Recently, India celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Vaikom Satyagraha, a significant movement in Indian history that confronted untouchability and caste-based oppression.

About Vaikom Satyagraha

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It was a historic non-violent temple entry protest that began in Vaikom, a town in the princely state of Travancore (Kerala region), on March 30, 1924.
- It was in a response to the discriminatory exclusion of "lower caste" Hindus from accessing the Vaikom Mahadeva temple.
- Despite rise in the educational and economic status the lower caste community especially Ezhavas faced the social discrimination which eventually led to the agitation.
Satyagrahis went in groups of three to enter the temple but were stopped and arrested by the police.
- Dressed in khadi and wearing khadi caps, Govinda Panikkar (Nair), Bahuleyan (Ezhava) and Kunjappu (Pulaya), defied the prohibitionary orders.
- The movement gained popularity throughout India and received support from various regions.
  - The Akalis of Punjab provided food to the Satyagrahis.
  - Christian and Muslim leaders also supported the movement
The Vaikom Satyagraha was officially withdrawn on November 30, 1925 after consultations between Gandhi and W.H. Pitt, the then police commissioner of Travancore.

Associated Leaders & support

T.K. Madhavan, K.P. Kesava Menon and K. Kelappan (also known as Kerala Gandhi) are considered the pioneers of the Vaikom Satyagraha movement.
- Issue of temple entry was first raised by Ezhava leader T K Madhavan in a 1917 editorial in his paper Deshabhimani.
- In 1921, the Travancore Congress Committee, led by T.K. Madhavan, launched a campaign to have the ban lifted.
- In the 1923 session of the INC in Kakinada, a resolution was passed by the Kerala Provincial Congress Committee to take up anti-untouchability as a key issue.
George Joseph, a well-known independence activist in Kerala, took over the leadership of the Satyagraha in the absence of Kesava Menon.
E. V. Ramasamy Naicker, known as Periyar, also called Vaikom Veerar, was a key figure in the Vaikom Satyagraha who mobilized volunteers and garnered public support through his speeches. Among the all persons arrested in movement, only Periyar got rigorous imprisonment.
Mahatma Gandhi's involvement began in 1921 as he supported a mass agitation led by Madhavan for temple entry.
Sree Narayana Guru, Mannathu Padmanabhan, E. V. Ramasamy Naicker, etc also supported the agitation.
Women like Nagammai (wife of Periyar), Kannammal etc. played key roles empowering women and taking on vital responsibilities.

Outcome of Vaikom Satyagraha

Legal Reforms & initiatives:
- The Satyagraha's pressure led to the Temple Entry Proclamation in 1936, a landmark legal victory granting access to lower-caste individuals into temples.
- It also led to initiatives like the establishment of the Travancore Public Service Commission to ensure fairness in government roles.
Political Awakening: It catalysed political awareness and activism among marginalized communities.
National Impact: The movement's resonance extended beyond Kerala, inspiring similar protests and campaigns across India against caste-based discrimination.
Rift between Mahatma Gandhi and Periyar: The Vaikom Satyagraha brought open the rift between Gandhiji and Periyar.
- While Gandhiji saw it as Hindu reformist movement, Periyar called it a fight against caste-based atrocities.
- Periyar was not happy with the partial success attained (only 3 out 4 roads leading to the temple were open for all the castes), and he eventually quit Congress months later.

Other Anti-Caste Movements

Year	Movement	Leaders	Details
1873	Satyashodhak Movement	Jyotirao Phule	Emancipation of low castes, untouchables, and widows, Against Brahminic dominion
1916	Justice Party Movement	Dr. T.M Nair, P. Tyagaraja Chetti, C.N Mudalair	Against Brahminic control in government, education, and politics
1924	Depressed Classes Movement	BR Ambedkar	Upliftment of depressed classes, Against untouchability, published Marathi Newspaper titled Bahiskrit Bharat (1927)
1925	Self-Respect Movement	EV Ramaswami Naicker (Periyar)	Against caste system and Brahmin bias, Establishment of Kudi Arasu journal (1910)