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!!
