by the President who cited various instances wherein such attempts were fruitful as in the case of Christian and Mahomedan propaganda. He maintained that abolition of caste was a practical problem and that the Ezhava community had attained much in the line. In the matter of temple-entry, Malaviyaji’s opinion that definite rules should be laid down was criticized by the President. The suggestions made by Pandit Malaviya were detrimental to the interests of minority communities. In this connection, he said that the foreign rule which was instrumental in enabling minority communities to demand legitimate representation ought to continue in this land until all such differences were eradicated.
Students’ Conference
The S.N.D.P. Students’ Conference met under the presidentship of Mr. P. C. Gopalan, B.A., B.L., at 1.30 p.m. The President, in the course of his address, gave an account of the prominent part played by youths in shaping the destinies of the world. He did not think students ought to keep aloof from politics. They could do so without entering into politics as well. He also emphasized the necessity for the formation of a Kerala University. He was of opinion that the Andhra and Tamil Universities ought to prove an incentive for the people of Kerala. The geographical and political division of Kerala was a hindrance for the formation of a university.
Ladies’ Conference
The 25th Session of the S.N.D.P. Stree Samajam was held on the 7th morning under the presidency of Mrs. Malika Sreenivasan, B.A., L.T., who delivered an interesting address in the course of which she said that it is necessary that the home must be strong in order that the nation might be strong. It was necessary that the home must be free so that the nation might be free. Home is the training ground of the heroes of the nation. Homes ought to be the sacred training ground of the heroes of tomorrow. The very men who preached equality, liberty and self-determination are averse to give them the very things they ask for in the political arena. If only they would take the trouble of going through the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly they would find that the so-called bearers of the flag of liberty of India oppose innocent social legislation, such as the Civil Marriage Bill. It was their duty to create public opinion in the land. They could do it more successfully and more effectively. She exhorted them to instill into the hearts of the young, ideas of the brotherhood of men and sisterhood of women so that the caste system that had brought about the ruin of their country which is standing in the way of their progress, which is eating into the very vitals of the nation, which is perpetrating the most monstrous act of injustice, and which is giving licence to a class of people in the name of God and religion to brand their brothers and sisters as inferior beings, be eradicated root and branch from this ancient land of ours.
She sounded a note of warning against what Pandit Malaviya said at Madras. The great Pandit was surprised to find in Madras there was a talk of demolishing caste. On behalf of the large number of persons assembled there, she assured the great Pandit, the standard bearer of India’s political freedom that the women of the Presidency with a few exceptions were solidly behind the self-respect movement which was out to destroy caste. “Let me further assure that great Pandit,” the President continued, “that we are out to destroy caste, root and branch. We do not believe in demolishing caste in one compartment, while preserving in another. The great Pandit wants caste to be retained on ceremonial and marriage occasions. I say it is here that we must kill caste for it does not require much effort and sacrifice to lay aside caste at Government House dinners and Garden parties.
“I have no objection if any one wants to preserve caste in one of our museums, but it must not find a place anywhere in the country. For if India is ever to progress and attain nationhood, it can only be by killing this hydra headed monster. We are acquainted with the cry of “religion in danger” every time an attempt is made to demolish caste. If anyone tells us that God is against the demolition of caste, I would then say, let us demolish God himself, for such Gods can only be the creations of men who are interested in keeping down other communities in perpetual serfdom for their selfish ends. Who can believe the story that Almighty God who is the creator of every one of us, will favoursuch meaningless distinctions? Let us therefore not hesitate to mobilize every force at our command to destroy this pernicious system. Let me here remind you that this was one of the cherished desires of our late Guru.”
Another suggestion she wanted to make was with regard to their banding themselves together as social servants to serve the community. She noticed a tendency in certain quarters to claim favours from Government on the plea that they were depressed. If at all they cared for appointments they ought to claim them as their birth right. The auto-suggestion in the word “depressed” was sickening. The sooner the word was removed from the vocabulary the better for them. She concluded by appealing for immediate steps to be taken to extend the organization to Malabar.
