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Transformation of the Culture of Society through Colonial Education – A Special Reference to the Princely State of Cochin Dhanya B , Assistant Professor, Department of History, N. S. S College, , , Kerala

Colonialism was the product of European culture and colonial modernisation involved not only the Indian economy but also in the social, political, administrative and cultural life. “A whole world was lost, an entire social fabric was dissolved, and a new social frame work came into being that was stagnant and decaying even as it was being born. underwent a thorough going colonial ‘cultural revolution’.”1 The colonial Cultural Revolution influenced and changed the educational and social system of Kerala and there we can see a transformation of society. The colonialists reformulated the inherited culture of Kerala to suit the colonial environment. They tried to make changes in the political, economical, social and cultural . These changes brought some basic changes in the life of the people of Kerala. Even though the British colonial rule hindered the economic development of our land but it deeply affected the educational system and the introduction of modern English education led to the changes in the structure of the social and cultural life of the people of Kerala. Thus colonialism acted as a boon for the natural development and progress of Kerala economically, but the educational system was modernized. “The economic forces generated during the British occupation and the new education system drastically changes the caste system. The economic changes eroded the traditional connection between caste and occupation. As a consequence caste became detached from its functional aspect. Modern education became a powerful instrument for fostering unity. It also liberated the low castes from traditionalism. The caste and communal organisations stimulated the self advancement programme of each community. Social taboos such as untouchability and unapproachability had been great obstacles to the progress of the low and depressed sections of the Hindu Society.”2

Before the colonial period, education was not commercialized. It had been restricted to the higher classes especially Namboothiris. Among the Nayars also there was a certain amount of rudimentary education depending upon the services of certain hereditary school masters known as Ezhuthasans. Each Kara3 had its own patasala or elementary school presided over by the Asan4. These schools were of the mixed type in which both boys and girls were taught reading, writing and arithmetic and a set of selected hymns, besides kavyas5 and a smattering of astronomy and astrology. There were held either in the houses of rich man or in sheds put by the people of the Kara6.

With the coming of the westerners, new educational system also crept into the state. The English education had its genesis in Kerala in the early years of the 19th century. By 1829, the English East India Company had decided to make English the language of communication throughout the country7. The state entered in the field of education from the time of Col Munroe (1812 – 1818) at his instances, in the almost every village, a vernacular school was established with the avowed object of training young men state service as writers and accountants8. “Teach the native of India the marvellous results of the employment of labour and capital, rouse them to emulate as in the development of the vast resources of their country, guide them in their efforts and gradually but certainly, confer upon them all the advantages which accompany the healthy increase of wealth and commerce and more certain supply of many articles necessary for our manufactures and extensively consumed by all classes of our population as well as an almost inexhaustibly demand for the produce of the British labour.”9 Thus the British Government introduced English education to mould the society in their way. That was the beginning of the educational system of Kerala and education began to be institutionalised.

The beginning of Western is an important milestone in the history of Kerala. It brought about far-reaching changes in social, economic, religious, political and cultural life of the people of the land. The pioneering works in this regard were done by the Christian Missionaries. They imparted scientific,

1 Bipan Chandra, Natinalism and Colonialism in Modern India, New Delhi, 1999, P.7 2 C. Ramachandran Nair, Social and Cultural History of Colonial Kerala, Trivandrum, 1999, P.133 3 Kara- The subdivision of a village. 4 Asan – Village school master 5 Kavyam – A poetical composition 6 A Sreedhara Menon, Kerala District Gazetters, , Trivandrum, 1965, P.709 7 Ibid P.710 8 A Sreedhara Menon, Op.Cit, P.710 9 Despatch of 1854 in J.A. Ritchie (ed) Bureau of Educaiton, Part II, P.364.

