Putting together the various tweets on Ayyankali, posted for his 157th birth anniversary on Friday, you might be able piece together the life of the social reformer who once lived in princely Travancore and challenged many norms that discriminated against the lower castes. Tributes have poured in from political leaders, spanning parties, history lovers and the common man all of whom hold the man equally dear.
"It is the birth anniversary of Ayyankali. The day reminds us that the commons we all enjoy are the result of struggles against oppression. His reclaiming of the streets for all is one of the momentous chapters in our State's fight against feudalism," wrote Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Two of Ayyankali’s famous acts have been especially recalled - in 1914, he enrolled a Dalit girl called Panchami to school, at a time when the schools run by upper castes denied her admission. Ayyankali himself belonged to the Dalit Pulaya caste. The other event is from 1893, when he rode a bullock-cart through the roads where people from the lower castes were not allowed.
Today is Ayyankali's birth anniversary. The painting, by artist PS Jalaja, shows the Mahatma with Panchami, a dalit girl who was denied admission in schools. In 1914, Ayyankali took the lead in enrolling Panchami to a school, which triggered massive violence by upper caste Hindus pic.twitter.com/hmh3QEuO8O
— Stanly Johny (@johnstanly) August 28, 2020
Writer Meena Kandaswamy, who has co-authored a biography on Ayyankali, wrote that he "stood for assertion, militantly opposed caste practices, fought for the rights of farm workers, built schools for Dalits, organised an agrarian strike in 1907, fought for representation, fought for emancipation of women. A radical organic leader born on this day in 1863."
A Twitter user who goes by the handle of AKalashnikov05 quoted the great reformer: "If you don’t allow our children to study, weeds will grow in your fields." Words Ayyankali 'thundered' when Dalit children were banished from schools by the upper caste feudal landlords.
Remembering Mahatma Ayyankali on his birth anniversary.
— Siddharth (@DearthOfSid) August 28, 2020
In 1893, Ayyankali, one of the staunchest anti-caste heroes in Kerala, rode a bullock-cart through the public roads that were prohibited for 'avarnas'.
An unparalleled revolutionary, an eternal inspiration. pic.twitter.com/KMgbazCLxt
The Congress's official Twitter handle called Ayyankali one of 'India's greatest sons'. "Pioneering social reformer Mahatma Ayyankali was the voice of the voiceless and the harbinger of a social revolution. We honour his spirit today and celebrate him as one of the most important Dalit leaders of modern Kerala."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi too remembered the great leader. "India remains indebted to greats like Mahatma Ayyankali. His work towards social reform and empowering the downtrodden will always inspire. Remembering him on his Jayanti."