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Plenty of magazines were published during the first four decades of twentieth century in Kerala. Each community used magazine as a powerful means to articulate their ideas of “reform.” It is very interesting to note that each community had at least one magazine as their own which address a particular audience but with different agendas. Magazines like Vivekodayam, Mitavadi, Sahodaran, Sahodari, Sthree, Sanghamitra, etc. were published by Ezhavas. These magazines were published from different regions like Travancore, Malabar and Kochi. Let us look at some pieces from the first magazine published for Ezhava women, Sanghamitra to see how differently Ezhava women had addressed the issues of community /nation.
Parukkuttyamma’s article “Sahodarikalotu,” (“To the Sisters”) points out the necessity of a newspaper (Pathram) to discuss community issues among Ezhava women. She points out that, men in their community were able to “solve” many community issues i.e. the eradication of “bad” customs and implementation of “good” customs through a proper communication among themselves with the help of their news paper. With a remark on Abharanatyagam (Say no to ornaments) of women she acknowledges the importance of Sanghamitra as women’s voice. According to her Aharanatyagam hardly got any attention because it was shadowed by the temple entry movement of men. She adds that it would have been noticed and successful if they had a magazine or newspaper of their own.
Parukkutty amma laments the fact that Ezhava women’s status is pathetic compared to women from other communities. She articulates the need of women’s education for community’s development and expresses her discontent with the kind of education available for them. She asks women not to be dependent on men and stresses on the need to work together for community’s development. According to her, education for women is necessary to participate in the reform movement independently for community’s progress. The way in which she interprets the act of ‘say no to ornaments’ is also different from men. For example, Madhavan Pillai’s “Aadhunika Vanithakal,” (“Modern Women”) which addresses the Hindu women criticizes women’s interest to wear ornaments and costly dresses. He asks women to avoid the use of foreign made goods and to be a part of Swadeshi Movement. For him this is part of nationalist movement whereas for Parukkuttyamma it is for her community’s progress. It implies that women were aware of community issues and their idea of reform was different from both Ezhava men/upper-caste men.
It also becomes clear that Ezhava women were concerned over their own community issues rather than the idea of a nation. And their idea of nation/community is different from that of upper-caste women. For instance, Bhageerathiamma’s “Samudayasahodarathvam” (Community “brother”hood) is addressed to women in the Hindu community. Bhageerathiamma’s caste is not mentioned anywhere. According to her, nature has created only two communities man and woman. On the question of reform she says:
“Every individuals’s practice of religion and caste may be different. I am not suggesting making any immediate changes in that. Even then every community should live in brotherhood and equality with each other. This is a nice way in which the community strength may be augmented.”
She concludes the article with a statement that she doesn’t think Hindu community can break out from debacles like colonial rule unless and until women as community live in “brother”hood. By retaining the differences she wants Hindu women to be united for a Hindu nation. Here I would take up M.S.S. Pandian’s observation that how upper-castes keep silent on the issue of caste since it (implying caste as a pre-modern issue) encode them as being into a pre-modern realm. She is totally silent about the community issues and is more concerned about building a Hindu nation.
In her article “Adhunikastreekalotu” (“To the Modern Women”) Meenakshi Amma articulates how a “good” Hindu woman can be constructed for a Hindu nation. According to her muslim rule demolished the grandeur of “our” country. The Hinduism which she envisages is not that of Nambutiris (Kerala Brahmins). Another article “Oru Prasangam” which is the report of her speech in the Stree Samajam (women’s meeting) of S.N.D.P. shows how she envisages the communities of women/Ezhavas/Keralites/nation. She talks about the Ezhava community in the Travancore region. She says thinking exclusively about ourselves (Ezhavas) is not a selfish act. According to her, reform should begin from home and then move to the community. She also talks about the larger community i.e Keralites and the role of Ezhavas in that community of Keralites. She points out that women’s education is for community’s progress. It will help women to interpret Hindu religion properly and to train and educate children who are the wealth of community. She distinguished themselves with Muhammadeeyar (Muslims) and Nambutiris who follow dowry system. Thus Ezhava women’s writings give a picture of an entirely differnt take on the question of community/nation.
(10 votes, average: 4.10 out of 5)
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June 22nd, 2009 at 7:19 AM
A quick question, may be slightly off-topic. Did Meenakshi amma, Parukkutty amma, Bhageerathi amma etc sign these articles with that ‘amma’ suffix when they were originally published? I thought Nairs alone used to do it those days. My recollections of reading 50′s and 60′s newspapers tell me that KR Gowri was never addressed as Gowriamma those days
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Monte (alla ‘man’nte) 2000 ithuvare irangiyillanna thonnunne..
Or does he he think that Parukkuttiyamma and Meenakshiyamma and Bhageerathiyamma got these amma surnames when they later became ministers in Kerala, and that is why the author refered them such?
It is ok to have ‘thoughts’ but not necessary to show off your ignorance as well as your inability to comprehend at the same time.. Especially while following-up to your own comments on superiority of Mallu men.