Resolutions were passed praying for greater entertainment of womenfolk in public service in the State and urging the necessity for starting Branch Shmajams in different parts of the country.
Self-respect Conference
The self respect conference which began in the evening was presided over by Mr. E. V. Ramasami, Editor, Kudi Arasu and Revolt who, in the course of his lengthy speech, pointed out that the curse of untouchability had been forced upon a large section of the people in the name of God, Religion, Vedas and Puranas. If at all this blot upon humanity should go, it can be effected only by destroying those agencies which had been and are still responsible for maintaining these differences. Social reformers had failed in their attempt to wipe off this curse, because they neither cared to note the real causes of the sin, nor were they really sincere in their attempt. As long as the cursed Varanashrama, the basis of the so-called Hinduism is allowed to continue, as long as the idol of Rama – the king who killed a “Sudra” for worshipping god, in order to save the life of a Brahmin child – is worshipped, as long as the Puranas which say that Nandanar (an untouchable) was received by God only after he was roasted in the fire, are read and believed by the people and as long as there are Puranas and festivals memoralising the impaling of the humanitarian Jains and Buddhists by the Saivite Gurus – as long as these things continue, the stain of untouchability cannot be effaced from our land.
The President then cited various illustrations from the purana to show the perpetuation of caste system and untouchability. Then he exhorted the people not to be dreaded by the word “atheism,” which is thrown against us by the selfish few. Here he cited the example of Lord Buddha who was sanely unconcerned about the existence of god. He asked why Buddha, the preacher of atheism is called an avatar of Vishnu? He dwelt upon the various interpretations of god given by the so called theists and showed clearly how none of these had any meaning either to the interpreters or to the hearers. Then he emphasised upon the foolish idea that man has come to plead for the “All powerful” God. If all powerful he asked, “Why should he not do it himself?”
His speech was a wholesale condemnation of the Hindu Religion which he called the “Brahmana Religion” and said that the accursed Brahmin was responsible for restricting their religious liberties. He had learnt that several communities which were exposed to all sorts of disabilities, could not rise up, owing to the restrictions imposed on them by religious and communal rules and even success by the door of Satyagraha could not be had if they had not that self-respect in them. He said that Hinduism afforded no opportunities for freedom, that nobody knew where and when it came from, that he hated the Vedas, Shastras and Puranas, with all their restrictions of caste and creed and that he was for demolishing outright the citadel of Hindu Religion, which was so to say a fraud on the face of the world. In conclusion, the president read out the resolutions of the Chingleput Conference, explained each of them, and showed how the self-respect league has made rapid strides within a few years, in spite of the nefarious attempts of the mischief mongers.
Mr. K. Aiyappan, B.A. Editor, Sahodaran next spoke endorsing every word of the president and expressed his view that they should be redeemed from the demon of caste and that the speech which Pandit Malaviya delivered at Madras was the one that ought to have been delivered a thousand years ago and that both Malaviyaji and Mahatmaji traded on the vast popularity they enjoy. It was their quiet nature that was responsible for the subject, slavish behaviour and they should rise above the present state of affairs. The meeting came to a close at about 6.30 P.M.
Temple Entry Conference
The Temple entry Conference organized by the S.N.D.P. Yogam was held on the 8th evening under the presidentship of Mr. M. Ramavarma Thampan, M.A., L.T. Retired Principal, Zamorin’s College, Calicut. The president in welcoming Panditji (Pandit Malaviya – editors), explained to him the complicated social customs that are doing great injustice to large masses of people and humiliating them in many ways. He touched upon such questions as caste, temple entry and reconversion and clearly explained the position of the community with reference to these matters.
