Kalpathy Struggles and flag hoisted Ezhavas

 

Early decades of 20th century brought remarkable changes in the economic and social sphere of Kerala. Missionary schools provided education to lower caste people. Newly educated lower caste had liberated from their hereditary  profession.in addition to that lower caste people could able to cultivate on pandara patta land and acquire wealth out of it. Even if the financial position of lower caste had improved, caste discrimination existed here in Kerala had forbaded them from acquiring social status. This situation paved back ground for the emergence of anti-caste struggles in Kerala. Vaikoom  Satyagriha. Kalpathy agitation are few of its kind  Kerala had witnessed a series of anti-caste, anti-Brahmin agitation from the first half of 20th century itself. Progressive ideas spread among the affluent and educated Ezhavas of Kuzhalmandam region of Palakkad had initiated the Kalpathy struggles. Social activism of Ezhavas Sabhas in the region and reformist ideas of Anandamatham under Brahmananda Sivayogi Were driving forces for the growth of this movement. Ezhava youths with the support of Arya samaj went for entry at the roads near to Kalpathy Viswanatha temple, which invited clashes and tortures for them. Since all the roads adjacent to Kalpathy temple was opened before Christians and Muslims, non-caste Hindus and Ezhavas decided to abdicate their own religion Hinduism and to accept Islam and Christianity to enter in the temple premises