Temple Entry Proclamation 1936
Topic: The National Movement: Gandhian Era · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Temple Entry Proclamation was a royal order issued in the princely state of Travancore, in present-day Kerala. It opened every temple run by the state government to all Hindus, whatever their caste. Before this, "untouchable" castes could not enter these temples. It came after years of protest against untouchability in Kerala.
Example
Maharaja Chithira Thirunal issued the order on 12 November 1936, on the advice of his Dewan, C.P. Ramaswami Iyer. Gandhi praised it as a "miracle of modern times".
Don't confuse with
- Vaikom Satyagraha (1924–25): this protest was about the right to use the roads around the Vaikom temple, not about entering the temple itself.
- Guruvayur Satyagraha (1931–32): this was a temple-entry campaign led by K. Kelappan. It did not succeed at that time.
Related concepts
- All India Kisan Sabha
- Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
- FICCI
- G.D. Birla
- Jamnalal Bajaj
- All India Trade Union Congress
- Communist Party of India
- Meerut conspiracy case
- Women in the civil disobedience movement
- Women's Indian Association