பனனலனன மறபககம பதனததல தரவதஙகரன தணடமச சமதய மடபல கறஸதவ மஷனரயனரன பஙக / Role of Christian Missionaries in the Redemption of the Untouchable Communities of Travancore in Ponneelan's Novel Marupakkam

Ponneelan’s novel“Marupakkam” and “Pitchipoo” shows the deep-rooted social inequalities in the state of Travancore during the colonial period. Tamil-speaking communities are suppressed by the elite of the Travancore regime. This study explores how European Christian missionary activities empower the lower-caste to liberate themselves. Ponneelan is a famous Tamil writer whose works often highlight the role of Christian missionaries in challenging Travancore’s oppressive caste structure. The lower-caste who was once bound by the oppressive traditions gained access to education, employment and social dignity with the help of missionaries. His novels document how impoverished women secured livelihoods in domestic work. This study employs a socio-historical approach to cross-examine the missionary endeavours that fostered social justice in Travancore. The study takes evidence from “Marupakkam” to demonstrate how religious conversion became a medium for subaltern resistance against caste oppression. By showing the experiences of Tamil-speaking communities, the novel reveals the complex interaction between language, power, and social change in colonial South India. The discourses on colonialism, religious conversion and social reforms portrayed in the novel show everyone how the missionary activities created alternative pathways for marginalised groups. The novels “Marupakkam” and “Pitchipoo” serves as a literary testament where humanitarian missions alleviated inequities despite their imperialist framework. Hence, the study reflects the implications of these historical shifts for contemporary understandings of caste, language, and social justice in Pre-Independent Kerala among the Tamils.