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secular and rational education. It was mainly the Protestant Missionaries who took the initiative in this field.10 The chief missions were the London Mission Society in erstwhile south area, the Church Mission Society in the erstwhile central Travancore and Cochin areas and the Basel Evangelical Mission in the Malabar area. The most illustrious of the CMS Missionaries was Rev. Mead who spent more than a half a century in educational work in South Travancore. During the period from 1817 to 1875, he established several institutions including industrial schools for the education of the girls. became the scene of pioneering activities of the CMS Missionaries in the early decades of the 19th century. The Syrian Missionaries set up in 1813. With the object of training Syrian Priests and it developed into a centre of general learning for the State. The CMS Missionaries set up a chain of grammar schools to prepare the more talented for higher educations at the college level. In 1821, a grammar school was set up at Kottayam. The wives of the CMS Missionaries took the initiative in setting up schools for girls at Kottayam and adjoining areas.

The first attempt to introduce the study of English language in Cochin was made by Rev. J. Dawson. He opened an English School at in 1818 and it received a grant – in –aid from Cochin government. In 1837 Mr. Brandenburg started an English school in Trissur. In the Malabar area the Basel Evangelical Mission did pioneering work in the field of education. In 1848, the Mission started a primary school at Kallayi in Calicut, the nucleus of the Malabar Christian College today.11 The fine example set by the Christian Missionaries in different parts of the state gave the necessary incentive to the Government to enter the field of education. In 1817, Rani Gouri Parvathi Bai, with the assistance of Col. Munro, introduced a system of free and compulsory education under the state control. Primary Schools were started in all parts of the State.

It was in 1824 that the Court of Directors of the East India Company decided in favour of western education and sought its introduction into the country .By 1829 English East India Company had decided to make English the language of communication through out the country. Its reflections had in the Cochin state also.12 The present in Kerala comprises of territories which once formed part of the native states of Cochin and Travancore as well as the district of Malabar, which was under the direct control of the Company Raj. 13 The history of Ernakulam town which was the capital of the former princely state of Cochin is closely linked with the rise and growth of the Cochin state itself. The fall of Kulasekhara Empire in the 12th century resulted in the fragmentation of the Central Authority in Kerala and a chain of independent kingdom emerged subsequently. The native state of Cochin also owes it origin to the confusion that followed the break- up of the Kulasekhara Empire. In the mid 15th century, a peculiar geological change took place in Cochin thereby the long stretches of sea-board that separated sea from the inland lagoons was broken by an onrush of the sea. Thus Cochin gradually called, Cochu Azhi, emerged in A.D 134114. There are reasons to believe that the very name Cochin is associated with Kocchazhi, a word commonly used to indicate that place15. According to Mr. Puthezathu Raman Menon the town of Balapuri mentioned in some of the ancient literary works and some later works is to be identified with Cochin16. If this identification is correct it would mean that Cochin might have existed even before 1341 as a small harbour side by side with the busy and splendid harbour of Cranganore.

As cited earlier, Cochin emerged as an independent political unit with the eclipse of the Kulasekharas. In its early days, it was known as Perumpadappu Swarupam17. Till the 14th century, Cranganore or Mohodayapuram was the headquarters of the Perumpadappu Swarupam. A flood of A.D. 1341 changed the courses of the Periyar River, thus flooding the Cranganore Port, which also created a small harbour in Cochin. The natural closing of the Cranganocre harbour forced the rulers to shift their centre to Cochin. Subsequently, the Perumpadappu Swarupam was known as the Cochi18n state. The or Calicut frequently threatened the same state. The internal dissensions in the Perumpadappu Swarupam helped the Zamorin in his aggressive

10 A.sreedhara Menon,op.cit.p.198 11 Ibid,p.64 12 Ibid,p.226 13 Ibid,p.79 14 C. Achutha Menon, The Cochin State Manual, Ernakulam, 1911, P.2 15 F.S Davies, Cochin – British and native, Ernakulam 1923 16 P.P Raman Menon, Sakthan Tampuran (Mal.), , 1958, PP.19-20 17 A Sreedhara Menon, A Survey of Kerala History, Madras, 1991, P.147

