Indians
got into a life of death struggle against the British. At the same time
the Dalits had the misfortune of being involved in a struggle with the
upper castes for their civil liberties. In these struggles, the earliest
leaders was Ayyankali. After him, at all India level Bhim Rao Ambedkar
entered the Karma-bhoomi.
Parallel to the independence struggle ran the struggle against upper castes.
In 1912 untouchables were still not allowed in markets of Nedumangadu. Upper caste men's took an uncompromising stand in this regard. To question them Ayyankali and group entered the market. The outraged local crowd surrounded Ayyankali and a brutal fight ensued. Ayyankali's men fell. They surrounded Ayyankali thinking that he would be an easy target. But he warded off the onslaught of the Muslim goondas. The opponents couldnot overcome the martial art expertise of Ayyankali and withdrew.
Another battle took place some miles further North (near the sea) in Kazhakkoottam. Ayyankali, accompanied by his bodyguards, was proceeding to the place where a meeting of avarna people were to take place. The local Muslims launched an organised attack on his party. It got out of hand and reached riot proportions. The local police inspector Mr Daniel (the brother in law of CV Kunjuraman the Ezhava leader) averted the spread of violence by his intervention.
The following years were a period of riots. Though the order to admit Dalit/Pulaya students was passed in 1910, from their experience it became clear that nothing can be got without a fight. These un-rests gave rise to social and economic tensions which extended the struggles further.
Ayyankali didnot wait for words of sympathy. He decided that Pulayas 'must' get admission in the school on the basis of renewed orders of the government. Accordingly he reached Venganoor Chavadi Govt High School with some children, accompanied by his followers Kochappi, Ayyan, Velayudhan, Pappu Manager, Vishakhan, Thevan etc. At the school verandah itself the school officials tried to scare them away and failed. First they tried to scare the students . Then many local leaders surrounded them and tried to assault them. Then the situation turned explosive. Ayyankali and his group fought back.
Ayyankali wrote to the government:
"The
conditions in the schools are deteriorating. The govt may please
intervene to enforce its orders about admission of Dalit children".
By the end of 1914 orders were received ordering strict compliance with the govt's admission policy regarding Dalit children. Knowing that the Savarna are sabotaging govt orders, the director of education Mr Mitchell himself visited schools to get first hand information.
When the education officials were admitting the Avarna students, the situation turned grave. The Savarna men set fire to Mr Mitchell's jeep. Still, the officials did their best to to make the govt. policy a success. The students also came forward with determination. Even 16 year olds* came for admission to class I. Eight Pulaya children were admitted that day.
The children who were admitted also suffered mental torture. When they entered the class, the Savarna kids walked out the other door (from the autobiography of Mooloor S Paadmanabha Panikkar). The non-cooperation of the savarna children to sit with "smelly black children" became a headache for the government.
Later the classes were filled to capacity with Savarna students, in the beginning of the academic year itself, to rubbish the govt's admission policy. When admission was refused to Dalit students at this time, communal riots erupted all over the state, worst affected being Balaramapuram, Chenganoor, Kaniyapuram, Kazhakkoottam, Kavaalam, Pulladu, Perinadu, Chennithala etc.
To prevent untouchables from entering school, the upper caste men made every effort. But it ended in a bloody revolution.
(*) Some students continued in class one for many years as some or the other obstruction was placed from completeing. A large number joined to establish their right to education. Similarly, after Temple entry most Dalits lost their interest in going to temple.
Parallel to the independence struggle ran the struggle against upper castes.
In 1912 untouchables were still not allowed in markets of Nedumangadu. Upper caste men's took an uncompromising stand in this regard. To question them Ayyankali and group entered the market. The outraged local crowd surrounded Ayyankali and a brutal fight ensued. Ayyankali's men fell. They surrounded Ayyankali thinking that he would be an easy target. But he warded off the onslaught of the Muslim goondas. The opponents couldnot overcome the martial art expertise of Ayyankali and withdrew.
Another battle took place some miles further North (near the sea) in Kazhakkoottam. Ayyankali, accompanied by his bodyguards, was proceeding to the place where a meeting of avarna people were to take place. The local Muslims launched an organised attack on his party. It got out of hand and reached riot proportions. The local police inspector Mr Daniel (the brother in law of CV Kunjuraman the Ezhava leader) averted the spread of violence by his intervention.
The following years were a period of riots. Though the order to admit Dalit/Pulaya students was passed in 1910, from their experience it became clear that nothing can be got without a fight. These un-rests gave rise to social and economic tensions which extended the struggles further.
Ayyankali didnot wait for words of sympathy. He decided that Pulayas 'must' get admission in the school on the basis of renewed orders of the government. Accordingly he reached Venganoor Chavadi Govt High School with some children, accompanied by his followers Kochappi, Ayyan, Velayudhan, Pappu Manager, Vishakhan, Thevan etc. At the school verandah itself the school officials tried to scare them away and failed. First they tried to scare the students . Then many local leaders surrounded them and tried to assault them. Then the situation turned explosive. Ayyankali and his group fought back.
By the end of 1914 orders were received ordering strict compliance with the govt's admission policy regarding Dalit children. Knowing that the Savarna are sabotaging govt orders, the director of education Mr Mitchell himself visited schools to get first hand information.
When the education officials were admitting the Avarna students, the situation turned grave. The Savarna men set fire to Mr Mitchell's jeep. Still, the officials did their best to to make the govt. policy a success. The students also came forward with determination. Even 16 year olds* came for admission to class I. Eight Pulaya children were admitted that day.
The children who were admitted also suffered mental torture. When they entered the class, the Savarna kids walked out the other door (from the autobiography of Mooloor S Paadmanabha Panikkar). The non-cooperation of the savarna children to sit with "smelly black children" became a headache for the government.
Later the classes were filled to capacity with Savarna students, in the beginning of the academic year itself, to rubbish the govt's admission policy. When admission was refused to Dalit students at this time, communal riots erupted all over the state, worst affected being Balaramapuram, Chenganoor, Kaniyapuram, Kazhakkoottam, Kavaalam, Pulladu, Perinadu, Chennithala etc.
To prevent untouchables from entering school, the upper caste men made every effort. But it ended in a bloody revolution.
(*) Some students continued in class one for many years as some or the other obstruction was placed from completeing. A large number joined to establish their right to education. Similarly, after Temple entry most Dalits lost their interest in going to temple.
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