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The Tamil Society, known for its tribal nature during the Sangam period
gradually developed into a state comprising a caste-ridden society based on different
occupations. In course of time, under various dynasties, the caste system became
rigid. Islam as well as Christianity began to influence the Tamil society. But the
Tamil society remained divided by castes, promoting deep-rooted untouchability.5
1
Eugene F.Irschick, Politics and Social Conflict in South India, Oxford, 1969, p.2.
2
Robert L.Hard Grave, The Nadars of Tamil Nadu, Oxford, 1969, p.12.
3
Eugene F.Irschick, op.cit., p.2.
4
C.Paramarthalingam, Social Reform Movement in Tamil Nadu in the19th Century with
Special Reference to St. Ramalinga, Madurai, 1995, p.15.
5
Ibid., p.4.
1
Boundaries, Configuration, Hill and River
6
Robert L.Hard Grave, op. cit., p.18.
7
W.Francis, et al., Gazetteer of South India, Vol.II, New Delhi, 2002, p.213.
8
Manual of the Administration of the Madras Presidency, Vol.II, p.6.
2
Historical Setting of Southern Districts
Many of the Poligars were drawn from the Telugu Nayaks. Other Poligars
were Maravars, traditional warriors of Tamil Kings. In the middle of the
eighteenth century, the over lordship of the southern districts passed into the hands
of the Nawabs.14 The Maravar Poligars fought with the Nawab in vain. When the
9
Robert L.Hard Grave, op.it., p.14.
10
Subramania Pillai, History of Dravidian People, Tuticorin, 1914, pp.92-94.
11
S.Clement, Main Currents of Vijayanagar History, Madurai, 1974, p.28.
12
K.Rajayyan, History of Tamil Nadu, 1565-1982, Madurai, 1982, p.25.
13
B.S.Baliga, Madras District Gazetteers- Madurai, Madras, 1960, p.48.
14
R.Caldwell, History of Tinnevelly, New Delhi, 1982, p.143.
3
Nawabs found their position in trouble, they called upon the British for help.
Accordingly, the East India Company sent an expedition against the Poligars in
1751. Shortly thereafter, they established a permanent garrison at Palayamkottai.
After 1751, the British waged a series of wars against the Poligars. The major
Poligar war took place against Kattabomman of Panjalamkurichi in 1799.
The Nawab gave over the administration of Carnatic, including Tirunelveli and
Madurai to the British East India Company in payment for a portion of revenue.15
After 1801, the whole of Carnatic territory was formally ceded to the Company.
A number of the more pliant Poligars were inverted by the British as Zamindars
and the troublesome were dispersed.16
When the British East India Company assumed control over Tirunelveli, it
had included the major portion of the present district of Ramanathapuram
(or Ramnad) and parts of Madurai. When the first Collector took charge in 1801,
he had jurisdiction over the Palayams (later the Zamindaris) of Sivaganga and
Ramnad.17 But in 1803, these were combined in a separate district of Ramnad. The
present district of Ramnad was formed only in 1910, placing the seven taluks of
the two Zamindari tracts with the taluks of Sriviliputtur and Sattur which had
formed part of Tirunelveli district. Tirunelveli itself was reorganized several times
and with the creation of Ramnad, it was divided into eight taluks.
Social Conflict
In every type of social structure there are occasions for conflict. Social life
is always characterized as an admixture of conflict and peace. History has
witnessed conflicts in all the societies either contemporary or primitive. Max Weber
15
Ibid., p.3.
16
Proceedings of the Inam Commissioner, Tirunelveli, No.6, 27 February 1863.
17
S.Sundararajan, Noorandu Kalukkumun Tirunelveli Mavattam, (Tamil) Madras, 1985,
pp. 235-236.
4
points out that conflict cannot be excluded from social life.18 But conflicts vary in
their bases, duration, means, outcomes and consequences. Conflicts also vary in
their causes and contents and their intensity too. Lewis Coser suggests that social
conflict may be taken to mean a struggle over values and claims to scarce status,
power and resources in which the aims of the opponents are to neutralize, injure or
eliminate their rivals. Sociologically viewed, conflict does not mean random
disorder, rather it refers to meaningful action in pursuit of goals. On the relational
nature, conflict was synonymously used with competition for sometime. Conflict
is always conscious. Indeed it evokes the deepest emotions and strongest passions
and enlists the greatest concentration of attention and of efforts.
18
Ram Bali Mishra, Caste and Caste Conflicts in Rural Society, New Delhi, 1989, pp.1-2.
19
Jaya Ram and Satish Saberwal (ed.), Social Conflict, New Delhi, 1996, pp.5-6.
20
Ibid,, pp.6-7.
5
India displays an unparalleled variety of conflicts owing partly to the
complexity of her cultural tradition and social structure. Communal, caste,
regional and linguistic conflicts have become permanent features in civil life.
In addition, conflicts arise against historical backdrop, which have seen much
mixing of cultural codes. So clashes are inevitable in the diversed codes.21
Conflicts are common in Tamil villages, among factions and between local caste
groups and between landlords and labourers. Caste conflicts of this type are not a
new phenomenon in the Tamil countryside. Mishra fixes the responsibility on the
government for the conflicts. "In modern India casteism and caste tension are
rooted in different steps and measures taken by Indian government. The policy of
providing educational, economic, political and social privileges to the members of
a particular caste may be equalitarianism but they have created cleavages and gulfs
between higher and lower castes.
The conflicts that have taken place in Tamil Nadu are numerous and vast.
Hence this study is confined to the southern districts of Tamil Nadu alone.