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design. Thus at the time of the arrival of the Portuguese in Kerala, the Perumpadappu Swarupam presented the picture of a house divided against itself.19

The early political history of the State of Cochin is shrouded in obscurity. Records relating to the period prior to the advent of the Portuguese are not available. The earliest Cadjan Manuscript/Leaf Record available is that of the year A.D 152520. Neither Periples nor Ptolemy mentions Cochin21 or her fine Harbour though these travellers give relatively detailed account of places situated to the north and south of Cochin. Ma Huan (1403 – 1425)22 was the first to give an authentic account of Cochin.

The end of the 15th century saw numerous internal dissensions in Cochin. By that time, the renaissance-Europe had embarked on a policy of voyages of discovery. The Portuguese made their debut in Cochin with the landing of Admiral Cabral on Eve 1500. In 1502 Gama made his second trip to Cochin. The Portuguese period is vital in the history of Cochin because it ushered in a new system of trade which was substantially different from that was prevailing in Asia23. The dawn of 1600 marked the decline of Portuguese power in India. The advent of the Dutch threatened their settlement24. The Dutch were very jealous of the rising power of the British on the . After a long siege the Dutch surrendered to the British in 1795. In the course of their aggression of the Dutch, the English East India Company blew up the ware- houses25 and other building of the Dutch for strategic reasons in 180626. During the Mysorean invasions Cochin entered into a Treaty with the English East India Company in 1791. This treaty was subsequently amended and Cochin became a tributary of the company in 1809. At the same time Fort Cochin remained under the direct control of the East India Company27. Thus the native state was brought under the supervision and of the paramount power.

The English schools were established in every Taluk as a part of the educational system introduced by Lord William Bentinck. However, the colonial administration created a state sponsored educational system. Propaganda was started in favour of English education by the end of 19th century.28 People preferred English education under the belief that it would benefit them in getting more good jobs in government service.29 Thus all sections of people took very much interest in English education in the beginning of the 20th century. Tamil Brahmins,, Kshatriyas, and Christians were in the forefront.30 In 1845, an English school was started by Cochin Government at Ernakulam, which was later elevated to the status of a college.31 The institution succeeded in materialising its primary objective of imparting education. Even in the late 19th century, the ruling family of Cochin had the vision to spread the value of higher education to its people and their contributions deserve special mention. The college has successfully completed over hundred years of existence and it has been instrumental in improving the educational standards of the society. It is proud of its many distinguished old students who had gone high and far in life.

In 1892, during the period of Dewan C.Tiruvenkatacharya, Government primary schools both vernacular and English were opened in most part of the state and a large number of private schools were given financial aid.32 In 1929-1930, there were two types of schools in the Cochin state- English and Malayalam.33 In the revised education code of 1946, it removed the difference between English primary and Malayalam primary schools. In vernacular schools also English education was started from IV standard onwards34 .In 1949, there were eight first grade colleges in the Cochin state, two under the Government and six under the private

19 Ibid.P.147 20 Robert Bristow, Cochin Saga, Ernakulam, 1967, PP.22-26 21 K.P Padmanabha Menon, History of Kerala, Vol.1, Ernakulam, 1921, P.162 22 Ma Huan was a Chinese Ma Huan madam, was attended to the suit of Cheng-Ho, an envy of the Emperor Yang-Lo (AD 1403-1425) to foreign countries. 23 A Das Guputa, Malabar in Asian Trade 1740, Cambridge, 1967, P.8 24 A Galletti, The Dutch in Malabar, Madras, 1911, P.708 25 C Achutha Menon, Op.cit, PP.140-44 26 K.P. Padmanabha Menon, Op.cit, PP.181-182 27 Ibid P.182 28 Antony Pudicherry,Challenge to Educational Rights in Kerala State,Ernakulam,1962,p.117 29 Ibid, p...118 30 Report on the Census of Cochin,1911,p.50 31 A.Sreedhara Menon,Op.cit,p.226 32 Ibid, p.213 33 C.M Ramachandran,Problems of Higher Education, New Delhi,1987,p.103 34 Report on the Administration of the Cochin State for the year1945-46,p.1

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management.35 “It is noteworthy that schools are most frequent along and near the west coast of India, the Indian states of Cochin, Travancore and Baroda having higher degree of literacy than any other equal areas of India.” 36 The spread of western education brought far reaching social and economic changes. It transformed the traditional feudal society. It is learnt that education would liberate the age old way of life.

