Periyar 146 - 2024 Birth Anniversary

Any form of injustice - Be it caste based oppression, unjust political dominance, religious fanaticism, linguistic imperialism, gender inequality, economic disparities, irrational beliefs - history will resonate with one name as the opposing force.

The name is “Periyar” 

The uncompromising nonconformist whose ideologies shattered the unjust practices that plagued the society in the name of purity.

சாதிய ஒடுக்குமுறை, அரசியல் ஆதிக்கம், மதவெறி, மொழி திணிப்பு, பாலின சமத்துவமின்மை, பொருளாதார ஏற்றத்தாழ்வு, மூடநம்பிக்கைகள் - எந்தவித அநீதி நடப்பினும், வரலாறு ஒரு பெயரை அதை எதிர்க்கும் விசையாய் உச்சரிக்கும்.

"பெரியார்"

புனிதம் எனும் பிம்பத்தின் பின்னால் கட்டமைக்கப்பட்ட அனைத்து அநியாயங்களையும் அடித்து நொருக்கிய சமரசமில்லா சண்டைக்காரன்.

HBD Periyar !!!

“Periyar - A Study in Political Atheism” by Karthick Ram Manoharan

This book is a study of the work and ideas of Periyar E.V.Ramasamy, the renowned social reformer of Tamilnadu. This is not a biographical text on the life of Periyar, but is an extensive study that analyses his revolutionary criticism of religion and presents the idea of “political atheism”. The book is split into thematic sections which provide insightful perspective on the impact of Periyar’s ideologies in the political spectrum in Tamilnadu. 

The book points out Periyar’s fallout with congress after demanding proportional representation of non-brahmins in the party. His demand and he voicing out against caste inequalities were viewed “too radical” by the leaders. This conflict and Periyar’s realisation of social elitism that existed in congress led to the emergence of Self Respect Movement. 

When Indian leaders took an approach of Indian / Hindu nationalism to tackle the colonial structure and demand freedom from British, the “Dravidians” who were considered native to this land resorted to tackle the brahminical hegemony with the Aryan - Dravidian differentiation. Though there were forerunners to Periyar on this front like Iyothidasar, Karthik Ram Manoharan explains how the medium and message put across by Periyar with its simplicity gained him the popularity that he enjoys even today. 

This book also discusses in detail how Periyar drew inspiration from socialism that was gaining prominence during his times and at the same time points out his skepticism on the role of communism in India. This criticism from Periyar on communists in India was largely owing to their priority over class antagonisms over caste antagonisms and again the brahminical dominance in the communist party at that time. Periyar’s arguments also included that communism in India would be yet another tool in the hands of priestly class to cement their dominance. Periyar was also against the concept of state. However, as per my reading of Lenin’s “The State and Revolution”, it argues how complete communism can be achieved only in stages with gradual withering away of the state and how the stage of complete communism will be devoid of any form of antagonism not only the class antagonism, so this view is debatable.

The research of Karthik Ram Manoharan provides an interesting insight on how Periyar’s retelling of Ramayana was a significant strategy towards resisting and demystifying Aryan dominance. Periyar’s projection of Ravana as anti-caste hero was a strategy to counterpose the image of the Aryan icon Rama who upheld the  “Varna” system. Karthik draws parallel of this approach of Periyar with anarchists like Balkunin. 

The book also points out the inconsistencies in Periyar’s writings over a period of time which is currently levelled against Periyar in television debates. However, this book also stands to clarify these inconsistencies as individual statements that were reactionary and his true standpoint needs to be viewed from the coherence derived from the arguments that find a repetition in his thoughts and writings. 

Karthick Ram Manoharan

In the final chapter, the book brings out how Periyar’s ideology is relevant even today. This work by Karthik Ram Manoharan is a brilliant research that puts forth detailed analysis on how Periyar’s ideas to separate religion and politics changed the course of politics in Tamilnadu as an alternate to the Hindu nationalism.

What happened to Buddha will not happen to Periyar!

There are theories and historical texts that point to the conversion of Buddhist signs and symbols into brahminical signs and symbols. The mythological story that links a white elephant with the birth of Gautama Buddha in later stages was used a symbol of Buddha by Buddhist monks who led a nomadic life to propagate the Buddhist principles and they installed those statues under Bodhi trees and mountain caves. 

Buddhism that does not acknowledge the existence of supreme god or deity focuses on achieving enlightenment instead. The Dravidian people who were used to idol worship started worshipping these symbols installed by Buddhist monks. People were attracted to the Buddhist principles which employ a radical approach in pointing out that they can overcome their sorrows by changes to their lifestyle and actions, instead of branding one’s sufferings as the consequence of one’s deeds in previous births. 

There are arguments that the Buddhist symbol - elephant under the Bodhi tree or on the shores of a riverbank was later used to create Vinayakar, a Hindu god in an attempt to rob its popularity and slowly convert Buddha as a harmless icon to their own ideology.

A week back, there was a picture circulated in social media by right wing extremists which depicted Periyar as a pig carrying urine bag in its hand - a futile attempt to mock him and his ideology. As a personality who was open to criticism and who takes ridicule and mockery head on, this would have been welcomed by him had he been here. The response to the same would have been at his satirical best. 

Who knows, they might continue on this path to convert Periyar into customised versions of the boar avatar “Varaha”. But, what happened to Buddha will never happen to Periyar!

His preachings to the general public were uncompromisingly forthright and were formed on the basis of rationalism, empiricism and at the same time were in simple terms. He stood against brahminical supremacy, caste hierarchies, racial inequality, gender inequality and acknowledged economic disparities in his criticism. So, they can never rob his revolutionary theory of its substance and make it their own. He can never be converted into a harmless icon - he will stand tall as a symbol against any form of oppression.

Even if they manage to achieve it, theirs would be the first group to celebrate an atheist as a godly figure. 

Even after his death, his principles are being received with most savage malice and most furious hatred from the right wing; he continues to stand tall no matter how many stones they pelt at him. Remembering our Periyar on his death anniversary!!