§ Ayyankali was a
social reformer who worked for the advancement of the lower caste Dalits known
as the Untouchables.
§ He pioneered
many reforms to improve the lives of the Dalits.
§ Ayyankali was
born in 1863 in Venganoor, Trivandrum.
§ He was one of
seven children born to Ayyan and Mala, members of Pulaya community. He was
illiterate as were all Dalits at that time.
§ In those days
Dalits were not allowed to walk along public roads. The Dalit women were not
allowed to cover their breasts in public places.
§ Ayyankali
organized Dalits and fought against these discriminations.
§ He passed
through the public roads of Venganoor (1893) on a bullock cart which was not
allowed for the Dalits. Enraged by his boldness, the upper castes physically attacked
him.
§ Ayyankali
demanded right for Dalit children to study in school, which was not granted.
§ Ayyankali
opened a school to teach the children belonging to Dalit families at Venganoor which
was set ablaze by upper caste people.
§ In response to
this, in 1907 he led a strike of agricultural labourers at Venganoor which lasted
for more than a year.
§ He called for
boycott of agricultural work raising certain demands. His demands included (a)
stoppage of the practice of not giving tea in tea shops to Dalits who were given
tea till then in coconut shells; (b) right to education for the Dalit children;
(c) resting time for workers during work hours; and (d) replacement of the
system of wages in kind by payment of cash.
§ Initially the
land lords did not take it seriously. They tried many means and methods to defeat
the workers. But, at last, they were forced to concede the demands of Ayyankali
and his supporters.
§ In 1907
Ayyankali established Sadhu Jana Paripalana Sangham (SJPS) which
campaigned for access to schools and raised funds to set up Pulayar-operated
schools in the interim.
§ Ayyankali was
later nominated to the Sri Moolam Legislative Assembly, in 1910 by the then
rulers in recognition of his leadership ability.
§ He was the
first member from the dalit community to become a member in Sri Moolam
Legislative Assembly.
§ In 1913
Ayyankali launched ‘Sadhujana Paripalini’ as the mouthpiece of Sadhujana Paripalana
Sangham.
§ The first
editor of the journal was Chempunthara Kalichothi Karuppan.
§ An attempt by
Ayyankali to enrol a Pulayar girl in a government school led to violent acts
perpetrated by upper castes against the community and eventually to the
burning-down of the school building in the village of Ooruttambalam. It is
known as ‘Ooruttambalam Lahala’ or ‘Thonnootonpathamand Lahala’. It was staged
in 1915 (1099 of Kollam Era).
§ By 1900 Dalits
were given the freedom to walk on the public roads, and by 1914, Dalit children
were allowed to join schools.
§ Also, Dalit
women were allowed to cover their nakedness in public through his efforts.
§ In 1937 he was
praised by Mahatma Gandhi in a meeting at Venganur, home town of Ayyankali when
Gandhiji visited Trvancore in connection with the Temple Entry Proclamation.
§ Ayyankali
passed away on 18th June, 1941.
§ In November
1980, Indira Gandhi unveiled a statue of Ayyankali at Kowdiar square in
Thiruvananthapuram.
§ The
headquarters of the Scheduled Caste Development Department is named after AyyanKali.
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