IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

History of Kerala –Renaissance Period

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V
Medical Officer, Palakkad
Kerala has undergone sweeping changes in every field of life- social, cultural, political

economic, scientifical ,educational etc after 1850’s. So we are concentrating mainly from 1850

Chronology

1575- First press in kerala at Kochi by Portuguese

1772-first book in Malayalam script was printed at Rome-

‘’sampkshepa vedaartham’’

1809-‘Kundara proclamation’ by Veluthampi Dalawa

1811- First Malayalam book printed in India-‘’puthiya niyamam’’ from Bombay

1812-First press in Kerala which printed Malayalam- CMS press at Kottayam

1834- Govt press in Trivandrum by Swathi thirunal

1847-‘Rajya samaacharam-’first newspaper in malayalam from Thalassery basil mission

1817-Benjamin bailey started school at kottaym later converted to CMS College

1834-Swathi thirunal started English school later converted to University college in

thiruvananthapuram

1867- text book committee under Aayilyam thirunaal of Travancore chaired by

Annaji Raayar first and after his death keral varma valiy koyi thampuran for qualitative
improvement in carriclum of schools

1888-Aruvippuram ‘Siva Idol ‘consecration by Narayan Guru

- First legislative Assembly

1891-Malayali memorial

1896-Ezhava memorial

1903-Formation of SNDP Yogam

1905-‘Swadeshabhimani’ newspaper was started BY Vakkom Abdul Khader

1907-Formation of ‘Saadhu Jana Paripalana yogam’ by Ayyankaali

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 1

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

1910- Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna pillai was send on exile

1914-Bhasha parishkarana committee

Chaired by Ulloor S Parameswara Iyer & T.K Krishnamenon

1915-Formation of NSS(Nair service Society )by Mannathu Padmanabhan

1920- Gandhiji visited kerala for the first time

1921- Malabar Rebellion

-Wagon tragedy

- First All Kerala Congress Meeting at Ottappalam in palakkad

1924-Vaikom Sathyagraha

1925- Gandhiji-Sree Narayana Guru Meeting

1931-32-Guruvayur sathyagraha

1932-Nivarthana Prakshobhanam

1936-Nov12-Temple Entry Proclamation in Travancore by Chithira thirunaal Balarama varma

- Electicity agitation in Thrissur against privatization

1937-Travancore University established (now Kerala University)

1938- Travancore state Congress was formed

-Raajadhani march lead by Akkamma Cheriyan

- Inauguration of High court of Kochi

1939- Formation of Communist party

1941-Kayyoor Riot
1946-Punnapra-Vayalar agitation
1947-48- Paaliyam sathyagraha
1949- Unification of Princely states of Travancore & Kochi
1956- Nov 1-State of Kerala was formed

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 2

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

EVENTS,MOVEMENTS & ORGANISATONS

Attingal rebellion-1721

-First organized rebellion in India against the British rule

-Occurred in anchuthengu near attingal (now in Thiruvananthapuram district).

-Tussle between British merchants and native mechants.

-Anchuthengu fort was kept under siege for six months by the rebels .

-In 1722 a pact was signed between Attingal Rani and British.

Kurichya Rebellion -1812

- It was farmers rebellion against the British. It was an after effect of pazhassi rebellion that
happened earlier.

-Kurichyas was a sect in adivasis of Malabar.They and their leader Tahalakkal chandu supported
pazhassi .

-British oppressed them with taxing out huge revenue from the poor farmers.

-Farmers protested violently ,but the rebellion was comp letely suppressed by the British.

Channar rebellion(melmundu samaram)-1859

- It happened in Travancore in which Channar(a lower caste according to Hindu caste system)
ladies protested to wear blouse which was not allowed at that time.

-On july 26th 1859 uthram thirunal made a proclamation by which all ladies irrespective of caste
were allowed to wear blouse

Malayali memorial-1891

-A mass petition filed to Sree Moolam thirunal of Travancore which sought for appointment of
malayalees in higher offfial posts.

-Leaders were C.V Raman pillai,K.P Sankara Menon,K.P.Padmanabha menon,G.P.Pillai etc

Ezhava Memorial-1896

-A mass petition filed to Sree moolam thirunal under the leadership of Dr Palpu ,who was a
medical graduate .

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 3

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

-Appointment of lower caste people in government posts was the main point in the petition.

-It was rejected by the diwan and other authorities.

-Again in 1900 they gave a mass petition to Lord Curzon,Viceroy ,when he came to Travancore.
But nothing fructified.

Malabar Rebellion-1921

- Khilafat movement ,which was a pan- islamist movement against the British got roots in
Malabar also.

-Rebellion started gainst the British and also the native land lords.

-It mainly happened in eranad & valluvanad taluks of Malabar.

