International Journal of Research ISSN NO:2236-6124

Upper Cloth Controversy in Kalkulam Region, Kanyakumari District

BABIN MANJU. S Research Scholar (Reg. No.11178), Department of History & Research Centre, Scott Christian College (Autonomous), Nagercoil – 629 003. Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli – 627 012, Tamil Nadu, India.

Dr. L. REGINALD JACOB Associate Professor& Head (Rtd) (Research Supervisor) Department of History & Research Centre, Scott Christian College (Autonomous), Nagercoil – 629 003. Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli – 627 012, Tamil Nadu, India.

Abstract: In South Travancore, caste rules imposed restrictions on the mode of dress, ornaments and the appearance of the depressed classes in public places. Of these, the restriction on dress was viewed from the religious point of view. It was also backed by tradition. The sustained efforts of the Nadars to get rid of the social evils and ills brought them in confrontation with the high-caste Hindus, particularly Nairs. They in turn attracted the serious attention of the Missionaries and required their involvement in favour of the depressed section. One such was the upper-cloth revolt associated with the Nadar Christian women of South Travancore. The disturbances first started in May 1822 in the Kalkulam district. The Christian women who appeared in decent dress were mocked, abused and ill-treated in various ways in markets and way-sides by the Nairs. They stripped the upper clothes and jackets worn by the Nadar women. In May 1822 a few Nadar women went to the church covering the upper part of their body with a jacket. They were molested by the Nairs, their jackets were torn to pieces and filthy words were used against them. Retaliation proceeded from the Nadars. This paper seeks to highlight how the matter was directed by the British Resident in Travancore to the Padmanabhapuram Court and how the judgment came in favour of the Christians.

Key Words: Caste, Reform, Slavery, Social Evils, Rebellion, Kuppayam.

Introduction

In South Travancore, the low caste people were forbidden to cover their body above the waist for a long time. Due to their contacts with the Western missionaries, some changes took place in their life style. In South Travancore, the Nadar community constituted a major population of the area. Largely palmyrah climbers and farmers in occupation, several of the Nadars were sub-tenants to the high caste landlords like the Nairs and the Vellalars. The Nadars were discontented with their degraded position in the society and developed hatred against their social superiors. The Christian missionaries attempted to shatter the letters of tradition overburdened with social disabilities and economic dependence. They helped the Nadars to escape from the existing oppressive customs and excessive taxes. Their work created a new awakening among the Nadar community. The sustained efforts of the Nadars to get rid of the social evils and ills brought them in confrontation with the high caste Hindus, particularly Nairs. They in turn attracted the serious attention of the missionaries and required their involvement in favour of the depressed section. One such was the upper cloth revolt associated with the Nadar Christian women of South Travancore.

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Origin of the Revolt Mrs. Mault, the founder of the lace-making industry in Travancore, and other missionary ladies did not like the Christian women to move about with their bosoms exposed like their Hindu neighbours. Hence they devised a loose jacket (Kuppayam) for the Christian female converts, which perhaps satisfied the modesty of the European ladies, but did not meet the social aspirations of the Nadar women. The community in Tirunelveli wore the best breast cloth freely and the women of Kalkulam region would have nothing less, for they considered the wearing of upper-cloth as a symbol of their enhanced position. Thus in addition to the prescribed jacket or often in lieu of it the Nadar women took the liberty of appearing in public with an additional cloth or scarf over the shoulder, as worn by the women of the caste Hindus. These pretentions of the Nadar convert women were resented by the caste Hindus, who took the law in to their own hands and used violence to those who infringed the long standing custom and caste distinctions.

In May 1822 a few Nadar women went to the church covering the upper part of their body with a jacket. They were molested by the Nairs, their jackets were torn to pieces and filthy words were used against them. Retaliation proceeded from the Nadars. The missionary, Charles Mead reported the matter to the British Resident in Travancore. The Resident directed the Padmanabhapuram Court to study the matter and report. The judgment came in favour of the Christians.

Aftermath of the Favourable Judgement Jubilant over the judgment the Christian ladies gained confidence and boldly began to use upper garments and freely moved to market places and to the church. The Nairs were determined to assault those who violated their wishes. In the year 1828, struggle burst out at Attoor, Kannanoor, Thirparappu, Arumanai, Udayarvilai and Pulipunam in Kalkulam taluk. Under the leadership of Eswara Pillai, the Revenue Inspector of those places in collusion with Pidagaicars plotted against the Christians. Christian churches were burnt, Christians were caught, tied together, thrashed and put in jail. To hunt the Christians, they used bow and arrow, sticks, swords and guns. They came round and round with all these weapons to spread fear over the Christian areas. The Christians were branded as terrorists and traitors and their movements were watched.

