Caste, Social Exclusion and Human Rights: A Historical Study of the Nayadis of Kerala

This paper examines the historical experience of the Nayadis of Kerala through the interconnected themes of caste discrimination, social exclusion, and human rights. Traditionally placed at the lowest margins of Kerala’s caste hierarchy, the Nayadis experienced severe restrictions on social interaction, mobility, settlement, occupation, and access to public spaces. The study traces these forms of exclusion within the broader structure of caste society and examines the changes brought by colonial interventions, social reform movements, and post-independence constitutional measures. It argues that the history of the Nayadis reveals the deep-rooted nature of caste-based inequality and the gradual transformation of social relations towards equality, dignity, and human rights. The study seeks to foreground the experiences of the Nayadis in understanding the history of marginalisation and social change in Kerala.

Nayadis, Caste Discrimination, Social Exclusion, Human Rights, Untouchability

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