-Variyan kunnath kunjahammed haji,seethikoya,aali musaliyar are the prominent leaders

-Death toll was heavy on both sides.

-Rebellion was brutally suppressed ,about 10,000 people lost their lives.

Wagon Tragedy-1921 ,Nov-10

- Part of Malabar rebellion

-Arrested rebels were transported from Tirur Railway station to Bellary jail in a goods train
named M.S.L.V 1711.

-More than ninety people were transported in a single wagon.It was thickly congested so they
could not even breath.

-64 people was found dead when the wagon reached podanoor near Coimbatore and 8 more died
in hospital.

-Wagon with dead bodies was returned back to Tirur. Wagon Tragedy memorial town hall is
now at Tirur ,Malappuram District.

-It was one of the most gruesome incidents during the freedom struggle.

Vaikom Satyagraha (1924–25)

-It was in Travancore, against untouchability in Hindu society. The movement was centered at
the Shiva temple at Vaikom, near Kottayam.

-The Satyagraha aimed at securing freedom of movement for all sections of society through the
public roads leading to the Sri Mahadevar Temple at Vaikom.

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 4

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

-Started on 1924 march 30th .

-Leaders of the sathyagrha are T. K. Madhavan ,K.Kelappan, K. P. Kesava Menon,kuroor

neelakantan namboothirippad,mannathu padmanabhan,T.R Krishnas wami Iyer .

-The Akalis of Punjab came to Vaikom to open a free kitchen for the Satyagrahis

-Non-Hindus like barrister George Joseph, Bhajematharam Mathunni and Abdul Rahman (the
Editor- in-Chief of The Young India) came forward to offer Satyagraha.

-E. V. Ramasami/ Periyar a group of followers offered Satyagraha.

-Gandhiji visited vaikom during the struggle

-The streets in the temple area were opened to all people (except the eastern path)on nov 23
,1925.

-In 1928 a proclamation was made in Travancore by which all temple paths were opened for all
people.

Salt sathyagraha in Kerala-1930

-Payyannur in kannur district was the centre of salt sathyagraha in Kerala

-Leaders were K.Kelappan,T.R krishnaswamy Iyer,P.krishna pillai etc

Guruvayoor Sathyagraha-1931-32

-The struggle was to provide access to Sree Krisna temple at Guruvayoor for all Hindus.

-Started by K.P.C.C under the Leadership of K.Kelappan.

-A.K .Gopalan,mannathu padmanbhan were leaders of the struggle.

-Sathyagraha was called off as per the direction of Gandhiji.

Nivarthana struggle (Nivarthana Prakshobham)

-It was joint struggle by Hindu backward classes,Muslims &christians to achieve prper
representation in legislative assemblies

Kayyoor Riot

-Kayyoor is a village in kasargod district

-Communist party organized peasents and acted against land lrds and British govt.

-One policeman was killed when they tried to stop a procession organized by the party.

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 5

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

-Police captured 61 workers and 4 of them werehanged to death on march 29 th 1943.

-EK Naynar,AV Kunjambu etc participated in the struggle

Punnapra –vayalar rebellion (1946)

-In Travancore a bill was passed extending the official period of Diwan to 5 more years.

-Communist party organized its cadres and prorested against this move which is seen as a hidden
agenda by the then Diwan C.P Ramaswamy.

-Police attacked the protesters and almost 200 people were killed on October.

-Another 280 people were killed in protest organised against the first attack.

-It was the bloodiest agitation in history of modern kerala. Almost 1000 people were killed in
agitation.

-Famous slogan ‘American Model Arabikkadalil’’ was used in this agitation

SNIPPETS

First keralite to participate in annual meeting of Indian National Congress-G.P .Pillai

Gandhiji visited Kerala 5 times

First president of K.P.C.C-K.Madhavan Nair

First secretary of SNDP-Kumaran Asan

First Health Minister of Kerala-Dr A.R Menon

Architect of Cochin port-Robert Bristo

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 6

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

Personalities
Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja ( 1753 – 1805)- ‘’Kerala Simham’’

Ruler of the princely state of Kottayam (now Thalassery taluk and Wayanad district along with
Gudalur and Panthalur taluks of the Nilgiris District and some parts of Kudagu ) in malabar

He fought guerrilla warfare against on Mysorean army from 1774 to 1793 and also against
British

-In 1792, after the Third Anglo-Mysore War, English imposed their paramountcy in Kottayam in
violation to their earlier agreement of 1790 which recognized independence of Kottayam.

-In 1796, the Company made an attempt to arrest Pazhassi Raja, but he evaded capture and
instead fought back using guerrilla warfare.

-1800 over a dispute on Wayanad and after an insurgent warfare lasted for five years, Pazhassi
Raja was killed on November 30, 1805 in a gun-fight at Mavila Todu near Kerala-Karnataka
border.