As Kalkulam taluk had a sizable number of Nairs, the Christians of that taluk had to suffer a lot. Kaisapillai, Neelakandapillai and Madhavan Pillai of the Attoor locality terrorized the Christians and placed their lives and properties under insecurity. Raman Pillai said, “What business has the gentlemen in this country? What can these Kaluvari naughty fellows do? If we burn down all the chapels so that no one should remain, these Kaluvaris will return to their country.”

Attoor church and the houses of Christians were burnt down. Their paddy, jaggery, clothing, and ornaments, were destroyed. Attoor school master and some Christians were tied together and elephants were employed to drag them to Thuckalay jail. A dead man’s body was lying on the road side. Responsibility for his death was thrust on some Christians and they were arrested and brought under custody. The ears of a woman aged 90 were cut and the ornaments were stolen. One Vedamonikam of Pampadikonam was murdered by the Nairs. They threatened to destroy the bungalow of Resident Colonel Macaulay.

Even though Christians were exempted from Ooliam services on Sundays, they were caught and compelled to do Ooliam service on Sundays in order to prevent them from going to the church. A Christian from Kannanoor refused to do Ooliam service on Sunday. He was caught by the furious Nairs on a Sunday 21 December 1826 and was forced to carry coconut leaves to Padmanabhapuram to feed the elephants in the Fort.

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On hearing this, a Nadar named Essakkimadan who embraced Christianity was loaded with coconut leaves. The same leaves were loaded on a Nair and transported back to Kannanoor Church. This incident shook the Nair society very badly.

With a view to punish the Nadar Christians who were responsible for such an incident, some Nairs of Attoor Adigaram, after two days assembled at a mile away from Kananoor church with sticks, swords, guns and other weapons. Hearing this Christian Nadars of Kananoor church left their houses and ran away. Those who remained in the houses were beaten and the houses were plundered and the church was burnt.

After the incident, during nights, the Nair terrorists used to go round with deadly weapons and torches, shouting slogans against the missionaries. Wherever they went, the churches and schools of the mission were burnt down and the Christians were severely beaten. On 22 December the servant of Charles Mead went to Trivandrum to get bread for Mead. On his way he was stopped and enquired. He said that he was from the Army Camp. The Nairs who stopped him said that he would have been killed if he was associated with Mead.

Rev. Mead, in whose Kalkulam region these disturbances took place, complained of these outrages to the Padmanabhapuram Court. When redress was withheld, he appealed to the Resident describing the illegal proceedings of the irritated high caste people at the innovation in the dress of the Christian women. He also questioned the validity of imposing fines for wearing dress. The resident ordered an immediate enquiry in the matter. The Christian Judges of Nagercoil and Padmanabhapuram were required to report on the subject of the ill-treatment of the women, generally in the Kalkulam regions, as represented by Rev. Mead.

As a result of Rev. Mead’s appeals and agitations, the Padmanabhapuram Court reinvestigated the complaints and issued a decree favourable to the Christian women. The decree of the Court relating to the wearing of dress by the Christians issued in 1823 stated thus: “A complaint was lodged against some Christians under their heathen names as Shannars. For their women wearing upper-cloth, when was decreed that they were to be fined in consequence of their women wearing an upper-cloth”. An appeal being made to this as there was a Proclamation allowing the Christians to wear an upper-cloth, then the Court writing to the Rev. Mead to enquire if these people were Christians and if the religion required them to wear the upper-cloth and such other caste women as have embraced Christianity ought to wear an upper-cloth for the sake of decency when they go to the fairs, markets and other places, and that they were instructed to do so, and that it ought to be so ordered agreeably to Christianity.

The Christian women on the strength of the above decree boldly continued to wear jackets and upper- clothes, though they were ill-treated by their enemies. The only support they received was from the missionaries, who stood by them in the time of trouble and gave “the watchwords Liberty, Equality and fraternity.” In all their movements the Christians opposed the arbitration, which they thought were against the principles of Christianity. The then Travancore Maharani was very much opposed to the freedom taken by the Christian women. Rev. Mead, after his success in the fight with the government, to gain a favourable decree for the Christians, recommended them to obey the orders of the government and avoid giving unnecessary offence to the prejudiced of the native population. But the Christian Nadar women appeared always with the upper-clothes worn and the feelings of the caste Hindus against them rose high. The displeased Sudra aristocracy determined to put a stop to the progress of Christianity and to the wearing of upper-cloth by Christian women by any means. They were also irritated by the complaints of the Christians to the missionaries against them. The hostility that prevailed among them again burst out after a period of five years, in 1828 and continued till 1830.

