Context: India's one of the most supported and widely accepted protests, ‘Vaikom Satyagraha', is celebrating 100 years on Saturday. It not only challenged caste oppression but also demolished the social norms of the Kingdom of Travancore.

• Running for over 600 days, the Vaikom satyagraha was the first among many temple entry movements in India. Amidst the national movement, it foregrounded the issue of untouchability and caste oppression.

Vaikom Satyagraha: Background

• It happened at Vaikom near the Shiva Temple, Kottayam district, Kerala during 1924-25. Vaikom was at that point a neighborhood of the princely state of Travancore.

• According to the prevalent class structure in Kerala similar to the rest of India, low-caste Hindus weren't allowed to enter the temples.

• In Kerala, they weren't allowed even to steer on the roads that led to the temples also.

• At a Congress Party Meeting in the Kakinada in 1923, a report citing the discrimination that the depressed castes’ people were facing in Kerala was presented by T K Madhavan.

• It was after this session that movements against untouchability got promoted. A committee was formed in Kerala, comprising people of various castes to fight untouchability.

• K. Kelappan, Chairman of the committee, comprising T K Madhavan, Velayudha Menon, K Neelakantan Namboothiri, and T R Krishnaswami Iyer was formed.

• In February 1924, they decided to launch a ‘Kerala Paryatanam’ so as to urge temple entry and also the proper use of public roads for each Hindu regardless of caste or creed.

Course of Vaikom Movement

• The Vaikom movement started on March 30, 1924.

• At Vaikom Mahadeva Temple, lower caste people (Avarnas) were denied entry by the board.

• The Satyagrahis made the batches of three people together and entered the temple. They were resisted and arrested by the local police.

• Gandhi, Sree Narayana Guru, and Chattampi Swamikal supported the movement.

• The movement gained prominence within the entire India and support came from far and wide.

• The Akalis of Punjab supported by fixing kitchens to supply food to the Satyagrahis.

• Even Muslim and Christian leaders were in support of the movement. However, Gandhi was not entirely happy with this as he wanted the movement to be an intra-Hindu affair.

• On Gandhi's advice, temporarily the movement was taken back in April 1924.

• After the failure of discussions among Hindus, the leaders again started the movement.

• Leaders K P Kesava Menon and T K Madhavan were arrested.

• E V Ramaswami Naicker travelled from Tamil Nadu to support the movement. He was arrested too.

• On 1st October 1924, a team of upper caste called Savarnas moved forward during a procession and submitted a petition to the Regent Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai of Travancore with about 25000 signatures for allowing entry to the temple for everybody.

• Gandhiji also met with the Regent Maharani.

• The procession was led by Mannath Padmanabhan from Beginning with approx 500 people at Vaikom, the amount increased to 5000 approximately when the procession reached Thiruvananthapuram in the month of November 1924.

Effect and Significance of Vaikom Satyagraha

• On 23rd November 1925, except for the eastern gate, all the gates of the temple were opened to Hindus.

• In 1928, backward castes got the right to move on public roads in the vicinity of all temples in Travancore.

• This was the primary time that an organized movement was being conducted on such a huge scale for the essential rights of the untouchables and other backward castes in Kerala.

• It became a primary struggle for human rights in India

• It became a laboratory for testing important methods like Satyagrahas.

• It instilled rationality among the masses.

Additional Facts

Sanchara resolution

• It is a resolution for free entry to the streets around the temple.

• The resolution was supported by higher cates in the assembly.

• But, it was defeated by a single vote in the Assembly by the open support of the traditionalists and the indirect pressure of the government.