I am pleased to bring for the perusal of those interested to know the truth, the Historical
material culled from three different sources. All these sources are available
in the public domain.
(1)Part 1 is from the The Travancore State Manual
compiled by V.Nagam Aiya, The Dewan of Travancore. Nagam Aiya gives
us a glimpse of the Origins as well as the Settling down of Shanars/Nadars in
Travancore. The Shanars were invited to settle in Travancore by the Royal family.Note the attempts of Bishop Robert Caldwell in projecting Nadars as
‘outsiders’ from Ceylon.
(2) Part 2 is the work of Rev. Samel Mateer. His
observations about Travancore contradict Missionary accounts of
Upper-caste Hindus not allowing females of lower castes from covering their
breasts. Since cotton was not cultivated in Travancore, the people there were
sparing in the use of textiles. Note the Missionary’s business calculations, in
importing inferior textiles from England, capturing the Travancore market
and selling there at huge profits.
(3) Part 3 provides a detailed account of the
disturbances engineered by the Missionaries, using the pretext of ‘breast
cloth’. The dynamics of the strife is neatly brought out by the Deputy Peshcar
Shungoony Menon. (Imagine what would happen if the peon in an office
pulls up a chair in the Sr.Manager's cabin, sit on it, and try to tell him(Mgr.) that he does not know the
theory and practice of his work /job) – This quarrel is not about
clothing/non-clothing, but imitation of costumes of the upper-castes. (In India you are
not supposed to keep red beacon light on your cars !!! Then there are social
restrictions even in this modern world, you are not supposed to breach as a
mark of respect to others and their customs)
The Deputy Peshcar also comments about the work of other Christian Missions in Central Travancore, without creating any Law & Order Problem .
HISTORICAL MATERIAL :-
I.
Shanars –ORIGIN
AND DESIGNATION.
The Shanars are a
class of Hindus inhabiting Tinnevelly
and the southern taluqs of Travancore. They belong to one of the races that are
commonly classed as Dravidians., Tamil being their mother tongue. The correct
form of the name of this race is Shandrar which is derived from a
Tamil word sal. The expressions Shanrar
and Shandrarar are also derived from the same root and are but
different forms of Shandrar.
From a few stray hints that are found in the Tamil literature
and the traditions peculiar to the race, we learn that the Shanars belong to a
wave of warlike adventurers who migrated
towards the south from North India. (The Shanars are called Kali Puthirar (the
sons of Kali or Bhadrakali) and this goddess is considered as their tutelary deity. – Enathi-Natha-nayanar one of the sixty-three
disciples of Siva is described as having belonged to the Shandrar caste in the Tamil work Periyapuranam and as Sakshikula bhava in the Sanskrit work.)
Popular legends tend to point out the tract between the Krishna and the
Godavari rivers as one of their earliest
homes in India. But Bishop Caldwell considers them as emigrants
from the northern coast of Ceylon
Hence the question as to whence they came has to be solved in common
with the other Dravidian races.
They appear to have, in the earliest times,
settled down as rulers in several parts
of the country. The fact of their having
been a ruling race at one time is borne out not only by such expressions as Nadar
and Nadalvar. (The expression Nadalvar occurs in some ancient stone
inscriptions of Travancore), but also by
numerous customs which are peculiar to them
and by other circumstances. Their rule
was subsequently overthrown by
later waves of Dravidians.
The Shanars of Travancore seem to have migrated into the
southern taluqs of Travancore either from or through the Tinnevelly Dist. The
traditions of some of the old families
show that their ancestors had been
called into the country by some of the ancient kings of Travancore. There are eight families to this day known as
Ettuveetu-Nadakkal. Of all the taluqs in
Travancore, Eraniel has the largest
number of Shanars. Out of a total of 1,55,864 Shanars in Travancore, 43,044 are
found in the Eraniel Taluq, the earliest seat of the Travancore sovereigns,
while the Taluqs of agastisvaram and
Tovala, which lie nearer to Tinnevelly than Eraniel, have only 23,718 and 3,263
respectively. This fact lends
countenance to an inference that they were patronized by the ancient kings of
Travancore. They have permanently settled down in the country. The bulk of the Shanars of
Travancore are found in Eraniel, Vilavankod, Agastisvaram, kalkulam and
Neyyatinkara. They are more numerous than any other caste in these Taluqs
except in the last.
