Indamthuruthi Mana to recall memories of Gandhiji’s visit

Kottayam: The Indamthuruthi Mana at Vaikom, which holds a significant place in the historic Vaikom Satyagraha, will witness the centenary celebration of the 100th anniversary of the visit of Mahatma Gandhi on March 10.
If the mana belonged to a section of Hindu upper caste that opposed the Vaikom Satyagraha, now it is the headquarters of the chethu thozhilali (toddy tappers) union of AITUC (trade union wing of CPI). The communist party bought the mana in 1964. The party maintained the basic structure of the building while renovating it.
It was in this mana that Gandhiji held talks with the upper caste group led by Devan Neelakantan Nambiathiri of the Indamthuruthi Mana on March 10, 1925. Gandhiji reached there after Nambiathiri expressed a wish to meet him. Though Gandhiji agreed to meet him, he could not enter the mana since he was a non-Brahmin. A verandah was constructed at the main door of the mana where Gandhiji was seated while Nambiathiri was seated inside the mana, from where both held talks. The discussion went on for over three hours. Though Gandhiji put forward a few suggestions, Nambiathiri did not agree to those, and the talks did not produce any results. The verandah is still there.
In the book written by N K Kamalasanan ‘Viplavathinte Chuvanna Mannu', which details the history of the agitaions of todday tappers in Vaikom taluk, it is said that the communist party leader C K Vishwanathan came to know about the wish of the then legal heir of the mana to sell it off. Vishwanathan wanted to buy it for the trade union and he discussed with the party members and spoke to Nambiathiri and fixed a deal to buy the property. Vishwanathan raised money by borrowing from some rich businessmen in Vaikom. The mana and the two-acre property near Vaikom temple thus became the head office of the union.
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam will inaugurate the centenary celebration at the mana at 10.30am on March 10. CPI district secretary V B Binu will preside. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala will deliver the keynote address.