Description

Vaikom Satyagraha was a nonviolent protest that took place in the Kingdom of Travancore, now part of Kerala, India, from 30 March 1924 to 23 November 1925. The protest was in response to the region's rigid and oppressive caste system, which barred lower castes, or untouchables, from entering not only the Vaikom Temple but also from walking on the surrounding roads. The protest, led by Congress leaders T. K. Madhavan, K. Kelappan, and K. P. Kesava Menon, was notable for the active support and participation provided by various communities and activists.

Mahatma Gandhi's Intervention And The Agitation

T. K. Madhavan, an Ezhava Congress leader and devotee of Sri Narayana Guru, conceived of the Vaikom Satyagraha. The protesters demanded that the Ezhavas and 'untouchables' be allowed to use the roads surrounding the Vaikom Temple. In March 1925, Mahatma Gandhi visited Vaikom, and the Travancore government eventually built new roads near the temple for the use of lower castes. However, the roads kept the lower castes sufficiently away from the Vaikom Temple's immediate surroundings, and the temple remained closed to them.

Criticism And Compromise

The agitation was put down after Mahatma Gandhi intervened, and a compromise was reached with Regent Sethu Lakshmi Bayi. She freed everyone who had been detained and opened the north, south, and west public roads leading to the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple to all castes. She, on the other hand, refused to open the eastern road. E. V. Ramasamy "Periyar" and others criticised the compromise. Only after the Temple Entry Proclamation in 1936 were the lower castes granted access to the eastern road and entry into the temple. The Vaikom Satyagraha effectively introduced nonviolent public protest to Kerala.

Celebrations Of The Vaikom Satyagraha's Centenary

The 603-day-long Vaikom Satyagraha was critical in announcing modernism in the state as well as serving as a testing ground for nonviolent protests in Kerala. The centenary celebrations of the Vaikom Satyagraha will begin on April 1, 2023, with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurating the event in Kottayam. Periyar, the Father of the Dravidian Movement, took part in the Vaikom Satyagraha and was at the forefront of the struggle throughout its entire duration. Recognizing his contributions, he became known as 'Vaikom Veerar,' the Vaikom hero.

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