The literate of English education got a high position in the society. English education was recognised as a pathway to respectability and social advancement. While the youth without English education who is tried to his village cannot raise to himself above its social level , the English educated youth by virtue of his superior culture and superior attainments not only attains a higher social position but also raises up his family in the social scale.37 Thus in the colonial economy it was impossible for castes and communities to the depend on their traditional occupations and they needed new areas of employment. However, for individual development education became necessary.

“The new middle class which was mainly the certain of the alien rule derived many benefits as a result of English education. The demanded equality, social justice and democratic institutions. The middle class became the pre dominant element in the society at least in Travancore and Cochin states. English education had created severe competition for better social and economic opportunities among different groups within the middle class”38. However, it was a struggle for power and position in the society. The educated people aspired for Government appointments which gave them social status and economic stability. Once, the Education was a monopoly of the higher caste was open to all strata of the society.

The rapid growth of population and the spread of education even among the lower classes of society increased the number of unemployers in the society. The scarcity of employment opportunities increased competition. The educated young people in the society demanded a ‘white collar’ posts. The agricultural and industrial sectors were not developed enough to absorb more labour. In the public services and in educational institutions recruitment and admission was given on the basis of efficiency by conducting written examination and interview. Besides, efficiency, community was also considered to get equal communal representation to all strata of the society. Thus the person from all walks of life was improved and could remove the caste barriers of the society. The spread of western education promoted in learning western literature and adopting the modern western ideas.

For the existence of any modern society, there should be freedom of the people to move, associated and co-habitat themselves at their will. Even though colonialism is associated with political domination, economic exploitation and cultural imposition, it can transfer or free the Kerala society from the rigid caste barriers and from the complex superstitious beliefs by giving modern English education. In the traditional Kerala society, every sphere of political and social activity centred in the hands of higher castes. But the colonial rule led to fundamental structural changes in the social relations of the people of Kerala. The changes in the society through English education, affected the social institutions, customs and attitude of the people. The educations people began to associate themselves through various organisations to get their rights in the society. The rigidity of the caste system was now lessened thanks to the modern educational development. Now education was open to all castes all are equal in the society. Thus the colonialists succeeded in linking social structure and social relations with market economy.

Thus western education hastened the social transformation of Kerala. The important contribution of colonial education is that it gave education to all people of the society irrespective of caste distinctions. In earlier periods caste decided one’s education because on the basis of caste education was given. Only higher castes were enjoyed the fruit of education. The British Government gave employment only to the educated people and they did not give any consideration to caste. More and more people were attracted to good jobs. Thus education in Kerala became common. As a result, the attitude of men towards women changed and social and economic status of women also increased. Here deserves special mention to the role of Christian missionaries in the spread of western education. However, the colonial administration created a state sponsored educational system. In Cochin, as a result of the western education, the consumer habits of the people also changes. There is a shift to the age old to the modern society. That modernity can be seen in every sphere of life and society. But the traditional rich literature, art, architecture, music etc. are superior to any culture and it could not be and cannot be changed by any colonial force.

35 Report on the Administration of the Cochin state for the year 1925,p.44 36 Sir Robert Bristow, C.I.E, Cochin Saga, Ernakulam, 1967, P.229 37 Report of the Education Expenditure Committee: Travancore, 1921, P.34 38 C. Ramachandran Nair, Social and Cultural History of Colonial Kerala, Trivandrum, 1999, P.36