Chapter 14

A brief page on Kerala

Since I have taken Kerala as a base area to use for the purpose of examples and illustrations, it is good that I do give some historical data about this place. What I give here would be entirely different from the scholastic version of history, and would necessarily keep away from their domain.

At the time of independence, there were two major states in South India. They were the Madras State and the Mysore state. The former was a Tamil speaking state, while the latter was a Kannada speaking state. At the same time, to the southern tip of Madras state, and to its western coastal region, there were two small Principalities, by name Travancore and Cochin. Both were ruled by their respective native Kings. They were independent to a limited extend; yet they came under the suzerainty of the British.

Let us now talk about the Madras state. It was under the direct rule of the British. At the same time, it should also be understood that even during the British times, the actual local government was run by a native Chief Minister, with an elected legislative assembly to help him.

To the north of these two minor kingdoms of Travancore and Cochin, was a geographical area known as Malabar. This area was also a part of the Madras state. Now both the Travancore-Cochin areas as well as the Malabar area, were Malayalam spoken areas, though at that time, the Malayalam of Malabar was very much different from the Malayalam of Travancore-Cochin.

The State of Kerala was formed, after independence, in 1956 on the 1st of November, by joining the Malabar region, with the Travancore-Cochin regions. The unifying factor was the common language, Malayalam.

Being in the southern most strip of India, and also because it was secluded by the Sahyadris* (Western Ghats mountain ranges), Kerala took a long time to accustom itself to the chathurvarnya * social system, that had taken deep roots in North India, since ancient times.  And when it did take place, there were other indigenous races that had to be adjusted.

The chathurvarnyam that did ultimately take root in Kerala was with the Nambhuthiris* and allied castes (Brahmins*) at the top, the Kshathriya* (Varma* and other kingly races) below that, the Nairs* and allied classes as their serving class, and then the other classes, which were, more or less, of indigenous origin.

The Brahmins and Kshathriyas generally are having a complexion to the fairer side, some even very fair, though an occasional dark person may be found.

The Nairs, though they were equivalent to the Sudras* of North India, in Kerala metamorphosed into a higher social level, due to the fact that there were a lot of other castes that survived below them in caste hierarchy, and they were the only class who could interact with the Brahmins and Kashatriyas, as their serving class. They, as a general vocation, were a sort of supervisory class for the higher caste landed aristocracy. The followed the matriarchal system.           

Of the indigenous castes, which were, more or less, outside the Chathurvarnyam, the most significant was the Ehzhavas* in South Kerala. Their hereditary profession was associated with activities concerned with coconut trees. By anthropological feature, their complexion ranged from dark to medium fair. By social convention, they followed the patriarchal system.

In North Kerala, there was another caste by the name Thiyas*, whose hereditary professions also included connection with the coconut tree, practise of traditional medicine, and also martial arts generally known as Kalari payattu*(a small section of the populace). By complexion, they ranged from very fair to medium complexion. They followed the matriarchal family system.

In both North Kerala, as well as in South Kerala, there were many lower castes that were later listed as the Scheduled Castes and Tribes*. They had actually lived in deep penury, in social conditions similar to slavery; but no chains were used. For, the language structure was so powerful that they were mentally indoctrinated about their own inferiority, that they would never even contemplate about being equal to any senior caste member. They were the classes that had suffered the most intense suppression in the class hierarchy. They include the Pulaya, Paraya, Vannan, Malayan etc.

When Queen Victoria* banned* slavery in the British Empire, and the order was enforced in all the places under the direct British rule, all over the world, and those under their suzerainty, it had its impact here also; much legislation freeing the slaves were passed in the Madras Presidency and also in the Travancore-Cochin subsidiary states.

In Malabar, before the coming of the British public education, entry into public service was barred to the lower castes. But the coming of the British changed the situation. And during that period, a lot of social upheaval took place in the Malabar area. The British introduced English education, by which for the first time, the educated lower castes could contemplate a level of equality with the superior social classes. For, in Malayalam, it would have been near impossible to understand how a lower caste man is equal to a higher caste man. And a communication with equal stature would have been totally impossible.

Many Thiyas, mainly from the Cannanore and Tellicherry areas went in for good English education, and later entered into the public service in a wide range of levels of positions.