The people of this caste are ordinarily called Shanars by people of other castes, but
they themselves use the term Nadar. The word Nadar is also
used as a title. The titles Tiruppapur Nadar, Udaya Martanda Nadar,
Nagamani Martanda Nadar, & C.
were granted to some families of Shanars by the ancient kings of
Travancore. It has to be said in this
connection that the Ezhavars (Izhavas)
are sometimes spoken of as
Shanars because some families of that class are called by that name. This is however
a mistake. Perhaps some families of Izhavas
were in ancient times granted the tiltle of shanars. Izhavas, like
oil-mongers, Alavars and others, belong
to the left-hand classes, while shanars occupy a high place among the
right-hand classes. The Shanars are known as Valankai-Uyarvu-Kondar or Valankai-Uya-Kondar.
These terms are found in ancient and modern title-deeds.
The names used for
the headmen of the caste are Periya Nadan, Turattu Nadan, Mutal Pattu
Nadan, Karakara Nadan, &
c. The head-man of the working men is
called Mukkandan. (pages 392, 393, Vol. 2, The Travancore State Manual,
written by V.Nagam Aiya,First Published 1906, Publisher : Asian Educational
Services)
Other information
like (a) Appearance, dress and
ornament (b) Sub-divisions, (c) Marriage (d) Inheritance (e) Religion (f) Customs and Ceremonies (g) Funeral Ceremonies
(h) Occupation (i) Language and Education (j) Condition and Status (k) Food and
drink (l) Distribution across
Travancore, are provided , some of them in detail.
In Vol. I of The
Travancore State Manual,from pages 525 to 531, in Section C-Modern History, a
portion titled “ Shanar Converts and Hindus –Disturbances in South Travancore”
is provided . But since this book was published only by 1906, the account from
another book published earlier , ie in 1878 is provided in the coming pages.
II.
Cotton manufacture – Chapter XXII
Cotton not being grown in Travancore, and the people having
hitherto been accustomed, even till
recently, many of them by law obliged, to go half naked, and to wear only
coarse qualities of cloth, the manufacture of this material is carried on to a
very limited extent. Most of the calico used for clothing purposes is imported from other parts, and a
Tinnevelly man may often be
recognized in Travancore by his fuller
clothing. The climate does not appear to suit the growth of the
cotton plant, though attempts were made, some twenty years ago, by the
distribution of seeds, to introduce the better kinds of Peruvian, Persian, Bourbon,
and other varieties. The raw material required for hand-spinning, and other
purposes, is imported from British India. The statistics of forty years ago
give the imports of raw cotton as 305 candies, or about 200,000 lbs, yielding duty 3,020 rupees; and those of last year state the tariff value
as 26,675 rupees, admitted free of duty.
The last part of this chapter “In addition to the local manufacture,
long-cloth, chiefly grey, coloured
handkerchiefs, and other piece goods,
have always been imported as needed to
meet the demands of the population, from the neighbouring provinces
and from Ceylon. These goods ae now admitted duty free, except those
brought direct from England to Ceylon. The tariff value of imports of piece
goods in (year) M.E 1054 was 1,117,498 rupees, and M.E 1055, Rs.846,632. Take a large average of 10 lacs for
piece goods and 2 lacs for yarn
imported, and double it for retail cost, say 24 lacs of rupees
would be the total sum spent by the 24 lacs of inhabitants in the country, or only one rupee per head
per annum for clothing, not very much beyond what is spent upon tobacco !. Here
is vast room for improvement.
English long-cloth is little used by the poor native
population, and the low quality sometimes imported is complained of as giving
less wear than country-made cotton. They
say that four or five common English steam-loom cloths will wear out for one
native hand-made cloth; and that the former, when worn out, are useless even for
wicks, so much required for oil lamps, burning away too rapidly.
Cotton cloth purchased by retail in a market in Travancore
seems, as far as we can judge, to cost fully a fourth more than the retail
price in England.” – (pages 239, 241, 242, NATIVE LIFE IN TRAVANCORE by The
Rev. Samuel Mateer, F.L.S of the London Missionary Society,and Author of “The
Land of Charity,” First Published :
London ,1883, Publisher : Asian
Educational Services )
III. Deputy Peishcar Shungoonny Menon's account of the Disturbance.
“Soon after the
Governor’s departure, the deputy Peishcar Shungoonny Menon rejoined his division in the south, but he
had the mortification to find, that, during his absence fresh misunderstanding
had arisen between the Hindus and the
Shanar converts. The spirit of hostility between these two sections of the inhabitants
had lain dormant for some time chiefly
through the interference of the
Sircar authorities, but it seemed to have been again roused up, and the
disputes this time were of a more
serious nature. The Peishcar’s efforts
to throw oil on the troubled waters and bring matters to a satisfactory conclusion proved in the long run abortive;
although he succeeded in restoring harmony between the parties temporarily.
