Kallumala Samaram (Stone Neclace Protest)

Kallumala Samaram (Stone Neclace Protest)

Kallumala Samaram (Stone Neclace Protest) is a social movement or agitation led by the women of lower caste communities in Perinad region of Kerala. It is also known as Perinad Lahala or Perinad Mutiny and has a significant position in the history of Kerala.

The agitation was the direct response to the age long tradition of denying lower caste women to wear gold or any precious metal ornament alongwith other social dictums. They women were allowed only to wear ornaments made of stone and broken glasses.

Under the leadership of Ayyankali, a group of women gathered in Perinad and showed the anger by throwing their stone ornaments. These stone ornaments (Kallumala) were seen as the symbol of slavery and inferiority. Several members of upper caste community tried to suppress this movement, but their act made the movement stronger.

Again, thousands of women gathered in Perinad in December 1915 and proclaimed their use of gold ornaments.