• Rev. Dr. Premjith Kumar T.B.

Abstract In Travancore, part of Kerala, the upper castes did not allow lower caste women to cover their breasts. The native lower castes were powerless to oppose this heinous custom. Christian missionaries who came here from Europe to spread the gospel, saw this odious practice as inhumane. Travelers who have visited this place since the 13th century have recorded that they saw women who did not wear their upper clothes. With the arrival of European missionaries, this issue became more of a hot topic. They saw it as the prerogative of the self-respecting women to cover their upper part of the body with modest dress. With the strong support of the missionaries, the people of the lower caste began to oppose this practice. The struggle was sometimes supported by the British colonial authorities, but as a trading company they were not always willing to help. It was thought that this would adversely affect their business. From 1822, well-dressed lower caste women were harassed. Thus, after continuous turmoil, the government, with reluctance, permit the women of all castes to wear any sort of dress. This was the first historical liberation struggle initiated by low-caste women with the support of their men and Christian missionaries.

caste, Revolt, Upper cloth, Movement

"A Study on the Factors that led to the Emergence of the Breast-Cloth Disturbance in Kerala, the First Liberation Struggle initiated by Women in the World", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 5, page no.d15-d21, May-2023, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2305307.pdf

"A Study on the Factors that led to the Emergence of the Breast-Cloth Disturbance in Kerala, the First Liberation Struggle initiated by Women in the World", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 5, page no. ppd15-d21, May-2023, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2305307.pdf