Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker

Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker was a 19th-century campaigner against socio-religious oppression by upper castes. He was from the Ezhava caste and operated in Kerala, South India.

Opposition to caste subjugation

Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker had flouted caste prohibitions and restrictions since childhood, requiring Ezhavas who lived in his area under his protection to do likewise, for example by using public roads. At the time of the 1850s breast cloth controversies, he commanded all Channar women in his area to defy royal prohibition upon covering upper body and had bought and distributed upper cloths to all Avarna women in Kayamkulam market. When some high status Nambudiri Brahmin men later intimidated covered Ezhava woman, tearing breast-cloth away, he killed them with a sword.

In 1852 Panicker travelled to Goa where he learned Brahminical rites used for temple worship. In 1854, he founded the Edackadu Njaneshwaram Temple, dedicated to Shiva and located in Mangalam Village, Arattupuzha, Alappuzha. Viswanathan Gurukal of Kandiyur, Mavelikkara, installed Sivlinga. And Panicker himself did the pooja. All castes and tribes were allowed to worship there. Panicker built another temple in Cheruvaranam in 1855.[1]

He was killed by a group of upper-caste people in January 1874 during a boat journey from Arattupuzha to Kollam while he was sleeping.

Memorials

References

  1. ↑ Jones, Kenneth W. (1989). Socio-Religious Reform Movements in British India. Cambridge University Press. p. 180. ISBN 0-521-24986-4.
  2. ↑ "Panicker Research Foundation and Cultural Centre". The Hindu. Chennai, India: The Hindu. 2005-01-09. Retrieved 2005-05-01.
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