“I do not agree with Mr. Thampan” began the Pandit, “as regards the evils of caste. I do not believe that the institution of caste is an evil in itself. (Cries of why? why?) The evils of caste are to be destroyed, but caste itself should not be removed. (Hissing Sounds)
… The idea of destroying caste is an idle one. (Cries of “no, no”) … Hinduism has given us the highest teachings in the world (cries of “no, no. It is only Hinduism that has enslaved our people”) …..I understand that at Madras there is a strong feeling of differences between Aryans and Dravidians. I also heard that a set of people are finding fault with Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu (Cries of “no, no; he is our enemy”) Rama ki Jai! (Audience shouting, “Ravana Ki Jai!”) Veda Vyasa has stated in the Mahabarata – (interrupting, a cry of “We are not here to hear all his nonsense”) My Rama is quite different from yours. My Rama is a being that inhabits every atom of the universe. I shall always worship that Rama (cries of “we don’t care”). To Mr. Thampan’s question, about reconversion, I say there is provision in Hinduism for re-conversion, which I want you to refer to the shastras (Cries of, “damn the shastras”). … I am of opinion that it is mere waste of energy to be spending your time in quarrels about caste. It is an insignificant question over which we should not waste our precious time (Cries of ”no, no; it is the most important”). If you are very particular about temple entry, I ask you, would you allow those who are lower than yourself in society, the pariahs and pulayas, into your temples? (Audience enraged, cries of, “certainly, certainly even more than that”)
In short, the whole speech was resented strongly by the audience and vollies of questions came from all sides and created stir and sensation.
Protest Resolution against Mr.Malaviya
The following resolution was unanimously passed: With due respect to Malaviyaji, S.N.D.P.Yogam dissociates itself entirely from every sentiment expressed by Panditji in his speech at the Temple Entry Conference, except his bare statement that temples should be open to all Hindus, and strongly protests against his plea for preserving caste. This Yogam is strongly of opinion that unless caste system is destroyed root and branch there will be no salvation for the so called lower classes.
(Note: We are sorry that owing to the differences in reports published in the Madras Brahmin dailies, which we are sure, are done with the deliberate intention of hiding the truth, we are not able to publish the full account of Mr. Malaviya’s speech and other counter speeches. The above report, for the most part has been taken from the Madras dailies, and we have written for a complete account of the incident, which will be published, as soon as we receive it – Ed.)
Revolt, 15 May 1929
Mr. M. Govindan’s Address
The following is the speech delivered by Mr. M. Govindan, B.A., B.L., Retired High Court Judge, General Secretary of the S.N.D.P. Yogam when he presided over the unveiling function of the portrait of Mr. E.V. Ramasami:
Permit me Gentlemen, to thank you heartily for the great honour you have done me in asking to preside at this meeting to unveil the portrait of the founder of the Self Respect League. I am not vain enough to suppose that your choice in this instance has been guided by considerations of personal competency. I happen to be the General Secretary of perhaps the oldest society in India engaged in the uplift of a large section of the people labouring under caste imposed disabilities. I know that it is on account of this office that I am holding and my humble labours in the field of Social Service, that I have been accorded this unique honour.
Hindrance to Nation
Every one can understand that a man may be high or low on account of the sum total or fund of his qualities the mere accident of birth being irrelevant. But caste stamps one as high or low on account of birth. This is an irrational anachronism. Whatever purpose the institution of caste might have served once, nothing disfigures the Indian society today, so much as the tyrannical caste which assigns an arbitrary rank to a person irrespective of his qualities and qualifications and attaches an indelible stigma by birth to a large section of the human race. It has cut up society into a number of water tight compartments which cannot effectively co-operate with each other for the commonweal.
Can Caste be mended?
Caste is organized iniquity. It cannot be mended. There are “Patriots”, who honestly think that they can apply the surgeon’s knife and remove the evils of caste by detaching from it the idea of the “low” and “high”. This is an idle dream. It is impossible. The ideal of high and low forms the very essence of caste. It has been so long and so indissolubly intertwined with it that detachment is impossible.
Caste must go
For Indian society to evolve into a homogeneous nation, a necessary preparation for the democracy that is coming, caste must be wiped out of existence. This truth has been recognized in the Malayalam speaking countries, by the late Saint Sri Narayana Gurusami who taught that the whole human race is only one caste. Universal brotherhood was the essence of his religion. Mr. K. Iyyappan, a selfless young man imbued with the same spirit is engaged in spreading the same message. He has established numerous branches of (Sagodara Sangam) there and Sahodaran a well edited Malayalam weekly published from Ernakulam contains spirited articles on the identical lines in which the message is advocated here.
