அலைகளின் காலம் புதினத்தில் தோள்சீலைப் போராட்டம்

“The Upper-Cloth Revolt in the Novel Alaigalin Kaalam”

Abstract

During the 18th and 19th centuries in Nanjil Nadu (South Travancore), women from lower-caste communities were denied the right to wear upper garments, a caste-based restriction that deeply undermined their dignity and freedom. The arrival of Christian missionaries offered critical support, giving these women the confidence to challenge social norms and publicly wear upper garments like the kuppayam. As Christian converts adopted this practice, it inspired women from other Hindu communities to demand the same right. However, upper-caste groups fiercely resisted this shift through public humiliation, harassment, and violent assaults. This conflict escalated into the historic Thol Seelai Struggle (Upper Cloth Agitation), marking a pivotal movement in South Travancore's history for caste equality, women's rights, and social reform.