At the same time in Travancore-Cohin areas, where the rule of the native Kings continued till the very advent of Independence, the lower castes could only dream of these achievements of the lower castes of North Kerala. It is possible that they did not dream of such things, as very few people would have known much about the Malabar realities, it being a different state, with not much administrative or social connections.

When the northern and southern areas were amalgamated and made into Kerala, there was a level of mixing of bureaucracies. A lot of senior bureaucrats of Madras State entered into Kerala State service, at an appropriately higher level. These persons were good in English and stood in marked difference to the bureaucrats of South Kerala. For the latter were coming from a Malayalam dominated feudalistic bureaucratic culture, different from the Malabar bureaucracy.

Now, from this premises I want to go into some level of inference. It is generally seen that persons who enjoy a higher social class status in India, do show a markedly different physical features, and postures, from that of the person who lives in a lower social class. This is a fact, and also a contention of my theory.

For the purpose of study, I am taking the case of two castes of Kerala. That of Thiyas, and that of Ezhavas. Both were of comparable social levels, though the former was matriarchal, while the latter was patriarchal. It was observed, (by me), that the English speaking thiyas  (during the British times, and in the years immediately following the British rule) who occupied higher government jobs did have a very liberated physical looks. They stood with a sort of unhindered dignity, and by complexion also, they seemed more lighter. This was not a common feature of all thiyas, for they in their feudal social system did have to be obsequious to a lot many other castes. That is, the English educated, Thiyas stood in noticeable difference to the non-English educated Thiyas. At the same time, it may be remembered that the Thiyas as a whole enjoyed much more social status in Madras state, during the English rule. Again, I must stress that the non-English educated thiya, did maintain a certain level of crudness in his common demeanour.

In 1956, that is, around 9 years after independence, Kerala was formed by taking the Malabar district from the Madras state, and clubbing it with the Travancore-Cochin state. Many Malabar officials moved to Travancore areas. Now, when the Thiya officers were posted in Travancore areas, the local populace found a class of persons, who though declared to be equivalent to the Ezhavas, but of definitely different demeanour.

This created a general talk that the Thiyas were a class that has inbred with the White men (supposedly British), who reputedly kept lots of concubines in the Malabar area. But actually there were very few British in Malabar area, even during the height of British rule. And the group of persons who were their native progeny were a separate class known as the Anglo-Indians*. And the non-English educated Thiyas did not reveal any such physical transformation.

Actually there were a lot of other castes in the higher bureaucracy of Malabar service. All of these English educated bureaucrats did exhibit certain features, which were in contrast to that of the Travancore-Cochin bureaucrats. They communicated between themselves with a liberal dose of English, and even their communication with their junior staff was with a sprinkling of English words and usages. Many of them addressed their colleagues by their name, even if there was a slight difference in their positional status. And they communicated fast between themselves to achieve the bureaucratic duties. Most of them were honest to a fault. Had a feeling that they were really Public Servants and not Public Masters. Charges of corruption, nepotism, manipulation etc. could very rarely be attributed to them. And they moved fast. Yet, it is possible that actually they were not innately noble in thoughts or deeds, other than from a sort of fixation forced by their thought process in English.

When India became independent, many castes were declared backward and very backward, and they were given reservations in getting public jobs, and in getting seats in educational institutions and professional courses like Medicine, Engineering etc. Among them, the Ezhavas also got reservation. When Kerala was formed as a state, the Thiyas found the Ezhavas enjoying reservation in Public appointments, and in educational institutions, while they had to compete in the open merit. This created a hue and cry, and the Thiyas were also given reservation.

Within a few years of time, the newer generation of bureaucrats started getting into the retirement vacancies. These people came from the Non-English background, and were very much ****sure of their rights, and an understanding in Malayalam that they were the Public Masters and not the Public Servants, of yore. In demeanour also, they did exhibit a remarkably stunted physical expression, with a heavy bearing and deliberate slowness of movement that is required to induce a feeling of reverence in the general public. They used the word Sar liberally to their seniors and colleagues, and expected that word and along with it deep, deferential obsequiousness from the common man. Not even a bit of argument, from the ordinary man was liked or tolerated, for they would claim with a grotesque wretchedness that they are officers, and hence above the limits of such intrusions.

These observations are mine. And there are means at my disposal to prove my contentions.