A struggle for decent dress by R. Ayyappan (Express Buzz)
"The victory of the Channar Lahala or the Upper Cloth Mutiny (Maaru Marakkal Samaram), after half-a-century of violent struggle, is widely seen as the transformative event that triggered a wave of renaissance movements that shaped modern Kerala.
"'Cries for equality began to rise not just from various parts of Kerala, but from the whole of South India after the Channar Mutiny. The agitation to end ‘oozhiyam vela’ or work without pay, the agitation to secure entry into temples, the agitation to secure the right to walk on public roads, all these struggles that went on to change the face of Kerala were inspired by the success of the Upper Cloth Mutiny,' writes historian Joy Balan Vlaathangara in his book ‘Vaikuntaswamiyum Samoohika Navothanavum’. [...]
"It was western influence and the work of Christian missionaries like Charles Meed and Malt during the early part of the 19th century that revealed to the Nadars the indignity of their existence.
"There are historical accounts of labourers who had migrated to Sri Lanka to work in colonial tea plantations returning with enough money to lead European lifestyles. Converted Nadars, too, started wearing upper clothes and saw it as a sign of social progress.
"The upper castes, including the royalty, did not take kindly to these progressive thoughts. An account says that a lower caste lady who went to the palace of the Attingal Rani wearing an upper cloth had her breasts chopped off by royal decree. Out on the streets, the upper castes unleashed violence on Christian Nadar women who had their breasts covered."
July 26, 1859: declaration by ruler of the princely state of Travancore (modern Kerala)
Its shocking to note that women were treaty with such indignity by the erstwhile rulers of Travancore (South Kerala). I was under the impression that Travancore was a model state in the whole country before independence. I appreciate the British for gifting dignity of life to the oppressed in this region.
Posted by: Sunitha | December 17, 2009 at 01:39 AM
Also this happened to a subsect called Nadar climbers(please refer wiki and hardgrave's book again). The Nadan women (a Nadar subcaste) were freely allowed to wear their upper cloth unlike their Nadar climber counterparts.
Posted by: Sam Walter | February 10, 2011 at 10:14 AM
Other castes were also discriminated in this manner. The Nadars were not specifically treated in this manner. Nair women were forced to bare their breasts in front of castes higher than them (like namboothiri and Kerala kshatriyas). The Nadars were one of the first castes to strike back.
Posted by: Sam Walter | February 10, 2011 at 09:19 PM
The article says that the Nadars changed because of the christian missionaries. This is partially true because(as per page no's 55-70 of The Nadars of Tamil Nad) the Nadars were always unhappy with their status. The missionaries just served as a purpose for the Nadars' revolt. The Nadars' rise was largely because of their own determination.
Posted by: Manoj | February 11, 2011 at 12:29 PM
Dear Anti cast People my name is Manu iam hindu pulaya cast Resididing at kerala even in 2011 we were not provided good road transportation facility by higher casts we were only provided way to walk to main roads by thoses (Patters)from gujarath now residing in kerala.. we need freedom Gandhi Jii...
Posted by: manu | May 07, 2011 at 10:41 AM