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A SOCIO-HISTORICAL PROFILE OF SCHEDULED CASTES IN KERALA
1
Author(s):
SAMEEMA SULAIMAN
Vol - 7, Issue- 1 ,
Page(s) : 186 - 192
(2016 )
DOI : https://doi.org/10.32804/IRJMSH
Abstract
Abstract:
The peculiarities of Kerala experiences can be explained by its social, economic and political aspects. Literacy and education are the main human development factor which gives us to know the condition of a section of the society. The reproduction of culture through education is known to play key role in the maintaining and providing stability to the whole social system. That is why traditional Indian education was limited to a few privileged castes. The modern educational system introduced by the British was theoretically open to all and also its contents were secular. Caste disparity in Kerala is indeed significantly lower than in other parts of India. Kerala’s model of development projects the outstanding success of the people of the states in the domain of literacy particularly female literacy, health care showing declining mortality particularly infant mortality and family welfare. Kerala has gained far better status in keeping Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in school. Thus, we see that the socio-historical, political and economic context of Kerala is quite different from that of other states. The conditions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are comparatively better than other states where untouchability is an ordinary thing in day to day life.
- Kamblez. (1982), The Scheduled Caste, New Delhi: Ashish Publishing House, p. 32. See also Menon, A. Sreedharan. (1978), Cultural Heritage and Kerala: An Introduction, Cochin: East- West Publication Pvt. Ltd, p. 161.
- Chinna Rao, Yagat. (2007), Dalit History and Other Essays, New Delhi: Kanishka Publications, p. 24.
- Singh, K.S. (General Editor). Madhava Menon. T, Tyagi, Deepak. and Kulirani, B. Francis (eds.) (2002), People of India, Kerala (volume ××vvii) New Delhi: Anthropological Survey of India, p. 9.
- Menon, A. Sreedhara. (1978), Cultural Heritage and Kerala: An Introduction, Cochin: East- West Publication Pvt. Ltd, p. 161.
- The Vaikom Satyagraha was the first systematically organized agitation in Kerala against orthodoxy to secure the rights of the depressed classes. For the first time in history, the agitation brought forward the question of civil rights of the low caste people into the forefront of Indian politics. No mass agitation in Kerala acquired so much all-India attention and significance in the twentieth century as the Vaikom Satyagraha. As was the custom prevalent in those days, the avarnas were not allowed to enter the temples. But at Vaikom , they were not permitted even to use the public roads around the temple. Notice boards were put up at different spots prohibiting the entry of avarnas reminding them of their social inferiority. An avarna had to walk through a circuitous route, two to three miles longer to avoid the road beside the temple. It seems that when Ayyankali, a dalit leader and member of pilaya caste, had to travel through this road, he was asked to get down from his bullock cart, and walk through the circuitous route and his bullock cart without him was allowed to pass through the road.
- Toshie, Awaya. (1997), “ Some Aspects of the Tiyyas, ‘Caste’ Movement with Special Reference to British Malabar” in Kotani, H. (ed.) Caste System, Untouchability and the Depressed, New Delhi: Manohar, p. 139.
- Ibid,. p. 141.
- Ibid. p.140.
- Toshie, Awaya. (1997). “ Some Aspects of the Tiyyas, ‘Caste’ Movement with Special Reference to British Malabar” in Kotani, H. (ed.) Caste System, Untouchability and the Depressed, New Delhi: Manohar, pp. 143-144.
- Ibid., p.148.
- Mitavati vol.5 no.2 Feb, 1917, p. 55.
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