Brahmana Rule?

Travancore Government

We understand from reliable sources that the Travancore Government have proscribed the Urdu journal. “Kranti”, which is published at Lahore. If what is reported is a fact we are sorry for the repressive attitude of the Government. The “Kranti”, the organ of the Jat Pat Torak Mandal is doing yeoman’s service in the sphere of social reconstruction. Its chief work, the breaking of caste distinction, by means of inter-caste marriages and inter dining is sure to be of immense benefit to the Hindu community. The mandal through its organ, is rendering such a great service to our caste-ridden country, that even the so called patriots with their brass throats, and the large amount of public funds, are not capable of doing a thousandth part of it. The mandal, in short, is achieving what the greatest of social reformers of the past failed to do.

The so called nationalists cry hoarse at the “intolerance” of the “satanic government”. They want to establish Swaraj or the “Rama Raj,” when, they say, the country will be overflowing with milk and honey and there will be nothing but peace and prosperity Indeed! We have an experience of what a “Swaraj” will be. The Travancore Government, which is undoubtedly ruled by a Native ruler is dancing to the tunes of the face-born class. In an article published elsewhere in this issue, the writer painfully refers to the Brahminised atmosphere in which the Government is getting suffocated. Mitavadi, the Tiyya organ of the West Coast paints a lamentable picture of the Brahminophobia with which the state is suffering. It really moves us to tears when the paper makes a touching reference to the inexplicable sufferings that the depressed communities undergo under the social and political Brahmins. Our heart breaks within us, when we read the moving words.

“The Royal house of Travencore who are now spending five lakh of rupees on feeding the Brahmins, have they given a day’s meal to the saint Sri Narayana Guruswamy – born and bred up in their land? Have they taken the trouble to see him at least?”

Here in another instance of what a Swarajya would be. In Nepal, another of the Native States, we hear the Non-Brahmins (“Sudras”) who drink milk in defiance of the dictates of Manu Dharma Shastra are still punished. This is again another illustration of the Dharmarajya or Swaraj. There is no stop to the deafening cry of the patriots and their “leaders” that the Britisher is adopting many repressive measures in the administration of the country. But, they never have the leisure to consider in what aspects the native states like Travancore, have bettered the social conditions of their subjects. This denotes how the congress-wallahs are satisfied with anything that has the predominance of Brahminism.

Apart from the poison of Brahminism which the ruler of Travancore is forcing into the lifeblood of the subjects there is now issued (if again the report is true) a new order prohibiting “Kranti” from entering into the state. The journal, for the simple reason that it advocates the breaking of caste, is proscribed by the Government. What else, we ask, is this due to, then that the ruler has fallen a prey to the heartless machinations of the Brahmin advisers. Evidently the ruler of Travancore has caught a tartar! If the Government of Travancore continues to be led by the Brahmin element, if it has decided to overlook the millions of the depressed communities who form the backbone of the subjects, if it is stubborn in its blind support of the privileged classes, and if it resorts to such reprehensible methods of administration, we fear, it will soon pave the way of losing the goodwill of its people and stand itself as a monument unworthy of other advanced states of India. The Government, we hope, will wake up to its responsibilities, and make amends for what it has done till now.

Revolt, 30 June 1929

Dharma Rajyam or Modern Travancore? (Translated by ‘Tiyya’)

Mitavadi, the great Tiyya organ of the West Coast writes:-

In the presidential address delivered by Dr. Palpu at the S.N.D.P. Yogam at Kottayam he stated that in the old days in South India there reigned a great Buddhist Emperor (Mahabali); that the extent of that empire was several times greater than that of Asoka; that in the days of that reign there were no caste distinctions and differences; that such crimes as murders, cheating were practically unknown that in the policy of his Government no distinction was made as between subject and subject. It is the reign of this Emperor which we, (on the West Coat), celebrate as the first onam (festival) in the month of Avany (mid-August-mid-September – editors), at the beginning of every Kollam year. It will be interesting to compare the policy of that historic empire and the Governmental policy of modern Travancore.

Even today Travancore is Dharma rajyam. But Dharma rajyam has come to mean the country which feeds and maintains the Brahmin. Whatever be the change in status and position of the Brahmin today and whatever be his condition and circumstance in life, for the purpose of feeding them gratis and at Government expense, ottupurahs or feeding houses have been opened throughout the state. In these ottupurahs or feeding houses Governmental charity does not extend to feeding members of other communities however destitute and miserable their condition might really be. Christians, Nairs and Tiyyas are the most important and populous communities in the State. Even to the Tiyya Guru the Government choultry is closed. Nor have any of the above three communities the right of entry into these ottupurahs or feeding houses.