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he caste Hindus started the revolt in threatening language and afterwards proceeded to overt acts of personal assault, annoyance and public outrage. They secretly plotted and gathered bullies from different places and devised a general sudden rise against the Nadar Christians. Their leader was one local revenue inspector by name Isvara Pillai. Rev. Mead wrote of the situation to the London Missionary society in the following words:”At first threatening language was used to deter the people from attending Christian worship. Men were sized on the Sabbath for public works, schools were occasionally interrupted, the books were thrown in to the streets or torn to pieces and the women were beaten in the public bazaar for wearing the upper-cloth over their bosoms and the clothes were striped from their bodies.”

Violence also erupted in Attoor, another Village in Kanyakumari Taluk. The Caste Hindus set fire to the chapels and school houses. Alarm and terror spread in every direction. Many people, as usual in the time of troubles in South Travancore, returned to the mountains, the only asylum for them to escape the fury of the opposition. The outbreak was too serious at Attoor. Several Christians wear seized from Attoor. Among them was a school master, whose house was plundered and burnt. The house of another Christian was broken, robbed, his three sons seized in his absence, and he himself was charged falsely with murder. In another village, adjacent to Attoor, after seizing the men and insulting women, the persecutors cut off the ear of a very old woman. The situation became so alarming and intolerable that military aid was requested to quell the revolt and to check the further violence of the assailants.

The Pidagakkars, who were very powerful in South Travancore were the leaders and organizers of the plot against the socially backward class Christian converts. They were assisted by local officials, who marched from village to village threatening and coercing the Christians. They employed blacksmiths and carpenters to make pikes, hatchets, bows, arrows and murdered one Vedamanikkam of Pampadikonam of Attoor and buried him. They threatened the Christians by saying that, “As colonel Macaulay’s Bungalow was pulled down and he driven out of the country so the missionary gentleman at Mondaikkadu (Rev. Mead) who disturbs our peace will be served in the same way.

The outbreak at Cannanore, another village near Attoor, was more serious. It started with the refusal of Christians on a Sunday, December 21, 1828, to perform the Uliyam services and to feed the elephants employed in the Padmanabhapuram Palace. Isvara Pillai and some others knowing this, hurried to the palace, seized a Christians, beat him and forced him to carry a bundle of leaves towards Padmabhapuram. On the way to Padnamanabhapuram Palace a number of Christians under the leadership Esakki Madan opposed it. They forced Isvara Pillai and his followers to quit the place and released their fellow Christian. Esakki Madan and others placed the bundle of coconut leaves upon the head of one caste Hindu and made him carry it back to Cannanore. The caste Hindus observed it as great insult hatched by the backward classes on the superior classes. The caste Hindus assembled in large numbers on the 23rd December 1828 armed with guns, swords, clubs and knives. The Christians therefore seeing the coming storm expecting a few women and children fled from their houses. The caste Hindus abused and ill-treated the women who remained. One was stripped naked and all were made to bare their breasts, as the covering of their breasts was considered an assumption of the Christian women. They were pillaged and the churches of that place were burnt down.

Another party of the Pidagakkars led by Parappan Pillai abused the women, seized some Christian converts and threatened them. “If you publicly say that you are Christians, we will immediately bind you and carry you to the Tanna Choultry. An order has already been received to seize and beat you; and plunder and burn your Chapels and houses; and the bungalows of your Missionaries. We have also received orders to spear the Padri residing at Mondaikkadu with the spear used in hunting wild hogs and to kill him.

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The Pidagakkars also said to the Christians that an order was issued to collect the old capitation tax from them. With the knowledge of the government officials Isvara Pillai and other leaders of the caste Hindus also manufactured gun powder and fire arms secretly, probably to oust the missionaries from Travancore.

