Tamil Nadu Timeline

ReligionMGR era

Meenakshipuram mass conversion

· Meenakshipuram

Several hundred Dalits in Meenakshipuram village in Tirunelveli district converted from Hinduism to Islam, citing caste discrimination.

On 19 February 1981 about 180 Dalit families of Meenakshipuram village, in present-day Tenkasi district, converted to Islam at a public ceremony. The converts cited caste discrimination and social humiliation as their reasons. The event drew national attention and triggered debate in Parliament and the press about caste oppression and religious conversion. Hindu organisations responded with campaigns, and some of the converts later returned to Hinduism.

Related events

  1. 1882

    1. Aug 1882SalemConflict

      Salem riots of 1882

      Hindu-Muslim riots broke out in Salem over a procession route past a new mosque; the trials that followed made C. Vijayaraghavachariar famous.

  2. 1898

    1. 1898ChennaiReligion

      Iyothee Thass founds the Sakya Buddhist Society

      After embracing Buddhism in Ceylon, Iyothee Thass founded the Sakya Buddhist Society in Madras, launching a Tamil Buddhist revival among Dalits.

  3. 1980

    1. 1980ChennaiReligion

      Hindu Munnani founded in Tamil Nadu

      The Hindu Munnani, a Hindutva organisation set up with RSS backing, was founded in Tamil Nadu by Ramagopalan.

  4. 1982

    1. 1 Mar 1982MandaikaduConflict

      Mandaikadu Hindu-Christian clashes

      Tensions between Hindus and Christians in Kanyakumari district escalated during the Mandaikadu temple festival, leading to police firing and deaths.

  5. 1989

    1. 1989 to May 2008UthapuramSocial Reform

      Uthapuram caste violence and the 'untouchability wall'

      After caste violence in Uthapuram near Madurai in 1989, caste Hindus built a wall separating the Dalit area of the village.

  6. 1997

    1. 29 Nov 1997 to 1 Dec 1997CoimbatoreConflict

      Coimbatore communal riots

      The killing of a traffic constable in Coimbatore was followed by communal riots in which 18 Muslims and 2 Hindus were killed.

Open in the timeline explorer