Role of kandukuri veerasalingam against caste system
Answers
As a result a uniform system of administration and western thought of the English education
system in India introduced by the British, created a new class of intelligentsia. This new school of intelligentsia
appeared first in Bengal with Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who started the ‘Brahmo Samaj’ for purification of the
sordid Hindu society. Kandukuri Veeresalingam was another reformist from Andhra. Veeresalingam who first
brought the Renaissance in Andhra, and considered as prophet of Modern Andhra. In spite of his poverty, he
finished Matriculation in 1869 and worked as a teacher in Korangi Town. Veeresalingam Pantulu fought
against untruth, and championed the cause of progress with vigor. He fought for education for women, and
remarriage of widows. Veeresalingam Pantulu strongly believed that the existence of castes in the Hindu society
degraded the social infrastructure and he launched the anti-caste movement. Veeresalingam Pantulu Fought for
education for women. He wrote ‘Rajasekhara Chari tam’ was the first Telugu novel. He established an
organization called ‘Hitakarini Samajam’ to improve the society.
KEYWORDS: Brahmo Samaj, Nautch System, Prophet, Remarriage for Widows, Renaissance, Western
thought of the English education,
I. INRODUCTION
In pre-British India the entire life of an individual was organized within the concept of caste and
tradition. The British introduced a uniform system of administration and western thought of the English
education system in India. As a result of these created a new class of intelligentsia who imbibed the liberal
teaching and the spirit of the western philosophers. This new school of intelligentsia appeared first in Bengal
with Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who started the ‘Brahmo Samaj’ for purification of the sordid Hindu society.
Kandukuri Veeresalingam was another reformist from Andhra, who gave great moral courage and showed the
way to the Andhra society.Kandukuri Veeresalingam was a social reformer of Andhra. He is the man who first
brought the Renaissance in Andhra, and considered as prophet of Modern Andhra. Veeresalingam Pantulu
awakened Andhra out of their suffocating medieval orthodox customs and superstitions. Pantulu was born in a
poor Brahmin family on 16th April 1848 at Rajahmundry. His father was Subbarayudu and mother was
Purnamma. He lost his father at the age of four. In spite of poverty, his mother sent him to the Government
School. He finished Matriculation in 1869 and worked as a teacher in Korangi Town. At age of 14 years
Veeresalingam got married with Rajyalakshmi (Bapamma).
Veeresalingam Pantulu was deeply influenced by the ideals and activities of ‘Brahma Samaj’ and
particularly those of Atmuri Lakshmi Narasimham. He was moved by the filthy social customs like child
marriage, caste-system, prostitution, and the plight of young widows who were denied remarriage by the
society. He advocated through his writings, speeches, and spread education among the illiteracy especially to the
women. Veeresalingam Pantulu fought against untruth, and championed the cause of progress with vigor. He
fought for education for women, and remarriage of widows. On 3rd August1879 he created a sensation
throughout Andhra, when he addressed his first lecture on widow’s re-marriage. Even our old Dharma sutras
also not prohibited widow’s re-marriage once he quoted. In spite of strong opposition from orthodoxy people,
he arranged the first widow remarriage between widower Gogulapati Sreeramulu, and Widow Gowramma in
Andhra on December 11, 1881, Pyda Ramakrishnaiah who supported financially to the marriage. The orthodox
people who encouraged the rowdies to attack Pantulu, but he was saved by his students. And more than 30
families were ex-communicated by the orthodox, who took part in the celebration. Because of these reformist
activities Veeresalingam Pantulu became famous even abroad. Veeresalingam started a building for widows, for
those who were not re-married and neglected by the parents. The news of Pantulu activities spread to the
different parts of the country, and he was highly appreciated by the great social reformers like M.G.Ranade,
Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar and D.K.Karve. Pantulu fame spread abroad. The Government, in appreciation of his
work, conferred on him the title of "Rao Bahadur" in 1893. And Veeresalingam was acclaimed as ‘Iswar
Chandra Vidyasagar of south’ by the famous reformer M.G.Ranade at meeting in 1898.
Explanation: