150 years ago, in Kerala (a regional state of India), lower caste ladies were compelled by the Brahmins and the King of Travancore to pay the “breast tax”. The tax rate was proportional to the breast size. The rationale behind it was to religiously sustain the cultural domination and social control over lower caste people. A “breast tax” or mulakkaram was imposed by the landowning and voyeuristic Brahmins on lower caste Hindu women (if they wanted to cover their breasts in public).
Mainly the Nadar and Ezhava communities weren’t allowed to cover their chests in front of members of the upper caste (Brahmins). This was considered a sign of modesty and it was important they complied. Clothing was considered a sign of wealth and prosperity, and the poor and the lower-castes were simply not entitled to it. No doubt to note that Hinduism is a religion of caste which continues to execute the features of social hierarchy. But, unfortunately, the fascists cannot control – all the people – all the time. With all due respect, instead of paying the “breast tax”, a lady named Nangeli stood up for her dignity or self-respect and cut off her breasts.
To make her protest known, she chopped off her breasts and presented them to a village officer in a plantain leaf. She died the same day from loss of blood. Nangeli’s husband, Chirukandan, on seeing her mutilated body, overcome by grief, jumped into her funeral pyre committing suicide.
Following the death of Nangeli, a series of people’s movements were set off and the breast tax system was ultimately annulled in Travancore. The place she lived came to be known later as Mulachiparambu (meaning land of the breasted woman). Sadly speaking, in today’s time, CBSE (a governmental body that regulates and censors the content or curriculum) issued a notification or a circular “banning the history of Nangeli from school books” because it finds the content “very objectionable”. This blog is an attempt to educate the readers about an unsung and unpopular revolutionary lady who fearlessly stood up to fight against the tyranny. In my view, you too have Nangeli’s conscience in your mind. It’s high time that you bring her out in yourself and “smash the tyranny” in any form. Freedom isn’t given to you. You have to snatch it. You may also view my video wherein I ratiocinate that taxation is theft:
Please share this blog, before your elected government issues any notification against my blog.