Temple entry proclamation

November 12, 1936, then Travancore king Chithira Thirunal made a public declaration that sent waves of shock and hope simultaneously. The declaration was historical, and Kerala was awake into the new morning as if the sun rose at midnight. It gave the suppressed people wings to fly, and we could shorten the declaration like this “No one should be denied the peace and calmness of the Hindu religion due to his or her birth. Therefore, from today, everybody is free to enter any temple under the government” (declaration from Sri Chithira Thirunal Ravivarma to be published on November 12, 1936)

Malayalam script of Temple Entry Proclamation source: wiki commons

The nineteenth century is regarded as a cradle of reformations; it was the period of the renaissance of those people who were subjugated by the caste system. people were realizing that no longer they cannot be the slaves of the upper classes. They were seeking dignity and raising their heads against the upper caste landlords who were treating them as slaves.

Many movements have taken place in Kerala against social discrimination and the caste system. Temple Entry Proclamation was one of the prominent movements that took place against caste discrimination. Due to its domino effects and the consequences on the following movements, it is also called the Magna Carta of modern Kerala.

Before 1936, lower caste people were not allowed to enter the temple. Many of them were barred from even walking on the roads to the temples. It was not surprising in a time when the lower caste people were punished if the shadows of the upper cast people fell upon them. Until the last of the eighteenth century, people were accustomed to such discrimination and rarely felt anything wrong with it. The lower-class people were constantly taught that they were not worth living and their birth was itself evil.

Due to the social exposure and cross-cultural relationships. The increasing notion of liberation began to sprout in the hearts of the subjugated people. One by one, they began to question the inequality of rights, the injustices, and the atrocities that are carried out against them. As a beginning, many organizations came up with different programs to eradicate untouchability at first. Due to the support from the Hindu community against untouchability, the movements got stronger and stronger day by day. But the upper-class people still refused to change the laws.

It was in such a period revolutionary movements Shri. Chithira Thirunal was enthroned as the ruler of the princely state of Travancore and made a Temple entry proclamation. By the proclamation, all Hindus were allowed to enter the temple despite their caste and class. It is ridiculous to think that the proclamation was the result of the overnight decision. Even though it was the king who made the proclamation, hundreds of reformists have worked hard for years to make this dream come true.

One of the major movements that took place for the entrance of the Temple was Vaikom Satyagraha. It was in the time when the Kingdom of the Travancore prohibited the lower caste people from entering the Vaikom Temple and its environs. Due to this rigid and oppressive caste system, Swami Vivekananda called the Kingdom of Travancore a “lunatic asylum”. The movement was led by then-congress leaders like TK Madavan and K Kelappan. Instead of choosing violent methods, they peacefully protested against the law for more than a year and some believe that it is this Satyagraha that brought the nonviolent agitation to Kerala.

After Vaikom Satyagraha, many people followed it and protested against different temples which prohibited the lower caste. Such a rise of the protests forced the king to make an official declaration allowing everybody to enter the temple.

In 1924, Travancore king Sri Moolam Thirunal passed away, shifting the throne into the hands of the heir Chithira Thirunal. Since he was only twelve years old during the time of coronation, his mother ruled the kingdom as a regent. It was his mother who allowed the lower caste people of Vaikokom to use the environs of Vaikom Temple.

After the success of Vaikom Satyagraha, the notion of the people about the temple entrance began to change. People began to think that everyone should be allowed to enter the temple in spite of their caste and class.

In 1931, Chithira Thirunal became the king. He was well-versed in the changes that happen in his kingdom. In 1936, Sir CP Ramaswami Ayyar requested the king to make a declaration allowing everybody to enter the temple. On November 12, Chithira Thirunal Ramavarma accepted the request and made a public declaration.

Even though it had sent a shockwave in the orthodox Hindu community, quickly, they adapted to changing norms and became supporters of the Temple Entry Proclamation. In one way and another, Temple Entry Proclamation became the French revolution of Kerala.