Raja’s aide

Kaitheri Ambu

Edachena Kungan

Thalakkal Chandu (Kurichia-aide of Kungan/Hero of Panamaram)

Veluthambi Dalawa (Velayudhan Chempakaraman Thampi)(1765–1809)

-Prime Minister of Travancore between 1802 and 1809 during the reign of Maharajah Bala
Rama Varma Kulasekhara Perumal

-Lead the uprising in Travancore against corruption

-Appointed as Dalawa

-Velu Thampi Dalawa and the Paliath Achan, Govindan Menon, met and decided on the
extirpation of the British Resident and end of British supremacy in their respective states

-Velu Thampi went to Kundara where he made his famous proclamation in January 1809 urging
the people to fight the British.

-The proclamation had its effect and the whole country rose like one man against the British.

-He commited suicide by cutting his throat at Bhagawati Temple at Mannadi near kottarakkara

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 7

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

Sree Narayana Guru (1856–1928)

-Spiritual leader,social reformer ,poet.

-Guru was born into an Ezhava family in chempazhanthi near thiruvananthapuram.

-Lead Reform movement in Kerala, revolted against casteism and worked on propagating new
values of freedom in spirituality and of social equality, thereby transforming the Kerala society.

-Narayana Guru is revered for his Vedic knowledge, poetic proficiency

-One of the most successful social reformers who tackled caste issues in India

-Consecrated Siva Lingam at Aruvippuram in 1888- "I installed my siva; not a Brahmin siva."
-Formed ‘Vaavoottu Yogam’ at aruvippuram –prototype of SNDP

-Started SNDP IN 1903 along with Kumaran Asan(first secretary)

-He chose Sivagiri for his spiritual practice ' with Amba' became his deity

-Started a Sanskrit school in Varkala.

-Temples were built at different places – Thrissur, Kannur, Anchuthengu, Tellicherry, Calicut,
Mangalore.

-In 1913, he founded the Advaita Ashram at Aluva.- Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra became the motto
of the new Ashram.

-Famous slogan of ‘Oru jaathi,oru matham ,oru daivam manushyanu’ was given at a meeting at
Aluva ashram

-Visited Sri Lanka many times.

-On 14 June 1927 Sree Narayana Guru consecrated a mirror – with the message "Om shanti"
written on the surface – in a temple in Kalavankode.

-Gurudevan participated in the anniversary of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam held
at Palluruthy in 1927

-Guru died on 20th September 1928

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 8

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

SAHODARAN AYYAPAN( 1890-1968)

Social reformer,journalist

-Born at Cherayi near Ernakulam

- Started an organization called ‘Vidya poshini’

- Studied sanskrit & history at university college Tvpm

-Started ‘’Samastha Kera Sahodara Sangham’ in 1917.and ‘Mishra bhojana Prasthanam’

-Started a magazine (later newspaper)named’ SAHODARAN’

-Another magazine named ‘YUKTHIVADI’ was started along with

M.CJoseph,C.Krishnan,C.V Kunjiraman etc

-‘VELAKKARAN’- another newspaper started by Ayyappan

-Failed 2 times but won at 3rd time to legislative assembly of Kochi

-Elected as president of SNDP in 1938

-Started socialist party

-Elected as minister in various ministries of Kochi & Thiru-Kochi.

-Concentrated in social activities in later stages of life

-Died in 1968 march 8

Slogan- ‘All men are brothers’

Published the biography of V.I Lenin for the first time in Malayalam in ‘SAHODARAN’

Mannathu Padmanabhan(1878-1970)-(Bharatha kesari)

Writer,orator,teacher,social reformer,politician.

Born at perunna near changanassery

Became teacher at the age of 15

Turned into lawyer

Started ‘Nayar Samudaya Bhrithya Jana Sangham’ in 1914

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 9

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

Established Nair Service Society(NSS) in 1915

Constructed schools and colleges throughout Kerala

Worked against many social evils that marred the nair caste.

Worked together with many other leaders in social movements like Vaikom sathyagraha,
guruvayoor sathyagraha and for the betterment of lower caste hindus

Lead ‘savarna jaadha’ to Tvpm to sympathize with guruvayoor sathyagraha

K .Kelappan(1890-1971)-(Kerala Gandhi)
Social reformer, teacher

Born at Moodadi in kannur

Worked actively in congress in ponnani taluk

Participated in vaikom sathygraha,& guruvayoor sathyagraha

Became Editor of ‘Mathrubhumi’ Daily

Leader of Salt sathyagraha in Kerala

He was the K.P.C.C president when India got Freeddom.chairman of Kerala unification
committee

Concentrated in’ sarvodaya’’activities in later life

Died in 1971 october 6th

Ayyankaali(1863-1941)
Social reformer,Champion of the Downtrodden

Born at Venganoor near thiruvananthapuram

Succeeded in issuing orders permitting admission to children of lower caste in schools

First lower caste man to be selected to Sree moolam praja sabha-the then legislative assembly.

