THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There has always been opposition from within towards social reforms, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “In 1862, there was a ritualistic practice of women opting to sacrifice their baby girls in order to give birth to baby boys. The girls were thrown to crocodiles. Though the government tried to stop this, the women refused to budge. Finally, the authorities decided to kill all crocodiles to put an end to this practice,” he recalled on Monday.
In his long and detailed briefing on how the state came out of social evils and superstitions through the reform movements led by Sree Narayana Guru and social reformers such as Ayyankali and Chattambi Swamikal, Pinarayi elaborated on how modern Kerala was built through major struggles against negative practices. There was opposition to temple entry too, he said.
“In 1920, when some women went to Sree Padamanabahaswamy Temple covering their breasts following an order in this regard, a section of women tried to dissuade them from doing so,” he said. “Going by the social struggles against negative practices, it’s clear that agitations against such practices came up from within. The society accepted such struggles and later this became part of the progressive movements.
Political parties too have taken a stance favouring such social movements for the upliftment of women and other suppressed sections in society.”
Kummanam’s letter
When the Sabarimala women’s entry case was before the HC in the 1990s, a letter sent by Kummanam Rajasekharan, then secretary of the Hindu Munnai, to thantri Maheswararu came out. “The letter mentions wedding ceremonies, women’s dance and film shooting held at the temple. The reply came before the court. This points to the fact women were allowed to enter the temple,” he said.