Thursday, June 25, 2009

periyar

Periyar Erode Venkata Ramasamy (Tamil: பெரியார், Kannada: ಪೆರಿಯಾರ್) (September 17, 1879 – December 24, 1973), also known as Ramaswami, EVR, Thanthai Periyar, or Periyar, was a Dravidian social activist, who founded the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam.

Periyar was born in the Town of Erode, Tamil Nadu to a wealthy Nayakar family. At a young age, he witnessed numerous incidents of racial, caste and gender discrimination. Periyar married when he was 19, and had a daughter who lived for only 5 months. His first wife, Nagammai, died in 1933. Periyar married for a second time in July 1948. His second wife, Maniammai (also called Maniammai Ammaiyar), continued Periyar's social work after his death in 1973, but still his thoughts and ideas were being spread by Dravidar Kazhagam.

Periyar joined the Indian National Congress in 1919, but resigned in 1925 when he felt that the party was only serving the interests of the Brahmins. In 1924, Periyar led a non-violent agitation (satyagraha) in Vaikom, Kerala. From 1929 to 1932 toured Malaysia, Europe, and Russia, which had an influence on him. In 1939, Periyar became the head of the Justice Party,[1and in 1944, he changed its name to Dravidar Kazhagam. The party later split and one group led by C. N. Annadurai formed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 1949. While continuing the Self-Respect Movement, he advocated for an independent Dravida Nadu (Dravidistan).

Periyar propagated the principles of rationalism, self-respect, women’s rights and eradication of caste. He opposed the exploitation and marginalization of the non-Brahmin indigenous Dravidian peoples of South India and the imposition of, what he considered, Indo-Aryan India. His work has greatly revolutionized Tamil society and has significantly removed caste-based discrimination. He is also responsible for bringing new changes to the Tamil alphabet. However, at the same time, Periyar is also held responsible for making controversial statements on the Tamil language, Dalits and Brahmins and for endorsing violence against Brahmins. The citation awarded by the UNESCO described Periyar as "the prophet of the new age, the Socrates of South East Asia, father of social reform movement and arch enemy of ignorance, superstitions, meaningless customs and base manners".

3 comments:

  1. நம் இனத்திற்கு தன்மானம் சொல்லிகொடுத்த நம் பாட்டனார் ஈ.வெ.ராமசாமி ஐயா அவர்களை அழகு ஓவியமாக பார்க்க மிகவும் சிறப்பாக
    உள்ளது.
    அவரின் முகம் வெள்ளைத் தாடிவைத்த இளைஞனின் உறுதியை பிரதிபலிப்பதாய் உள்ளது.

    வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

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  2. நம்மைப் போன்ற இளைஞர்கள் தந்தையின் தமிழினத் தொண்டுகளை மறவாமல் நினைவில் வைத்து அவர் வழி செயலாற்ற வேண்டும்.

    சித்திரபுத்திரனின் (தந்தை தனக்கு வைத்துக் கொண்ட புனைப்பெயர்) சித்திரம் அருமை.

    நன்றி

    ReplyDelete