Caste is the route cause of all the evils of Indian society and if it is removed nothing can stand in the way of India’s Social progress and political freedom. There will then be perfect freedom of faith and no stigma attaching to any persuasion.
Mr. Ramasami’s Mission
On this side of the Western ghats, my friend Mr. E. V. Ramaswami, more than any one else has realized the full significance of this great truth and has come forward prepared to devote his whole life to fight the demon of caste. Mr. Ramaswami as you all know is a strong man. He is a good fighter in the cause of freedom. My first acquaintance with him was during the Vykom Satyagraha days. He was the life and soul of Vykom Satyagraha. After bringing that long continued struggle to a successful termination, Mr. Ramaswami started the Self respect movement. He had other activities. He was a staunch Congressman and non-cooperator. We are not so much concerned with his work in the field of politics. His heart is now in this all important social work. I heard him the other day addressing an audience of over 10,000 people in the S.N.D.P. Conference at Kottayam expounding the principles of the movement. The speech was simple and direct. Every word that fell from his lips had the ring of sincerity in it and was listened to with rapt attention. The seeds of self respect already sprouting in my land and have been well nourished by him. A rich harvest is bound to follow.
He has started the Self respect movement here under good auspices. I see, he commands an influential following. It is significant that the first annual conference at Chingleput was opened last February by no less a person than the Chief Minister Dr. P. Subbaroyan. Of the necessity for the movement in his opening speech he observed. “It is time we realized that we cannot be a self respecting people politically unless we are self respecting socially. Customs and beliefs which restrict freedom of people in the social sphere cannot prop up a free nation. As long as such customs and beliefs continue, it is not possible to erect a free and democratic state on a society hopelessly given over to all that is antiquated superstitious and unprogressive”. The shrewd politician sees that the Self-respect movement is a necessary hand-maid to help him in preparing a field congenital to the growth of democracy, but social justice between man and man apart from all other considerations demands the abolition of this long standing inequity of caste.
Object of our Movement
To remove the unjust stigma attached by birth to innocent millions in this country, to give every man opportunity and facility to develop to the full height of his stature and to save India from the degraded position of forming the laughing stock of the civilised world, Mr. Ramaswami has started the Self respect movement. It has already spread and taken root in many parts of the province. There is more life in the movement than in any other local public movement at present. It is bound of succeed in breaking the barriers that divide them and transforming the people into one united nation.
Honour to our Founder
Let us do honour to the founder of the Self-respect league. The organizers of the Tinnevelly branch of the League have done well to mark their appreciation of the Selfless work of the Hero of the movement by installing a beautiful lifelike portrait of him which will ever serve to recall his inspiring personality even in his physical absence from their midst. It is a rare privilege to take part in the dedication to the public of such an appropriate souvenir of a noble work so well commenced.
Conclusion
May Mr. Ramaswami be spared long in health and vigour to continue the work to a successful termination and to enjoy the beautiful prospect of the United Indian people envisaged by him, fully realized. With these words I have great pleasure in asking Mr. Chidambram Nathan to unveil the portrait of Mr. Ramaswami than whom there is no more sincere friend of India and its peoples.
Revolt, 28 July 1929
The Sahodara Sangam (K.C. Raman, B.A. (Hons.)
His Holiness Sree Narayana Guruswami now lives in the memory of thousands, as he will surely do for ages to come, mainly due to the indispensable reforms he preached and the modern ideas he propagated among the untouchables on the west coast. The profoundly telling reform this great seer had begun to advocate some 40 years age simply fell flat among the people of “the lunatic asylum of India”, and hero-worshippers of the Carlylean type feared that this great man would pass away unnoticed. The occasion demanded the advent of another hero to translate into action the vision of the greater hero. Among the Thiyyars, a community of no mean importance in Malabar, there was a young man, a graduate fresh from the university, who was deeply moved by the teachings of this great Sanyasin. He made up his mind, and very bold step it was, to devote his life-time to propagate the teachings of this great saint. He knew full well that he would be the butt of public ridicule, if he went about preaching the high ideals aimed at by this great luminary, because the utterances of the latter were valued by the people only as the words of a philosopher-poet, to practice which, in their opinion, was only next to lunacy. The founder of the Sahodara Sangham had therefore to be satisfied with a humble beginning.