The misunderstanding
had originated entirely from the Shanar Christian females assuming the
costume of high caste Hindu females.
They had been doing this from the early days of their conversion, and
instead of endeavouring to suppress what might eventually cause serious
complications, the Missionaries encouraged them and fostered among them a
spirit of hostility against the high caste Hindus. The Sircar had been
necessitated, in 1814, to interfere and legislate for the future guidance of
the Shanars,but notwithstanding this during a period of fifteen years there
were quarrels on various occasions between the parties. Matters now looked
serious and the interference of the
Govt. seemed to be again called for.
There had been a legislative enactment in 1829, at the very commencement
of the reign of the greatly renowned Maha Rajah who died in 1022 M.E (1847 AD).
In this enactment, it was clearly laid down that the female Shanar converts
were at liberty to cover their bosoms with a jacket, and a strict prohibition
was laid down against their adopting high caste Hindu costumes; but the aim of the converts had been persistently to defy the higher
class Hindus and to despise their brother Shanars, who professed Hinduism
(certainly with a hidden motive), and the converts were supported all along by
the Missionaries whose intention apparently was to introduce English customs as if they were in civilized
England instead of Travancore. They also
claimed perfect toleration and liberty for their converts, without taking into
consideration the time, the country, the nature of the Government, and their
own position in foreign land and the consequence was that it was difficult to
settle the dispute at once, while on the part of the Shanars there was an open
defiance of the laws of the land, which, on account of the encouragement they
received from the Missionaries, it was difficult to curb. And the Travancore
Government, being reluctant to come in contact with the Missionaries, owing to
its regard for the paramount power, desisted from taking active measures, and
the result was that the Hindus and the Shanar converts and their respective supporters
openly assumed hostile positions against each other.
Such a feeling existed between the parties from the earliest
period of the Mission works in south Travancore, but by the strong protection
and toleration afforded to the promotion of the Christian Missions by the
Travancore Govt., the work of the Missionaries progressed most rapidly, and in
the course of the next thirty years conversions to Christianity increased, and
in the villages in Nanjenaud and the adjacent districts numerous Chapels, Churches
and Schools were built. These places
were crowded with large numbers of Shanar converts, and the Catechists
commenced to itenerate through all Hindu villages with their tracts and books
and began preaching to the Hindus. This circumstance must naturally have roused
the jealousy of the Hindus, while the converts instead of keeping themselves
within bounds, took advantage of their
support by the Missionaries and began to prove themselves a source of annoyance
to the Hindu portion of the people, by openly defying them whenever there was
an opportunity and the result was the complication above alluded to.
It is a matter worthy of particular remark, that the Mission
work of conversion in south Travancore was mostly, if not exclusively, confined
to the Shanars, Parayars, and other low caste people, who form but a minor
portion of the population of the districts, while conversions among the higher
orders were seldom effected. At the same time, while the Church Mission Society
in the north did its work quietly and
without endeavoring to introduce
reforms violently, the London Mission in the south seemed to pursue
quite a different policy for nearly half a century.
The system adopted by the London Mission savored more of
the undue and illegitimate exercise of power than persuasion and well meant endeavours to impress upon people
the truth of the principles of religion, and hence, the chief cause for the
Hindus to be dissatisfied with them and to consider their proceedings
offensive.
This fact can be seen from a fact connected with the founder
of the London Mission in Travancore, the Reverend Mr. Ringeltaube, who, on
paying a visit to the then Dewan Velu Thamby, for the express purpose of
endeavouring to obtain a footing for the London Mission in Travancore, in 1806,
being asked by the minister what religion
he professed, the Reverend gentleman answered “Colonel macaulay’s
Religion,”(See Reverend Mateer’s Land of Charity, page 262) instead of saying
the Christian religion or the religion established by Christ, who He was, when
and how Jesus Christ was born, what wonders and miracles Christ had performed
in the world, how He became the Saviour of mankind, how He suffered, and how
His resurrection took place after His
crucifixion and burial and so on. Let
the reader note the severe rebuke implied
in the following remark which that great Hindu Statesman made on hearing
what Mr. Ringeltaube said about his
professing “Colonel Macaulay’s religion,” “I never knew that there was such a
religion” said the dewan, meaning of
course, a religion invented or professed by a private individual, for
Christianity was in existence in Travancore for more than a thousand years
before that period.