There are several Government temples in Travancore and several lakhs of rupees spent on these temples are for satisfying the needs of the Brahmin. Granting that rice corry and sweets are offered to the gods for appeasing their hunger and granting that the Gods seemingly partake of them, what we now come to know is that it is the Brahmin who takes back every thing that is so offered and without finding any dimunition in the quantity of it and what is more, himself consumes it after all. The Government have no sympathy with the other communities. The right to walk along the public roads is denied to them. Entry into God’s temples is allowed only to the higher castes. If others approach these temples they are beaten and cast out. The shadow of the depressed classes brings about pollution and so saying the Brahmin runs away from the temples forsaking their Gods. Even in the temple or Dewaswom department run by the Government neither the Christian nor the Pulaya nor the Tiyya can ever hope to obtain a footing.

When one class of subjects of the State drive away another class from the public roads by merely shouting “Hol”, the Government make no question of it. The Government further seek to perpetuate these things on the ground of custom and ancient usage. The Travancore Government has filled all the departments of Public Service with caste Hindus. Money which is impartially collected from all people without distinction of caste or religion, now reaches without pollution the pockets, almirahs and iron safes of caste Hindu Government Officers. When non caste Hindus implore the Government with uplifted hands, like beggars, “Give us something in the Public Services,” the Government excuses itself saying: “You are not educated and therefore we cannot give you anything in Government service.” The excuse that there are no educated members in these communities is now absolutely false. If true then as everybody knows, it was because Government did not give them admission to schools in the state.

What is the good of saying there are 12 lakhs of Christians and 7 lakhs of Tiyyas in the State and so on and so forth? It is quite certain that the attitude of the powers that be, in Travancore, is not that of Mahabali the famous Buddhist Emperor of South India. There is an old proverb which says that what the Polaya has earned by begging the Pariah is eating. Similarly it has been ordained that by the sweat of their brow non caste Hindus should earn and the caste Hindus should spend it in comfort upon themselves.

In the ensuing month of Kartigai (mid-November-mid-December – editors), there is the Murajapam ceremony in Travancore. Some five or six lakhs of rupees will be spent by the government on the Brahmins in feeding them, in bathing them and in clothing them. As a special officer for supervising the whole thing a Brahmin only is appointed; preparations on a granted scale are already set afoot; Mangoes are being pickled; medicated and scented oils are being got ready. Everything is being carried out in splendid style. Is it for burning away in such a way five or six lakhs of rupees! – that the people of the State are to pay their taxes? What shall we say about this extravagance except that it is terrible?

Have the members of the Royal house of Travancore who are now spending five lakhs of rupees on feeding the Brahmin, have they given a day’s meal to the saint Sri Narayana Guruswami born and bred up in their land? Have they taken the trouble to have seen him at least? We really doubt very much, whether Maharajahs and Maharanis in attempting to reach Heaven and in seeking paradise at other’s expense would find any bliss whatever in the other world. What shall we call this sort of Government? Our slave mentality has taught us to extol all such Governments as something admirable – all such Governments which do not actually hunt down their subject like wild beasts. If only we would sing the praises of such Governments, we would in turn be certified as intelligent beings by the caste Hindus.

It is only a few days ago, a Brahmin has been appointed Dewan of Travancore. And another Brahmin has now been appointed Chief Justice of Travancore. The Travancore Dewaswom Commissioner is a Brahmin. The Chief Engineer is a Brahmin. The Director of Public Instruction is a Brahmin. It is not because equally able men were wanting in other communities that such an arrangement has been made. These things take place because of foolish superstition and a blind faith in the Brahmin. Favoured communities manage to secure coveted positions and places and feasts. Others are being kicked out. Whether such other communities can even be admitted into Government schools has not yet been finally settled. But the Travancoreans are always ready to present Addresses and kow-tow on bended knees when Dewans of such Governments either retire or are newly appointed.

In any event, the governance of Travancore today is not exactly that of Mahabali (the Buddhist Emperor).

