Villuvandi Samaram (1893)

Villuvandi Samaram (1893)

In Travancore state (now part of modern day Kerala), members of lower caste communities were not allowed to use public roads as these roads were controlled by the members of higher caste communities. The Villuvandi Samaram (or Bullock cart strike) was the direct result of this social discrimination. The movement was led by Ayyankali.

In 1893, Ayyankali bought a bullock cart from the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu and marched over the public streets of Venganoor. Though he was brutally attacked during his first ride, he later went on several other bullock cart rides. In this way, he brought back the right to access the public roads for lower caste community members of Travancore (or Kerala).

See: Paliyam Satyagraha