Mr. K. Ayyappan, B.A. and a few his bosom friends put their heads together and resolved to have an inter-dining with Pulayas who occupy the lowest rung in our social ladder. These young reformers successfully waded through the difficulty; the idea of inter-dining was put to a crucible-test and the crucible did not break as was expected by many. Mr. Ayyapan and his worthy companions found themselves not only as pure as they were before the experiment, but also far nobler and more magnanimous than the ordinary run of men. They felt that theirs was a mission which alone could emancipate the millions of untouchables who foster the so-called high-caste people at the expense of their life-blood. To eat with the low-caste man was to fight against meaningless custom in the teeth of public opposition. The old men of the locality held a conference and passed the sentence of excommunication with the time honoured alternative that these thoughtless youths might undergo the ordeal of Suddhi. “Never” said the reformers, “We are a determined band”.
These young men organized themselves into a society which they called the Sahodara Sangham or the Brotherhood society. Although they had to stand a very severe test for a few years, they carried on their propaganda work with unflinching courage, robust optimism and becoming patience. Due to their continued and strenuous labour for a number of years, they succeeded in winning over to their side little by little, young men full of the dreams of youth, and as a result branches of the Sahodara Sangham came to be started in many parts of Kerala, so much so that there was a great panic in orthodox circle. The custodians of the ancient faith felt that every thing sacred and indispensable in their glorious heritage was being done to dust by fool-hardy youth, while the youths felt that common-sense was triumphing over ignorance as an outcome of the salient and silent teachings of a great thinker.
Now, twelve years after its organization, the Sahodara Sangham has become an accomplished fact. Its founder, an out-caste in its beginning stage, is now considered to be one of those chosen few who are moulding the future society and shaping the public opinion in the Malabar coast. A man of extraordinary originality, a master of simple yet forcible language, and a speaker capable of awakening the best sentiments and the deeper emotions in humanity, he is looked upon by the younger generation as a saviour of the down-trodden, as a missionary who works more earnestly than the so-called missionaries for the golden age to come.
The Sahodaran a good Malayalam Weekly which he very ably edits aims at the extinction of caste by the propagation of inter-marriage and inter-dining among the masses.
The Thiyyas of Malabar who are the chief propagandists of the Sahodara Sangham have educated their community to such an extent that the so-called sentimental objection has become a misnomer among them. While objection to cosmopolitan dinners has become almost a thing of the past, inter-marriage has only begun to take root. Still, where it has taken place, it has gone beyond the barriers of caste, creed and colour. To mention only two examples, Messrs. C. Unni and K. C. Karunakaran who were in Europe for their higher studies and who have come back with their German wives have been welcomed with great eclat. This may seem a revolt to some, but the readers of Revolt should begin to take such things as simply natural. Where there is the kindling of true love, caste, creed or colour should not be allowed to stand in the way of a couple.
The tenets of the Sahodara Sangam have been accepted by the Thiyyas and other back ward classes on this coast – some 40 lakhs of people in all. Even among them there are some who continue to demur and many more who put their fingers on their noses in wonder. The so called high caste people, except a microscopic minority here and there, have not yet begun to listen to the arguments of the founder of the movement. They believe that their purity which they believe in, their ancient customs and manners, and their time honoured religious beliefs, correct or incorrect, should be kept intact. They maintain that “where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise”. However, of late there has been a great stir in some matters among these too. For example, the Nambudri youths of Malabar in general and the Nairs of Travancore in particular are on the look out to welcome new reforms. What they cannot put into practice under the existing circumstances, they have at least accepted as good and reasonable. Discontent about the present social arrangements reigns supreme among these as it does among the more aggrieved party, and consequently they have begun to search their hearts. These are signs of a dawning age, an age when men will sing in a chorus:
“All’s right with the world.”
Revolt, 25 August 1929
