She Cuts Off Her Breasts In Protest Of Kerala’s Humiliating ‘Breast Tax’

 

History books are overflowing with the instances of savagery against the lower caste in India. And women from these castes suffered more of marginalization. We still have to go a long way to separate ourselves from these evils though we already came long way.

But till then we can celebrate the countless women who have fought for the greater good of the society. On a day, when women are getting celebrated internationally, one name came out of suppressed voices unfailingly. She is Nangeli, a lower-caste woman from the coastal town of Cherthala in Kerala.

Nangeli, who fought against the inhuman and degrading imposition of mulakkaram or breast tax is a household name in Cherthala. Even though she paid with her life for her rebellion, her sacrifice didn’t go in vain.

Breast tax was a tax levied on women of the lower castes if they wished to cover their breasts in public. The amount paid depended on the size of the woman’s breasts - larger the breasts, more the tax.

For a country, where every women’s issue revolves around how a woman dresses, imagine the humiliation of all those women had to go through this.

As reported by Times of India, Nangeli, in her thirties, decided to not pay this humiliating tax anymore. Kannur-based artist T Murali says “One day, when the official tax collector (or theparvathiyar) repeatedly came to Nangeli’s house to ensure she paid up her pending breast tax, she calmly asked him to wait for a while. Nangeli then placed a green plantain leaf on the floor, prayed, lit the holy lamp and then proceeded to chop off both her breasts”.

Nangeli’s sacrifice eventually led to the abolishment of the tax.

Her great grandniece said to TOI, “Our elders used to tell us how beautiful she (Nangeli) was, and how the tragic incident took place. It will be nice if she is remembered by all.”

You can read about Nangeli and the breast tax on this Facebook post by Individuality: