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!!

Remembering Periyar E.V.Ramasamy on his birth anniversary

"Periyar" E.V. Ramasamy, a social reformer from Tamil Nadu is known for his unyielding propaganda against caste inequalities and gender based discrimination. Though some of his speeches and writings are misinterpreted today for misleading the masses and his principles are convieninetly misquoted "anti-hindu" as against "anti-casteist", he still remains as the icon of social justice in Tamil Nadu. Confining Periyar as an atheist has been an ongoing conscious attempt at diluting his ideology which encompasses annihilation of caste, gender equality, women empowerment, questioning of superstitious beliefs, rationalism and self-respect. Periyar, being an extremist, questioned the fallacy of age-old beliefs and enlightened the masses to be rational and believed that reason is the guiding light.

Periyar's voice against untouchability and caste discrimination reverberates till date. His simplistic writings on the injustice of caste-based system that garners attention of any common man makes it difficult for casteists to convert him into a harmless icon, the only other option is to tarnish his image which is what is happening now.

Periyar’s book “Why were women enslaved?” is an insightful perspective into the unfair and unequal treatment women receive in our society. Periyar lists down the aspects and ideologies that curtail the freedom of women and in turn lead to a woman’s life always being dependent on the male counterpart.

The fallacious inveterate beliefs that confine women are dealt with uncompromisingly forthright counter arguments, no matter which religion or ideology preaches them. The book gives a fitting end by stating the enslavement of women can end only when unnecessary pride in the masculinity of the opposite gender withers away or gets abolished.

There are some extreme views put forth in this book, which are debatable, but one cannot ignore  or brush aside the facts emphasized here. Periyar's ideology on women empowerment needs to be spread to the masses. 

Remember that these thoughts were put together in words 100 years back during a time when they would have been received with the most savage malice.

"I do not say you should believe what I have said because it alone is certain. Accept such ideas as can be accepted, with the help of your reason, after a sound inquiry. Reject the rest" - Periyar

Let us read him, understand him and subject his thoughts to inquiry. We can criticise him on the ones which we deem unacceptable and accept only those which feel right in the light of reason!

அஜயன் பாலாவின் "நாயகன் பெரியார்"

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பெரியாரின் வாழ்க்கையில் நடந்த முக்கிய நிகழ்வுகளைத் திரட்டி ஒரு சிறு வாழ்க்கை வரலாறாக இந்நூலைத் தொகுத்திருக்கிறார். பெரியாரின் பொது வாழ்க்கையோடு நில்லாமல் அவரது சொந்த வாழ்க்கையையும், அதில் அவர் சந்தித்த இழப்புகளையும், உளவியல் ரீதியான அழுத்தங்களையும், அதிலிருந்து எவ்வாறு மீண்டு வந்தார் என்பதையும் விளக்குகிறது இந்நூல்.

பெரியார் அவர்கள் காந்தியக் கொள்கைகள் மீது கொண்ட ஈர்ப்பால் காங்கிரஸில் இணைந்தாலும், பின்னாளில் நாட்டு விடுதலையை விட சமூக விடுதலையே பிரதானமென காங்கிரஸில் இருந்து விலகி சுயமரியாதை இயக்கம் துவங்கியதின் காரணத்தையும் விரிவாக எடுத்துரைக்கிறார் எழுத்தாளர். அதில் பெரியாரின் கொள்கைப் பிடிப்பு தெளிவாய் தெரிந்தது.

பெரியார் முன்னெடுத்த போராட்டங்களில் அவரது மனைவி நாகம்மையார், சகோதரி கண்ணம்மா ஆகியோரின் பங்களிப்பே பெரியார் பெண் சுதந்திரத்தை கொள்கைப் பரப்புரைகளோடு நிறுத்தாமல், அதை சொந்த வாழ்விலும் கடைப்பிடிப்பவர் என்பதற்கு சான்று. இவ்விரு பெண்களின் போராட்ட குணமும் இந்நூலில் இடம்பெறுகிறது.

தேர்தல் அரசியலில் இருந்து விலகி, சாதிய ஒழிப்பு, பெண் விடுதலை, பகுத்தறிவு கருத்துக்களை மக்களிடம் கொண்டு சேர்த்து இச்சமூகத்தை சுயமரியாதை மிக்கச் சமூகமாய் மாற்றிய தலைவனுக்கு இந்நூல் ஒரு "tribute".