June 22nd, 2009 at 4:18 PM
Dear Malluman,
I think if you have come across the literatures of 1905-1915 you wouldn’t have raised such a doubt. There were many conflicts among Ezhavas and Nairs during this period. Ammavazhakku is one among them. C. Kesavan in his autobiography Jeevithasamaram mentions about Amma vazhakku. He describes that this happens much later after Ezhavas got permission for entry in the schools. Ezhava girls started adding the suffix “amma” with their names. But the Nairs took a stand that only Nair women have the right and power to become “Amma”or to add the suffix “Amma” with their names. Nair head mistressess and head masters decided not to give admission to the Ezhava girls who come with Amma name. But Ezhavas strongly responded to this and this ended up in several disputes. I have mentioned this only to give you an idea that Ezhavas took such pain to receive the status of Amma with their name. And for your doubt whether the women I mentioned in the post were Ezhavas or not , I think you should refer to the article published by P.R. Mandakiniyamma(as published originally like the others), an Ezhava woman in Sanghamitra with the same title “Amma” in the year 1922 where she discusses the issue of adding suffix “amma” with Ezhava women’s name. She gives an example of Gowriamma. M. A who was denied the use of the suffix “Amma”with her name by many Savarna newspapers. So as to retain her self respect she directly complained to the government and found a solution to this problem. Mandakiniamma questions that “If an uneducated and uncultured Nair woman can add Amma with her name why can’t an educated and cultured Ezhava woman and Christian woman use that?” For her this is a matter of self respect.
June 23rd, 2009 at 5:45 AM
Thanks for your response, Sreebitha. I did not have any doubt on whether these authors were Ezhavas. The question had more to do with the period from which Ezhava women started adding ‘amma’ to their names.
But I have serious objection to the reference on uncultured Nair women. Though mallu men are intellectually superior to mallu women, I believe the latter is culturally far ahead of the former. Malayali women can not be uncultured regardless of what cast they belong to.
Even malayali men are cultured in their own way. The only uncultured items that you can find in Kerala are the ones who are neither here nor there. It is unfortunate that a specimen of that creed thought it worthy to micturite between my first comment and your response to it.
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:10 AM
Oh yes dear mallu man.. men are cultured, women are more cultured (mm, Nair women surly more so, isn’t it?), only the in-betweens are uncultured.. I’m loving it.
I’d proudly be part of those uncultured in-betweens.
As for ‘micturiting’ between your comment and Sreebitha’s — the mallu man thinks it is his duty to pass an intellectual comment and finds it worthy to make the author look stupid, with a question like ‘did they really have those names when they were originally published’.
[As I write this comment, Sreebitha calls up and tells me 'enthu mayiraanu mallu man ezhuthiyirikkunne..'. Does that make her unfit in the world of 'cultured mallu women'?]
Yours
in-between
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:32 AM
Malluman,
Don’t feel like to respond for this uncultured comment!
June 23rd, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Sudeep,
Even if you claim the “in between space,” you are patronizing sreebitha by quoting what she told you in a private phone call. we all have different languages for different forums. sreebitha and me and i am even sure, Sudeep, included. this does not mean that i believe the personal is sacred, and we need to wrap that in shrouds of mystery and silence. (while, the the very same personal gets discussed violently in so-called closed gossip sessions – giving helpless pleasure to the discussants and humiliations to the persons discussed).in the context of the power of these gossip groups, perhaps, Sudeep might take this as a political project to publically discuss these things in the forum of a blog comment. But, this is almost as violent as “outing” – a term used to forcefully bring out the homosexual into public gaze – coming out personally might be a political act of great courage for a gay person. but, being forced to come out publically might act as the worst form of harassment to the same person. sudeep, by quoting sreebitha, obviously without discussing with her personally (her subsequent comment shows that) is a violent process of “outing.” hope you understand the unethical nature of that act. If, she cannot express it in the same way as you can, If she doesn’t want to say something in a public forum, it is unfair to brand her. Your quoting a private phone call is actually reducing and essentialising.
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Sorry I did not understand the part “her subsequent comment shows that”.
Sreebitha tells me it is probably because you thought her comment was aimed at me, when she clearly addressed it to ‘Mallu man’.
Again, this also in a private conversation, and I take the liberty to quote it here because I think it deserves getting quoted, and with the conviction that all private talks need not remain private. About the forums and the public/private divides, let me add this much: You tell something in a certain forum to certain people with certain trust — that it will not be misused. Yet people often misuse such information, it often becomes hot and juicy stuff in some other private convesations without the knowledge of those who said that.. I personally prefer refering to or quoting someone when that someone is present (or when I know that someone does have access to it). She or he may add to what I say, or if they feel betrayed, they may even stop talking to me.
June 24th, 2009 at 12:53 AM
i feel like sitting on the fence for the time being – Sreebitha – as you asked me through another person (I was convinced that Sreebitha did not exist outside cyberworld till yesterday afternoon) – and am leaving a comment feeling as jobless as possible – the wicked gossip-monger
I shall not compliment your post as most of the words that form in me are patronising – keep at it!!
June 24th, 2009 at 4:55 AM
“കൊലയെപ്പറ്റിയല്ല, അതു ചെയ്യുന്ന രീതിയെപ്പറ്റിയാണു പ്രശ്നം”
and i’m off.
June 24th, 2009 at 7:59 AM
in fact, sudeep,if one looks at old malayalam magazines, one can these “malluman” kinda feudal caste patriarchal male boastings… the country of gods and godmen still have such specimen pieces left points at the significance of the kind of research works initiated by Sreebitha. more such works will bring to light (for a commonman like me) the fact that we (the mallus) havent changed much.. mallumen kinda specimen pieces stil exist in 21st century stands testimony to it.
kudos to sreebitha for here nice work. Expect more from her.
best
September 2nd, 2011 at 1:06 PM
wonderful contribution to silent histories. saw this article recently. please do get in touch, sreebitha
October 28th, 2011 at 5:21 PM
hello,
great discussion.i did’t though these amma name was once used to represent caste.also i was not much aware about the womens movement going on at that time.now i can more clearly understand how deep and wide was the cultural and social movements going on at that time.not only disputes ,but also fighting ,humiliations all have to faced and overcome.but they may be happy that they could see great changes during their life time.
regarding culture ,how can one be cultured when one can see fellow being in the eyes of so many divisions.does a society have and retain a good culture if it cant stand united.