Acting under such selfish principles, it is no wonder that
the Missionaries considered themselves to be entitled to respect from the
Hindus. Why the Society did not think of
proceeding in a more conciliatory manner
with the Hindu portion of the population, and why they endeavoured to create in
the Hindus a spirit antagonistic to the Christian religion are points for
inquiry.
The very illustration in Mr. Mateer’s work, page 277, will
show plainly how the females of the Shanar converts were taught to imitate the
costume of the higher class Hindus, while there are numerous modes of costumes adapted for Christians which
would be more desirable from a European point of view. It is clear that this
style of costume adopted by the Shanar converts was with the express object of
annoying the Hindu section of the
population of the districts.
The costume in question was not the only cause for offence
which the Shanar converts gave to the higher classes, but in various other ways
they rendered themselves obnoxious to the Sudra community.
For instance, one Shanar Puthathan Cutty and his wife, Eshakee, were the cultivators of madom
Pillay, a Sudra landed proprietor. These became converts and left Madom
Pillay’s service, and Puthathan Cutty subsequently became a Catechist under a
Missionary, and his wife assumed a costume similar to that of Madom Pillay’s
wife. Now, both the Catechist and his wife came to Madom Pillay’s house and
began to converse with him, on terms of equality, commencing a discussion with
Madom Pillay on the subject of religion and calling him “an ignorant man” and a
sinner (as all the heathens are put down by the Mission people in the
vernacular, in the category of
“Agjanikal”- ignorant men). Was it possible for Madom Pillay not to
resent the impertinence of those who were but lately his dependents; and their
sole object in coming to his house- the wife dressed in a costume similar to
that of madom Pillay’s wife – must have been to cause him annoyance ? It is also
worthy of note that on a quarrel ensuing between the Shanar converts and Madom Pillay, the Missionary who used to
support him , espoused the cause of the Catechist and appeared himself before the authorities and adopted
measures for the punishment of Madom Pillay in which favoured by the advantages
of his color and position he succeeded.
Here is a solution of the question why
the Missionaries are considered by the Hindus as acting partially towards the
converts and prosecuting the Hindus. Besides if even a reasonable complaint
were made by sircar official, he would be represented by the Missionaries as
partial and in a communication to the resident denounced as corrupt,
unprincipled, and so forth.
The Missionaries at the same time did not hesitate to drag the
Govt. into the discussion. The Missionaries by their writings can make
the world believe that terrible persecutions against Christianity are carried
on in Travancore, and the British Govt.
invariably gives credence to
statements thus disseminated, and being the paramount power, they can come down
upon the Travancore Sircar with rebuke and strong disapproval, ignoring the
fact that Christianity as professed by the Syrians and Roman Catholics existed
in Travancore from time immemorial. A
convincing instance in support of this
statement shall be given presently.
Though the matters connected with the upper cloth dispute between
the Shanar converts and the Hindu were
temporarily adjusted by the exertions of
the deputy Peishcar, yet the disputes
broke out again in a short time and several quarrels and disturbances took
place between the parties in the markets and throughfares where the females of
Shanar converts appeared in Hindu costumes. Just at this time, the Dewan
Madhava Row paid a visit to the south and finding the serious nature of the
rupture between the parties, he issued a proclamation on the 27th
Dec 1868, as a precautionary measure and with
the view of preventing further disturbances. The tenor of the
proclamation was that, it was clearly wrong to violate ancient usages; that the
law laid down for the observance of the parties
concerned, by the royal proclamation in the year 1829, should be
respected; that whoever infringed the law would be liable to severe punishment,
that Shanars were to bear the same in mind and act accordingly; that Sudras and
people of the higher caste were not to do anything themselves against the
Shanars and cause a breach of the peace, and that should they commit anything
contrary to the law, due notice would be taken of their conduct.