Conferences of Ezhavas in the S.N.D.P. Yogam and Conferences of Nairs and others are being celebrated in Travancore with very great splendour. Has a single Maha Rajah or Maha Rani ever evinced any anxiety to see for themselves what their subjects are doing in these Conferences? What stands in the way of these Maha Rajahs and Maha Ranis now and then having a look in at these Conferences of their own subjects who pay for their Calcutta trip; their Ooty sojourn; their Badradipam and their Pujas to this, that and the other? They never care to do any such thing. Their personal requirements must be satisfied: their bodily comforts must be looked after; their power and prestige must be maintained. If their subjects want to approach their ruler, then they must wait on the road side at the time of the royal drive, to get a glimpse. There is no other access to their rulers. And now after the introduction of motor cars for their drives the only way in which their ordinary subjects can have any idea of their rulers is by having good look at their portraits.

Revolt, 30 June 1929

Brahmin-ridden Travancore

Doth then the world go thus, doth all thus move?

Is this the justice which on earth we find?

Is this that firm decree which all that bind?

Are those your influences, Powers above?

– W. Drummond

The Travancore Government, it is authoritatively stated, has banned the Kranti, the Urdu organ of the Jat Pat Torak Mandal of Lahore. We have had occasion to show in these columns how the ruler of Travancore has given the reins of the Government entirely in the hands of the monopolists, how the vulture of Brahminism has been allowed free to prey upon the millions of the poor downtrodden communities and how the ruler is willingly suppressing the majority of the citizens both socially and politically.

So far as the appointments in the Government services are concerned, from the Dewan to the school teacher, from the Chief Justice to the body guard, the ruler has evinced a peculiar liking for the face-born and has filled almost all the offices with that class of humanity. The ruler finds himself, or to be more correct, the regent finds herself, in a bed of roses, in the present atmosphere of Brahmanism in which she is surrounded. The whole administration has been sold, as it were to a class of people, who are solely responsible for the existing illiteracy of the 97 percent of the population in India. If the regent had only an iota of commiseration, sparkle of sympathy for the millions of her citizens on whose taxes she maintains herself and her large body of Brahmin retinue, if she had only devoted a solitary minute amidst her jovial hours to think patiently about the probable evils of a Brahminised administration she would not have jumped with her eyes open, into such a whirlpool of unpalatable orthodoxy.

Then, as regards the social aspect of the administration, it is most ‘abominable, unutterable and worse’. In no parts of the country, we may boldly assert, are such cruelties perpetrated in the name of god and religion as in Malabar, especially in Travancore. The Travancore Government in collaboration with the Brahmin Dewan, not to mention their Brahmin satellites, has banned a journal for no other fault except its advocacy of the breaking of caste. Verily, this might be the natural outcome of the interview with the regent, of the North Indian tiger (Pandit Malaviya –editors) which recently disappeared from us, after having performed its Shastraic acrobats. Evidently the Travancore Government has a serious attack of Brahminophobia and it is no surprise the diseased man dreads the sight of the injecting needle. The Kranti has terribly frightened the Sanatanic or omitting the two letters, the ‘Satanic’ Government an attribute which the ‘patriots’ are so fond of using. We doubt whether the regent has been hypnotized by the ‘holy’ touch of the Brahmins hands.We fear the Government has pitifully fallen a prey to the machinations and empty vapourings of the tiger of the Hindu Maha Sabha during its recent visit to Travancore.

Is this, we want to know, the type of Swaraj that the All India Congress is striving to usher in? Is it to get this kind of Swaraj that crores of rupees are being spent every year? Lastly we ask, is this the kind of Raj that Mr. Gandhi has in view? Oh! No! It is terrible! “Better to serve in heaven than to rule in hell”. For our part, we have not developed that spirit of unadulterated independence which cries, “better to rule in hell, than serve in heaven” We have not cultivated such an uncontaminated patriotism as to be satisfied with ruling in hell. For ‘inefficient’ as we are, we have been given enough of opportunities to compare side by side a “‘satanic” government with a Swaraj government. We are foreseeing, thanks to the Travancore Government, the conditions in which the Non-Brahmins will be placed, under a Swaraj Government. Our opponents may cite the example of such advanced states as Baroda and Mysore, and yet there is nothing worth admiration except that they are a little better of the two.

