VAIKOM SATYAGRAHA

1. Context

2. About Vaikom

• Vaikom is situated on the western side of Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerela.
• It share its border with Vembanad Lake.
• Its importance in Indian history is due to the vaikom Satyagraha against untouchability, in which Mahatma Gandhi and Periyar Ramasamy participated.

3. Historical Background

• According to the prevalent caste system in Kereal and the rest of India, low-caste Hindus were not allowed to enter into the temples.
• In Kerela, they were not allowed even to walk on the roads that led to the temples also.(Kerela state was formed in 1956; earlier it was broadly divided into Malabar (North Kerala), Cochin and Travancore kingdoms).
• In the Kakinada meet of the Congress Party in 1923, T K Madhavan presented a report citing the discrimination that the depressed caste people were facing in Kerela. In Kerela, a committee was formed comprising people of different castes to fight untouchability.
• The committee chaired by K Kelappan, comprised of T K Madhavan, Velayudha Menon, K Neelakantan Namboorthiri and TR Krishnaswami Iyer.
• In February 1924, they decided a launch a 'Keralaparyatanam' in order to get temple entry and also the right to use public roads for every Hindu irrespective of caste or creed.

4. Cause of Vaikom Satyagraha

• The Vaikom movement started on March 30, 1924. At Vaikom Mahadeva Temple, lower caste people (Avarnas) were denied entry by the board.
• The Satyagrahis made the batched of three people together and entered the temple. They were resisted and arrested by the local police.
• Gandhi, Sree Narayana Guru, and Chattampi Swamikal supported the movement. The Movement gained prominence with in entire India and support came from far and wide.
• The Akalis of Punjab supported by fixing kitchens to supply food to the Satyagrahis. Even Muslim and Christian leaders were in suppor of the movement. However, Gandhi was not entirely happy with this as he wanted the movement to be an intra-Hindu Affair.
• On Gandhi's advice, temporarily the movement was taken back in April 1924. After the failure of discussions among Hindus, the leaders again started the movement. Leaders K P Keseva Menon and T M Madhavan were arrested.
• E V Ramaswami Naicker travelled from Tamil Nadu to support the movement. He was arrested too.
• On 1st October 1924, a team of upper caste called Savarnas moved forward during a procession and submitted a petition on the Regent Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai of Travancore with about 25000 signatures for allowing entry to the temple for everybody. Gandhiji also met with the Regent Maharani.
• The Procession was led by Mannath Padmanabhan from Beginning with approximately 500 people at Vaikom, the amount increased to 5000 approximately when the procession reached Thiruvananthapuram in the month of November 1924.

5. Importance of the Vaikom Satyagraha

• On 23rd November 1925, except for the eastern gate, all the gates of the temple were opened to Hindus.
• In 1928, backward castes got the right to move on public roads in the vicinity of all temples in Travancore.
• This was the primary time that an organised movement was being conducted on such a huge scale for the essential rights of the untouchables and other backward castes in Kerela.
• It became a first struggle for human rights in India.
• It became a laboratory for testing important methods such as Satyagrahas.
• Instilled rationality among the masses.

6. Role of Periyar in Vaikom Satyagraha

• The satyagraga began on March 30, 1924 with the active support of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
• The KPCC wrote to Periyar pleading with him to lead the satyagraha.
• As he was then the president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, Periyar handed over temporary charge to Rajaji before reaching Vaikom on April 13, 1924.
• He was part of every consultative meeting, peace committee, campaign party etc., including the eight-member deputaion constituted to meet the Diwan.
• Every major personality who came to Vaikom met with Periyar, this included Swami Sharaddhanda of the Arya Samaj, Rajaji met Periyar, Sree Narayana Guru and Gandhi.

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