This proclamation had nothing new in it. It was entirely
founded upon the enactment passed under
the judicious advice and counsel of Colonel Munro in 1814, and in 1829, with
the full concurrence of the able Resident, Colonel Morrison, C.B.
The rules prescribed by the Circular Order of 1814, and the
proclamation of 1829, were precisely the same, and were calculated to prevent
collisions and preserve peace between the contending parties. The sum and
substance of those rules were that Shanar females, converted to Christianity
should wear the costume worn by other Christian females, ie., jackets similar
to those used by the lace-making Shanar females, as represented in the “Land of
Charity,” page 272, but no prohibition whatever had been issued against the
convert females covering their bodies.
Those rules were observed and matters
went on smoothly for about thirty years.
The Missionaries, for the time being, were contented with these rules, and
preferred to wait for an opportunity to get them amended in a manner favouring
the aims and fancies of the Shanar and Parayar converts.
Under these circumstances, Dewan Madhava Row’s judicious
proclamation was considered by the Missionaries as a proof of his “gross and
unconcealed partiality,” and they therefore at first petitioned the Maha
Rajah and then the Madras Govt. praying
for the cancelling of the Dewan’s proclamation, the Circular Order of May 1814,
and the proclamation of Feb.1829.
By this time, Lord Harris, the Governor of Madras retired,
and was succeeded by Sir Charles Trevelyan, before whom the question was laid
for decision. His Excellency seemed to
have taken a one-sided view of the question, and without giving the matter calm and deliberate consideration,
and reflecting on the real meaning of the Circular Order and proclamation
alluded to, came to the conclusion that the privilege of covering their bosoms
had been denied to the females of the Shanar converts by the Travancore Govt.,
and under this impression wrote in the following decisive terms to General
Cullen :- “I have seldom met with a case in which not only truth and
justice, but every feeling of our common humanity are so entirely on one side.
The whole civilized world would cry shame upon us if we did not make a firm
stand on such an occasion. If anything could make this line of conduct more
incumbent on us, it would be the extraordinary fact that persecution of a
singularly personal and delicate kind is attempted to be justified by a royal
proclamation, the special object of which was to assure to her Majesty’s Indian
subjects, liberty of thought and action so long as they did not interfere with
the just right of others. I should fail in respect to her Majesty, if I
attempted to describe the feelings with which she must regard the use made against
her own sex of the promises of protection so graciously accorded by her.
It will be your duty to impress these views on His Highness
the Rajah, and to point out to him that such prohibition as those conveyed in
the Circular Order of May 1814, or in the proclamation of the 3rd of
February 1829, are unsuited to the present age, and unworthy of an enlightened
Prince.”
This communication from the new Governor startled the old
General, and he pressed upon the Maha Rajah to pass an act in accordance with
the views of His Excellency but by adopting such a sweeping measure, The Maha
Rajah apprehended still greater evils, and, consequently, after due and long
deliberation and consultation with the able Dewan, a new royal proclamation was
prepared and published in July of the same year 1859, making further
concessions to the Shanar females in the matter of their dress. But this
concession did not imply any permission to the convert females to assume the
costume of Brahman women. The Missionaries were not quite satisfied with this
proclamation, but it sufficed to check further disturbances on the score of
dress.
The spirit of the Missionaries in this matter is evident
from the Rev.S.Mateer’s work entitled “Land of Charity:” Chapter XII, pages
295-306. In his quasi-sensational writings, The Reverend gentleman animadverts
rather strongly, and it must be said, with a good of unfairness, on the
proceedings of a Govt. which had tolerated Christianity hundreds of years before Protestantism came into existence and which had protected the very London Mission
itself from its cradle, so to speak, and
this in a country whose people and sovereign profess orthodox Hinduism.
The unfair animadversions of the Missionaries cast a
reflection on the reputation of the Maha rajah and of his Govt. and created an
unfriendly feeling between them and the Hindus, who charge them with want of
gratitude, after they had been allowed to work freely and open Missions in their land.” (pages 503-511, Chapter VIII,
History of Travancore From The Earliest Times, by P. Shungoonny Menon., First
Published : 1878, Current Publisher : Asian Educational Services)
genetically(artificially) engineered in the scheming minds of two Protestant
Christians from Britain- Bishop Robert Caldwell , who was the Bishop of
Tinnevelly, and Francis Whyte Ellis. An interesting account of this can be had
at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_aXkwP2Shg.
