D. Vinoba Gladis*
Abstract
Education means a systematic instruction in a language either for arts or science, which resulted in the development of character and mental power. They are highly essential for the development of the society. In the early period, the Kings patronized poets and poetess and their literary productions were recognized in the court. With the passage of time, particularly during the medieval period, because of the caste system, education was confined to a particular caste. The high caste people became the masters and the students of the other communities except the Dalits, were given traditional pattern of education.
During the early days educational institutions were attached to the temples and vedic education was given priority. No importance was given to practical oriented education. Induce course the gurukula system of education proved to be worthless. There were drop outs and had steep decline of education owing to many reasons. It was mainly due to the fact that education was the monopoly of a particular community and secondly, due to which was the medium of instruction, Sanskrit. There was no scope for popular education till the arrival of the Missionaries in Kanyakumari District.
* Ph.D Research Scholar, Department of History, M.S. University, Tirunelveli.
In the 12th Century A.D, the Venad Kings administered Nanchilnadu and they established village schools. The middle of the 19th Century, in Nanchilnadu, though the help of Travancore Government, the Brahmins administered schools totally neglected in imparting education to the down-trodden communities. The lower class people had no avenues either for education in government sponsored schools or job oriented schools or departments subjects like grammar, philosophy and vedas. These subjects were religious oriented and the low caste had no access to it. The modern education system was introduced in 1834 in Travancore. Subsequently, a series of English schools were established in Travancore including Nanchilnadu. But the depressed communities like the Parayas and Pulayas and the other lower castes were denied admission in the schools. These institutions served the interest of the upper class people only. Caste prejudice prevented the lower castes in entering the schools of the urban areas. A few lower caste students gained admission in the schools of the rural areas.
In the urban areas, the high caste people vehemently opposed the inclusion of the Dalit students in the educational institutions and they did not like to mingle with the lower caste students and they considered it was a sin as well as pollution. In these circumstances, to lift the down-trodden communities, the Missionaries came forward to render their tireless service. They were the people who had undertaken the first tranquil steps towards the introduction of western education among the people irrespective of caste and creed. Kanyakumari District commanded a pre-eminent status in the educational map of India, because of the educational services of the Missionaries only. The Missionaries became a catalyst in the process of evolving a casteless society. They directly involved with the State Government of Travancore and their constant pressure to the Princely State in the welfare of the downtrodden society itself. Their combined efforts to take education to the weaker sections were noteworthy. They put the base for the western education.
The Missionaries in Kanyakumari District after a small process of conversion, through the resident of Travancore Col. Munro, insisted the Raja of Travancore, to open government schools and were to be thrown open to all castes without discrimination of castes. But the Travancore Government was not in favour of this suggestion. Even the Diwan Sankara Subbaiyan, in collaboration with the high castes, justified the distinction on the caste difference. He was the opinion that a Hindu Princely State like Travancore, in reality, would not do anything good. He went to the extent of telling that the government was not in favour of disturbing the social customs and harmony of the State. Hence opening of common schools in the state for all castes was in futile. In South Travancore [Kanyakumari District] the major backward community namely the Nadars, frequently requested the government of Tranvancore for getting admission for their children in the government vernacular schools. The teachers belonged to the privileged classes and hence there was a genuine hated towards the backward communities. At Eraniel and Thuckalay there were vernacular schools. Because of severe opposition of the high caste teachers of these two schools no Nadar boys were admitted. It created a great distress among backward and the depressed classes. Hence the Government established new schools exclusively for lower classes in 1895 – 1896.
In these circumstances, the Missionaries who landed from the foreign countries found the deplorable condition of the poor masses. They realized that it was their prime duty to save the people from the clutches of the high class people and uplift the downtrodden educationally and socially. In this context William Tobias RingleTaube, was a pioneer in preaching Christianity in Kanyakumari District and awakened the downtrodden people from a long slumber. The opening of schools by the Missionaries had two objectives, education and preaching Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Kanyakumari District, Ringle Taube was responsible for the introduction of English education. To improve the status of women, the women Missionaries felt that female education was of great importance for the development of India. They created an awareness among the people. Further, they wrote articles describing their attention in receiving and improving the conditions of the slave girls who belonged to the marginalized section of the society.
References
1. Samuel Mateer, Native Life in Travancore, London, 1883, p. 346.
2. James Forbes, Oriental Memoris, London, 1834, p. 254.
3. Manickam S, Slavery in the Tamil Country – A Historical Overview, Madras, 1982, p. 45.
4. Proclamation of Raja of Travancore, October 1853, File No: 286.
5. Report of Superintendent of District School, Parasala, 11, September, 1865.
6. Nagam Aiya V, The Travancore State Manual, Vol II, Thiruvananthapuram, 1999, p. 377.
7. Hacker I.H, A Hundred Years in Travancore, London, 1908, p. 37.
8. Agur, C.M. Church History of Travancore, Madras, 1903, p. 720.