Vaikom Satyagraha

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About Vaikom Satyagraha:

It was a social reform movement which originated and took its place at Vaikom, then part of the princely state of Travancore, in Kottayam district of Kerala, during the period of 1924-1925.
It was the dawn of temple entry movements in India.
Background:
- The Vaikom Mahadevar Temple was the epicenter of the town, and Dalits wereprohibitedfrom entering the temple premises or even using the road that encircled the temple.
- In AICC (All India Congress Committee) meeting in Kakinada in 1923, T. K Madhavan, along with Sardar Panikkar and KP Kesava Menon, submitted a petition to the Travancore legislative council.
- The petition sought to grant the right to temple entry and worship of gods for all sections of the society, irrespective of caste, creed, and community.
- During a tour of the region by leaders like K. Kelappan, a demandwas made to allow everyone to use the road, but the temple authorities refused.
- This refusal led to the commencement of Satyagraha.
The Satyagraha was led by prominent leaders such as K. Kelappan, T. K. Madhavan, and K. P. Kesava Menon, among others.
Young volunteers from all over Kerala joined the Satyagraha to fight against untouchability.
A lot of prominent political and social personalities, including Mahatma Gandhi, had a role in the satyagraha.
- Mahatma Gandhi supported the movement unconditionally and visited Vaikom in 1925.
- Periyar E.V. Ramasamy arrived in Vaikom on April 13, 1924, after several of the movement’s leaders were jailed, and he provided crucial leadership to it.
- Sree Narayana Guru also extended his support and co-operation to the Vaikom Satyagraha.
Despite the authorities’ attempts to suppress the Satyagraha, it ultimately succeeded in opening the temple roads to everyone.
The Satyagraha came to a close on November 23, 1925, a total of 604 days after it began in March, 1924.
In another three years, the Travancore government would order that temple roads across the state be opened to all.

Q1: Who was Periyar E.V. Ramasamy?

Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 1879 – 24 December 1973), commonly known as Periyar or Thanthai Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician who started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam. He is known as the ‘Father of the Dravidian movement’. He rebelled against Brahminical dominance and gender and caste inequality in Tamil Nadu.

Source: Decks cleared for Periyar memorial in Alappuzha