The Dewan of Travancore who comes from the intelligentsia seems to be unaware of the potentialities that lie hidden for the nonce in the millions of his subjects, whose social advancement, he is bold enough to set at naught. By the strength of the Brahmin officials whom he has endowed with the main levers of administration, the Dewan may be entertaining hopes of suppressing the people under his iron heels. He may be dreaming of putting down with force the new spirit which has risen in the country. He may resort to oppressive methods of curtailing the yearnings of his people, by banning such humanitarian journals as the Kranti. But let him not forget that he is adding fuel to the fire. His subjects are sleeping volcanoes which may at any moment, suddenly come to life and spit forth their burning lava and fire and brimstone. The hundreds of depressed communities who are treated as social lepers, are tired, most pitifully tired of the thousand iniquities which are perpetrated in utter defiance of humanity and justice. They are refused the very common privileges that are accorded even to pigs and other nasty beings of the animal kingdom. They are humiliated in thousand and one ways; they are not admitted to use the common roads, tanks, temples and other public places. Lakhs of rupees are being spent in feeding the overfed Brahmins (both official and non-official, with all their paraphernalia of wives and children) but not a morsel of food to the toiling Ezhava or the suffering Pulaya. The ‘Brahmin cobras’ are fed by the Government with the food of the people themselves. That is merely improving the poison of the cobras to enable them to bite the innocent millions of the land. The Dewan is adding insult to injury by banning the Kranti. That shows he is deliberately intent upon wounding the exasperated feelings of those who are already wallowing in the filth of social degradation and political subjugation. The administration of a Sanatanist cannot be anything else than a declared support to the monopolist community in both social and political spheres. Evidently the Dewan and his colleagues, supported by the lower rungs of the official ladder, have made up their mind to suck as much as possible, even the whole of the blood of the poor innocent owners of the soil. We have to painfully refer to the fact that, in all the aspects of administration, the Dewan is rubbing the sore, instead of healing the wound.

As one who had freely mingled with the depressed classes at Vaikom, we are fully conscious of the capacity of our down-trodden brethren, who are thanks to the untiring efforts of the newspapers, like the Mitavadi and the Sahodaran thoroughly cognizant of the evils of caste system. We also remember, how at Vaikom in spite of the repressive methods adopted by the Government the downtrodden brethren enthusiastically co-operated with us and fought to the finish. That great victory at Vaikom, we hope, will serve as an impetus to the future fight for equality, which the Dewan is deliberately forcing the people into. Let the victory at Vaikom,

Put a tongue

In every wound of Caesar that should move

The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

Revolt, 14 July 1929

The Dewan of Travancore (S. K. NAIR)

The very first act of Mr. V. S. Subramanian Ayer, the newly appointed Dewan of Travancore, was to remove all the non-Brahmin officials and servants from Bhaktivilas, the official residence of the Dewan and install in their stead Brahmin officials and servants. Does not this show his “magnanimity”? Does this not show his Catholic spirit? Does this not prove him above caste? If this be the first act immediately after his appointment our readers can well judge as to the acts he will do in the Huzur Cutchery. He is the identical man who proscribed ‘Kranti’ of Lahore for its outspoken remarks and observations on caste. Let me now come to the humorous side of the Dewan. On the day of his appointment the officials both Europeans and Indians assembled in Bhaktivilas to congratulate him on his appointment as the Dewan of Travancore. The distribution of pansupari and sandal was entrusted to Secretaries, all Brahmins. They without any taste went on pouring sandal on the shirt sleeves of the European officers till they were driven to a spirit of annoyance. What more things are in store for Travancore at the hands of the new Dewan remains to be seen. Anyhow there is no doubt that this would be the result if a High Court Vakil with no practical knowledge of executive administration be appointed to such an exalted place. I am afraid the story will not end here. Already the people of Travancore, Nairs, Thiyyas and Christians are preparing a big memorial to be presented to His Excellency the Viceroy during his coming visit to Travancore in the month of December.

Revolt, 4 August 1929

Why this Difference?

The Travancore Government is recently adopting queer methods of administration of Justice. The Travancore Temples which refused admission (at Suchindram, Cape Comarin and Trivandrum) for Lalaji and Mahatmaji for the reason that they have undertaking sea-voyage, have opened their portals to the sanctified feet of Sriman Srinivasa Iyengar. We warn the Government that this kind of differentiation is highly humiliating to a large majority of the people, and that if this is repeated, the citizens of Travancore may at any moment bring matters to a crisis.

Revolt, 1 September 1929