Rev. Mead visited the palaces where the revolts took place. On the 29th December he went to Iraniyal, Monday Market and enquired of the disturbances. Encouraged by the visit of their missionary the Christians captured some caste Hindus of Attoor and took them over to Rev. Mead’s bungalow. Although they were released without any injury they had the specific plan to assassinate Rev. Mead, the head of the Mission, who was according to them the fountain of all innovations and progress among the unprivileged classes. The night of January 3, 1829 was fixed for the purpose. Rev. Mead had heard of the plot in the evening and immediately appealed to the military authorities for help. Captain Sibbald with detachments of the 15th Regiment Madras infantry proceeded to Mondaikkadu for the relief of the missionary. The enemies, who were engaged in a Puja or worship to Bhadrakali for success in the attempt, heard the sound of the advancing British detachments and fled at random. The military guarded the missionary’s house for a fortnight. Military men were also dispatched to protect the Christians and mission property of the place where disturbances took place.

Rev. Mead wrote to the British Resident in detail about the general agitation that prevailed in the districts of the Christian converts and ascribed it to some alleged innovation in the dress of the Christian women. Col. Morrison advised him to retire for the time being to Nagercoil or Trivandrum. Captain Sibbald also advised him to remove from Mondaikkadu. But the missionary replied that he would remain with the backward class people converted, or die with them. Col. Morrison, the resident, did the best in his power to help the missionary with his military, and increased the party at Udayagiri with detachments from headquarters.

There was a very serious outbreak at Attoor for the second time connected with the revolt of 1828. Rev. Mead requested the help of the police and the outbreak between the caste Hindus and the Christians was satisfactorily quelled. For this outbreak the military was not called.

The resident advised the Dewan, Venkatta Row, to proceed to Kalkulam region and enquire to the outbreaks. Accordingly the Dewan with his (office) travelled through the villages and mission stations and made investigations on the outbreaks. The appeal Court was also ordered to move to the south to assist Dewan. Captain Daly was deputed to the south to watch the proceedings of the local officers. The public enquires conducted by them showed the rude and uncivilized behaviour of the caste Hindus. Mr. Ashton, a missionary of the London Missionary Society accompanied several aggrieved women, to the Dewan, who had been sent to investigate the outbreaks. Ashton wrote: “They went to a large building in the Fort at Kaceri in Padmabhapuram, where the Dewan held his court. The Nair sepoys would not allow the women to pass the gate-way converted, so they had to remove their clothes and re-clothe themselves after entering. They found together with the Government officials (all of high caste) and the head men of the Sudra villages, all filled with rage at the unfortunate Christians, and awaiting their arrival”.

The caste Hindus lashed out at the missionaries and Christians because they believed that the Nadars and other socially backward classes used Christianity to evade taxation and cover labour as well as to raise their social status, which they thought would destroy their position. So they thought of destroying the missionary activities as the only way of checking the innovations and establishing the old customs and practices.

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In the course of the enquiries the authorities observed that the customs and traditions of the country were evaded by the Christian missionaries. With a view to restrict these practices and their freedom, the government of Travancore issued Royal proclamation on 3rd February 1829 (23rd Makaram 1004), the important sections of which are : “Whereas some disturbances have taken place in the Kalkulam, Eraniel, and Vilavancode Districts between the Shannars and Nairs, originating in a pretension of the women of the Shanars to wear the upper- cloth controversy to orders and ancient customs, and in a refusal of that caste to perform the Sirkar Ooliam work required of them in common with other inhabitants.

The proclamation of 3rd February 1829 eased the situation for the time being, but it failed to deter the Christian women from dressing in the manner of the caste Hindu women, as had become their custom. The Hindu Nadar women following the examples set by Christians Nadar began to cover their bosoms and wear upper-clothes and move about in the streets like the women of the caste Hindus. It is true that those Nadars, who were chieftains from very ancient times enjoyed special privileges and their women used upper garments without opposition from the caste Hindus. But when those Nadar women, who were financially poor and backward in all respects, began to wear upper-garments, it irritated the caste Hindus. The Agasteeswaram Nadar, a rich chieftain who enjoyed special benefits from the Rajah declared that Nadar women alone had the right to wear upper-clothes and all other women being Shannar women who moved about in the streets, markets and fairs are forbidden from wearing upper-cloths.

The revolt of 1828 sowed the seeds of the revolt of 1858-59 although the women of socially backward classes were prohibited from wearing upper-clothes over their bosoms by the Proclamation of 1829. Nadars moved about wearing it in the public and the number of those who used upper garment instead of decreasing, increased. In the eyes of the caste Hindus the Missionaries were responsible for the increased use of upper clothes which had become the symbol of change in south Travancore.

The proclamation of 1829 had permitted the Christian women of Nadar and other socially backward classes to wear the jacket to cover the upper parts of their bodies. With the passage of time the caste Hindus turned against this reform also. They actually wanted to prohibit entirely the covering of the bosoms of women. They wanted to see the women walking through the streets and in their presence with uncovered breasts.

