THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Mahatma Ayyankali Chair, University of Kerala and the Department of History jointly organised a seminar and discussion to commemorate the 74th death anniversary of the social reformer.
The meeting was inaugurated by Suresh Jnaneswaran, professor and director, Mahatma Ayyankali Chair. In his address, he underscored the historical reality of Ayyankali as a revolutionary who exploited the public sphere that had originated in the objective historical situation of the period. Ayyankali had negotiated his space, facilitated by the interventions of colonial modernity in the State of Travancore. He added that his interventions were neither spontaneous nor had physical prowess.
Speaking more about Ayyankali, he said, “He understood the forces of social metamorphosis that were gathering strength in Travancore and clearly perceived the path of liberation for his people. His actions saw the participation of women in large numbers for the first time in Kerala’s history. He wanted them to develop their intellectual capacities and emerge as a force in modern Kerala and led by example.”
His greatest obstacle was the machinations of Brahmanical Hinduism and the forces of reaction that asserted itself in many ways almost analogues to the problems faced by B R Ambedkar at a later date. Intellectual and physical assertion was his message.
Dr V Sathish, Dr P Jinimon, Sajna, Divya, Sarun and a dozen research scholars and students participated in the discussions held at the seminar Hall, Department of History, Kerala University.