Started ‘Saadhu Jana Paripaalana Sangham’ in 1907 later became Pulaya Mahasabha

Fought steadfastly for uplifting the socialand educational status of lower caste hindus.

Met Ganhiji in 1938 which helped to get nationwide attraction his struggles

Gandhiji called him ‘’Pulaya Raajavu’’

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 10

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

Died on June 18th 1941

Dr .Palpu (1863-1950)
Physician,social reformer,educational activist

- Born in thiruvananthapuram

-Forced to go to madras for medical studies eventhough got admission in kerala for medicine in
1884.

-Didn’t get job in kerala as he was from ezhava community,so went to mysore and worked
there.

-Returned to travancore and was behind ‘Ezhava Memorial’ –a mass petition given to
authoroties for securing equal rights to backward classes also in educational sector and govt
jobs(13,176 persons signed)in 1896 submitted to Travancore Raja Vishakom Thirunal.

-‘’Treatment of thiyyas in travancore’’- book by Dr.Palpu-1896

-Met Swami Vivekananda at Mysore and upon his advice got connected with Narayana Guru
and worked with him for the reform movements

Chattambi Swamikal(1853-1924)
Social reformer,spiritual leade r,writer

Born at kannammoola near Thiruvananthapuram

Orginal name –Kunjan pillai(Chattambi means leader)

Fought against social evils and Brahminical hegemony in a spiritual way.

Wrote many books related to language,history,spirituality etc.

Earned respect from Swami Vivekananda when they met

Died at panmana on may 5th 1924 in kollam district

Vakkom Abdul khader maulavi (1873-1932)

Social reformer ,religious leader

Well versed in Malayalam,tamil,arabi,urudu,Persian and Sanskrit

Started the newspaper ‘swadeshabhimani’(Ramakrishna pillai became editor in 1906)

Submitted petition to the raja of Travancore regarding reforms in education of muslim society.

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 11

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

Started ‘Islamia ‘publishing house

Died on 1932

C.Krishnan(1867-1938)
Lawyer ,social activist,politician

Born at Chaavakkad near Guruvayoor

Editor of newspaper ‘KeralSanchari’

Bought the newspaper ‘Mithavaadi’ from moorkkoth kumaran in 1913 (so he was later known as
Mithvaadi krishnan)

‘Veena poovu’ the famous poem of Kumaran aasan was first published in ‘Mitha vaadi’

Wrote editorial about Russian revolution in1917

Conveted to Budhism stating that being a caste in Hinduism was problem of thiyyas

Organized a Buddhist conclave in Calicut

Foremost among the leaders of atheist movement in kerala

Died on 1938 nov 29th

Muhammed Abdurahman (1898-1945) (Subash Chandrabose of Kerala)

Born at kodungallor

Participated in Khilafath movement,salt sathyagaha

Started ‘Al-ameen’ newspaper

Died on 1945

K.P. Kesava Menon(1886-1978)

Politician, social reformer,Diplomat,writer,lawyer

Got ‘padmavibhooshan’

Involved in non-cooperation movement

Participated In vaikom sathyagraha

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 12

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

Started ‘Mathrubhumi’ newspaper in 1923

Indian high commissioner to Srilanka in 1951

‘Kazhinja kaalam’-autobiography by K.P.Keasava Menon

Bilathi visesham, yesu devan,jeevitha chinthakal are his works

A.K. Gopalan(1904-1977)- (paavangalude padathalavan)

Politician,social reformer

Born at peralassery near thalassery

Most popular politician kerala has ever seen.

Participated in Salt sathyagraha,guruvayoor sathyagraha(volunteer captain)

Joined congress socialist party and worked along with EMS

Lead ‘pattini jaadha’ to madras and ‘thiruvithankoore jaadha’ to tvpm

Became leader of opposition in Indian Parliament

‘’Njaan oru puthiya lokam kandu’’ is a literary work by him

Died on march 21st 1977

‘Swadeshabhimani’Ramakrishna pillai (1878-1916)

Journalist ,social activist,writer

Born at Neyyatinkara near Tvpm

Editor of journal ‘Malayali’

Became chief editor of ‘Swadeshabhimani’ newspaper in 1906

Send on exile in 1910

Died on 1916

V.T Bhattathirippadu (1898-1982)

Social reformer,Playwright

Born at Mezhathoor near ponnani

Fought against the superstitions and bad customs of Brahmin caste

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 13

IHMA KERALA RENAISSANCE

Encouraged widow marriage, atheism.

Adukkalayil ninnu arangathekku,kainchntha,are his works.

Compiled by Dr Sajeev.V Page 14