The proclamation of the Dewan poured oil on the fire. The already kindled agitation spread violently. Shungoony Menon in this letter to the Dewan dated January 3, 1859 wrote. “The airs and other high caste people act in perfect obedience to the requirements of the proclamation but that it is their intention to assemble in a multitude and create disturbances, in the event of any instance of proceedings on their part that may be opposed to the terms of the proclamation, being taken cognizance of and met by the local Tahsildars with due punishment according to the proclamation.

When the British Government came to know about this people’s Revolt for the right of women to cover their bosoms with jackets and upper-cloths, an order was issued by Y. Pycroft, Chief Secretary, dated January 27.1859, instructing Gen. Cullen to be “careful to give no countenance to the idea that the British Government in which he is the representative, recognizes any exclusive distinctions, or the right of any set of men to prevent others from following in all matters of social or domestic life, such course as they may see fit, provided it be not repugnant to public decency and morals.”

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The missionaries of the London Missionary Society having received no response from the government to their petition dated February 7, 1859, referred the matter to the investigation and decision of the Madras Government.

Accordingly a proclamation was issued by the Rajah of Travancore on 26th July 1859: “there is no objection to Shannar women either putting on a jacket like the Christian Shannar women, or to Shanar women of all creeds dressing in coarse cloth, (Kattissila) and teeing round with it as the Mukkuvathikal (Low caste fisher men) do, or to their covering bosoms in any manner whatever; but not like women of high castes”.

Conclusion

The Proclamation failed to satisfy the aspirations and desires of the people in general. They wanted full liberty to follow their own inclinations and tastes in matters of dress and personal adornment and comfort, as in Tirunelveli and other parts of British India.The people’s revolt for the right of women to wear clothes above the waist formed the basis of the radical changes that took place in the last decades of the 19th and early decades of the 20th century. The event is a significant chapter in the social history of Kalkulam now that it marked the beginning of a series of protests and remonstrance of backward communities for equality before law and equal protection of laws. Upper Cloth movement paved the way for several other liberation movements.

References

[1] Yesudhas, R.N., The History of London Missionary Society in Travancore -1806 1908, Trivandrum, 1980, p.175. [2] Nagam Aiya, The Travancore state Manual, Vol.I, Trivandrum, 1906, p.525. [3] Substance of the degree of the Court of Padmanabhapuram relating to the upper cloth dress worn by Christian Women. Vol. No.177 dated 7th Vykasi 998, 1823. [4] Letter of Autoor Adigaram Christian to the Acting Resident of Travancore, 1959. [5] Letter from Shungoony, Deputy Peishkar in – charge of the Southern Districts to the Dewan T. Madhava Row dated January 3, 1859. [6] Peter, D., (Ed). Years of Challenge: Charles Mead, Nagercoil 1994, p.33. [7] Harris, T.Y., “Message Church of South India”, Silver Jubiliee Souvenir 1972, South Kerala Diocese, Terivandrum.p.8. [8] Directorate of State Archives, Fort, Trivandrum, Nittu Vol.15, p.30. [9] Samuel Mateer, Land of Charity, Madras, 1991, pp.276-78. [10] Mead, C., A Report of the Neyyoor Mission, July 1829, cited in Robert L. Hardgrave, Nadars of Madras (Bombay 1961), p.61. [11] Report of L.M.S, 1828 (London: 1829) p.52. [12] Directorate of State Archives, Trivandrum, Nittu, Vol. 20,p.94; C.M. Agur, op.cit., pp.838-839. [13] Directorate of State Archives, Trivandrum, Nittu, Vol.20, p.94. [14] Letter from E. Lewis to the Resident dated Santapuram, Junauary 21, 1859. English Records. [15] Letter from Shungoony, Deputy Peishkar in-charge of the Southern Districts to the Dewan T. Madhava Row dated January 3, 1859. [16] Robert L. Hardgrave, The Nadars of Tamil Nadu, Bombay, 1969, p.63. [17] Shungoony Menon, History of Travancore from the earliest Times, New Delhi, 1985, pp.504-505. [18] Letter from Rev. F. Baylis to the Resident dated Neyyoor Junauary 10, 1859. English Records. [19] Copies of official papers, Order of T. Pycroft, Chief Secretary, dated January 27, 1859. [20] Directorate of State Archives, Proclamations from 1858-1874 AD.

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