RAS question
The Temple Entry Proclamation (1936) was issued by the ruler of:
Correct answer: (B) Travancore.
The Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936 was issued by Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the Maharaja of Travancore.
Explanation
Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the Maharaja of Travancore, issued the Temple Entry Proclamation on 12 November 1936. The point of the proclamation was not a minor administrative change: it opened temples to all Hindus regardless of caste, directly challenging the exclusion tied to untouchability and unapproachability. Kerala Raj Bhavan describes the proclamation as a revolutionary and courageous reform and links it to the people's desire for freedom of worship. The older Vaikom Satyagraha of 1924-25 had already placed temple-access restrictions at the centre of public protest, and Gandhi later hailed the 1936 proclamation as a miracle of modern times. Therefore, among the princely states listed, the ruler was from Travancore.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Baroda is wrong because the 1936 Temple Entry Proclamation is specifically tied to Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma of Travancore, not to a Baroda ruler.
- (C) Mysore is wrong because the 1936 proclamation concerned Travancore's temples and was issued by the Maharaja of Travancore.
- (D) Cochin is wrong because Sree Chithira Thirunal was the last Maharaja of Travancore and issued the Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936.
Concept
This tests social reform in princely states during modern Indian history, especially caste reform and temple-entry movements. RAS returns to such examples because they connect reform politics, princely-state governance and anti-untouchability campaigns.