The frequent communal clashes in the southern districts and its consequences
constitute a significant theme in the Modern History of Tamil Nadu. The frequent
appearance of the word 'Southern Districts' in connection with communal riots in
news papers made the researchers' mind focus attention on this area. The problems
faced by the groups involved in riots, the economic deprivation, material losses,
judicial enquiry, rigorous imprisonment, social inequality formed a base for this
research. There is no dearth of literature concerning all aspects of conflict study.
Since the study is sensitive, no researcher has hitherto attempted to bring out the
issue to the lime light. Since the southern districts are considered to be conflict-
21
Ibid., p.20.
6
prone area in Tamil Nadu, an indepth study on these lines is necessary. So the
need to professionally reconstruct the untold and unacknowledged social problems
in the southern district in the given period is felt and attempt is made to probe and
record the conflicts under the topic Social Conflicts in Modern of Tamil Nadu,
A.D. 1900-1947. This period is chosen because the problem of the depressed class
people and their emancipation and upliftment is a 20th century phenomenon.
The period of study also marks the emergence of caste based groups and their
struggle for social acceptance. It was in this period public attention was focused on
the problem of caste system and the evils attached to it. In that context, attention
has been paid on the problem of the depressed class and their upliftment.
Though conflicts are sporadic then and there throughout Tamil Nadu, and
communal riots are erupting very often, this study is confined to southern districts
which constitute nucleus with regard to conflicts. The scope of the thesis is to
trace the development of caste system, causes and consequences of conflicts,
emancipation of the untouchables, their rights to temple entry, legislative measures
to safeguard the depressed class, emergence of caste based organizations, and the
attempt of the British to curb the Mukkulathor community connected with some
social problems. The work also aims to study the attitude and response of the
Government towards caste and caste based conflicts.
Methodology
7
Source of Information
For writing this work both primary and secondary sources are used.
Primary sources kept in Tamil Nadu Archives, Chennai., Regional Record Office,
Coimbatore., Collectorate Record office, Madurai and Tirunelveli are consulted.
The records pertaining to the Departments of Public, Judicial, Legal and Home
supply a large amount of useful materials.
8
In addition to these, the published works by different authors supply
materials for making links with different trends of the primary sources. Caste in
India, Its Nature Functions and Origins by J.H.Hutton, Castes and Tribes of
Southern India, by Edger Thurston, Caste, Society and Politics in India by Susan
Bayly, Caste and Race in India by G.S.Ghurye, Studies in the History of India
with Special Reference to Tamil Nadu by K.K.Pillay and History of Tamil Nadu by
K. Rajayyan supply information about the origin and growth of Caste system in
India and also the condition of the depressed people in India. Eugene F.Irschick's
Politics and Social Conflicts in South India, 1916-29 P.K.Kars' Conflict and
Society, Ram Bali Misra's Caste and Caste Conflict in Rural Society, Indhu Raja
Gopal's The tyranny of castes describe the social stratification, segregation,
discrimination and the rise of various conflicts and consequences. C.J.Baker and
D.A.Washbrook's South India: Political Institutions and Political Change
1880-1940, Rajini Kothari's Caste in Indian Politics, Swapna H.Samuel's Dalit
Movement in South India, 1857-1950 furnish exhaustive information about various
caste movements, rising of caste organization and their struggle for status in
politics and society.
Sri Vaikunda Swamigal and the struggle for social Equality in South India
by R. Ponnu, The Nadars of Tamil Nad by Robert L.Hard Grave, A South Indian
Sub Caste by Louis Dermont, Temple Entry Movement and Sivakasi Riots by
B.Shobanan, Reform Movement in Tamil Nadu in the 19th century with special
reference to St.Ramalinga by C.Paramarthalingam deal about the temple entry
movement, struggle and upliftment of the Nadars, Louis Dumont's A South Indian
Sub Caste and Forward Block by K.Bose furnish information about the Thevars
particularly the Kallar Community, their activities against the British and other
social groups and the imposition of criminal Tribes Act and their reclamation.
9
Eminent scholars and veteran professors in the field of conflicts study, sociologists
and anthropologists were consulted. Based on their suggestion, materials were
collected.
Review of Literature
No concerted efforts have so far been made to estimate the social maladies
in the 19th and 20th century Tamil society. But the availability of a few literary
works on conflicts indicate the need felt regarding the study. The works such as
Social Problems in India by Ram Ahuja and Social Conflict edited by Jaya Ram
and Satish Saberwal, refer to different aspects of the conflicts and the causes that
triggered off such conflicts at all India level. But these works do not offer
coverage on Tamil Nadu particularly the southern districts during the stipulated
period.
The following notable books deal only with communal conflicts. Virendra
Prakash Singh's Caste Community and Conflict in Social Change, Ram Bali
Mishra's Caste and Caste Conflict in Rural Society V.T.Rajshekar's Class-Caste
Struggle The Emerging Third Force deal only with communal conflicts
elaborately. They do not shed light on other social issues like Temple Entry
Movement, Emancipation of the untouchables and the caste based organizations.
Though there are various books on the Social History of the Tamils, they have not
covered all the aspects of the social problems. The Social History of the Tamil by
P.Subramanian, The Tamil Social History by N.Subramanian edited by
P.Thiyagarajan concentrates only on social life and the caste system of the Tamils.
Some unpublished research works theses like ‘Communal Riots in Tiruchirapalli
District’ and Communal Conflicts in Virudhunagar District which are confined to
communal riots only in the particular districts. These works too have not given a
10
detailed account about the disabilities of the depressed class and their struggle for
social equality and justice. The absence of a single work covering all the social
issues in the southern districts prompted the researcher to take up such a study.
Chapterization
11