JOIN USKerala was not built in a day
With the spread of COVID-19, the fault lines in world politics, economy and especially in the health care sector lie starkly exposed. One place that stands out in this crisis is the state of Kerala, extolled in travel brochures as ‘God’s Own Country’. The world has taken notice and is lavish in its praise of the state, its people and leadership. Whilst many so-called ‘developed countries’ are still struggling to contain the fear and chaos unleashed by the virus, this small state of about 3.5 crore (less than three per cent of India’s population) has managed to do an exemplary job.
How did Kerala manage to contain the pandemic? The short answer is that it has been a long haul. It is the result of steady consistent hard work spread over more than a century. A short review of this journey would be relevant to understanding how Kerala has succeeded where others are still struggling.
Reformation and renaissance
Swami Vivekananda toured Kerala in the 1900s and called it a ‘lunatic asylum’. It was the caste system and the prevailing socio-economic structure that made him make the comment. But to the credit of Malayalis, they took that comment on their chin and worked diligently on many aspects of society and made considerable progress.
This journey of nearly a century is an amalgamation of both reformation and renaissance. It led to considerable societal transformation which has helped Kerala face the virus head on and come out on top. The enlightened erstwhile rulers of Travancore, the missionaries and the Communists have all played critical roles in making this transformation possible. Remarkable visionary legislations related to social reforms, education, land reforms and healthcare have made all the difference.
The model of assimilation and equality
Adi Shankara, the celebrated saint who proposed the Advaita Vedanta (non - duality) came from the land of Kerala around 800 BC. From here the philosophy travelled across the globe. The Kerala coast (also called the Malabar coast) had a long maritime history. The monsoon wind pattern made the travel from West to East rather easy bringing in traders from the Roman Empire to the Kerala coast for its spices. Kerala is believed to be the place where St.Thomas, the doubting disciple of Jesus, landed in 52 AD. So, some form Christianity was established in Kerala from the first millennia itself. When the Jews faced persecution in their lands, they were welcomed and in fact Cochin has the oldest active Jewish synagogue in the Commonwealth countries. It was built in 1568 on a piece of land donated by the rulers next to a Hindu temple. The Cheraman Juma Mosque in Kerala is said to be the oldest mosque in India and built in 629 AD. Thus, it’s clear that local people and rulers welcomed outsiders which brought prosperity and more importantly, new ideas and thoughts.
Social reformers like Sree Narayana Guru, led the social transformation of Kerala. Although the Advaita philosophy was in currency for a longtime, a practical manifestation of it had to wait till the 1900s when Narayana Guru installed a mirror in a temple, in place of the deity. The idea was to see oneself, in line with the Upanishadic teachings of Tat Tvam Asi (Thou art that) and Aham Brahmasmi (I am Divine). His fundamental teaching – ‘One Caste, One Religion, and One God’ – was a path breaking approach to change the society to a more egalitarian one.
All this contributed to the 1936 legislation by the Travancore kings which declared the free entry of Dalits into temples.
Education and reforms led the way
The printing press was established in Kerala in 1821. With this early start, it is no wonder that Kottayam went on to become the first town in India to become fully literate in the year 1989. When Sanskrit was the language of the privileged and education was restricted to select few, Father Kuriakose Chavara established a Sanskrit school for the locals and admitted girls and even children from the so called ‘untouchable’ members of the society, challenging the prevailing social norms.
In 1864, Bishop Bernadine Baccinelly is said to have issued a circular which mandated that each parish or church should establish educational institutions, which went a long way in ensuring that education within the vicinity was available for each person.
The midday meal is such an important policy tool in the hands of governments today to drive primary education. It is said that Fr. Chavara started midday meals in the schools way back in the 1850s to get more children enrolled. Maharani Gauri Parvati Bayi sanctioned the establishment of a full-fledged college at Kottayam and supported it with land and handsome donation which became functional in 1815. Maharaja Swathi Tirunal Rama Varma opened the first public free school at Trivandrum in 1834. With such a long history of royal support and dedication, it was little wonder that in 1991, Kerala was declared 100 per cent literate, the first state to achieve the feat in India. Many other personalities also played significant roles over the years in the field of education. Even with such efforts and focus it took Kerala over a century to be fully literate.
After Independence of India, the feudal agrarian system continued in many parts of India and Kerala was not an exception. The first general election after the state formation in 1957 threw up a Communist-led government. The social reforms, widespread education and higher literacy levels all played a part in spreading communist ideology in the society. It is believed that the EMS Namboothiripad-led government of 1957 was one of the first democratically elected communist governments in the world. That government sowed the initial seeds of land reforms. These efforts finally culminated in the historic land reforms act of 1969 under another communist-led government. The slogan ‘land for the tillers’ was a shock treatment for the society. But with the benefit of hindsight, it can be said that it was justified and has paid rich dividends for the overall development of the state.
Health is wealth
In the age of COVID-19, the focus is squarely on the health sector. In 1865, a vaccination department was established in Kerala under the leadership of Diwan Raja T Madhav Rao. A full-fledged general hospital with inpatients became functional in 1886. Ten years later an exclusive hospital for women and children was established.
Collaborative effort between the rulers and missionaries led to the arrival of eight qualified nurses from Switzerland to Kerala in 1906 who were assigned to hospitals in Trivandrum, Quilon etc. This helped the local population to get exposure to modern medical practices. Nurses from Kerala are recognized for their work across the world. The first nursing colleges were established in 1920 at Quilon and Kottiyam. These saplings which were planted about 100 years back are bearing fruits now. There are close to 40 medical colleges spread across Kerala. While the WHO norm is to have a doctor for 1000 people, Kerala is ahead with one doctor for about 500 people. The state boasts of one of the lowest child mortality rates comparable with any developed world. The life expectancy is the highest in the country at 75 years. Thus, the medical infrastructure and capacity has been built over a long period of time with focus and dedication.
These days the ‘Kerala model’ is touted as the way to address and manage the health crisis. It is an easy proposition to make. But not many are aware of the amount of work, consistent planning and societal transformation which has gone into building the ‘Kerala model’.
So, is Kerala a perfect state? No way, in fact far from it. If Kerala is miles ahead, it also has miles to go before it can put its leg up and take a break. But nobody should imagine that Kerala, ‘God’s Own Country’, was built in a day.
(The author is a Bengaluru-based professional in the automobile industry with varied interest in history, economics and political science)
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.