The Agrestic slaves belonged to the lowest castes in the Hindu hierarchy. They were not only
untouchables, but were unapproachable too. Disabilities of untouchability become severe as they are also
physically and socially segregated from the rest of the Hindu society through the institution of caste. These
discriminated communities are then officially designated as Scheduled Caste. Scheduled Castes were subjected
to ‘Agrestic Slaves’ and they were landless peasants; they have been producing the goods and services for their
master. They were always on the marginalized sections of the Kerala society, inequality was the main sources of
this marginality which led to insecurity, injustice and exploitation. Census report of Cochin 1901, referred to
the state of Cochin in various classes of agricultural serfs such as Kanakkan, Prayian ,Vettuvan and Pulayan or
Cheruman. The Pulayans or Cherumans are the most important not only in numerical strength but also as
representing the type of the class, they form about 75% of the Agrestic serfs, they are still field laboures
properly so called, being engaged in digging, ploughing or irrigating the fields, watching the crops or tending
the cattle. They are constituted an important category of the dalit community in Cochin.