Showing posts with label thanthai periyar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thanthai periyar. Show all posts
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Periyar Erode Venkata Ramasamy
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 .
Periyar was born as Erode Venkata Ramasami Naicker on September 17, 1879, in Erode, Tamil Nadu. The name Naicker denoted the caste he was born into. Periyar's father, a rich businessman, was Venkata (Naicker), and his mother was Chinna Thayammal, alias Muthammal. He had one elder brother named Krishnaswamy and two sisters named Kannamma and Ponnuthoy. He later came to be known as "Periyar" meaning 'respected one' or 'elder' in Tamil.
In 1929, Periyar announced the deletion of his caste title Naicker from his name at the First Provincial Self-Respect Conference of Chenggalpattu. He could speak three Dravidian languages: Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. His mother tongue was Kannada. Periyar attended school for five years after which he joined his father's trade at the age of 12. He used to listen to Tamil Vaishnavite gurus who gave discourses in his house enjoying his father's hospitality. At a young age, he began questioning the apparent contradictions in the Hindu mythological stories which he opined to be lies spread by the Indo-Aryan race. As Periyar grew, he felt that people used religion only as a mask to deceive innocent people and therefore took it as one of his duties in life to warn people against superstitions and priests.
Periyar's father arranged for his wedding when he was nineteen. The bride, Nagammai was only thirteen. It was not, altogether, an arranged marriage because Periyar and Nagammai had known each other and were already in love with each other. Nagammai actively supported her husband in his later public activities and agitations. Two years after their marriage, a girl child was born to them. However, this child lived only for five months. The couple had no more children
Thursday, March 11, 2010
thanthai periyar, water color art
I am a plain person. I have merely spoken out my mind. 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 enquiry. Reject the rest.
Do not for any reason bestow upon me any traits that are beyond human characteristics. If I were to be considered divine, people will not inquire into my words.
I will not subject you to a restraint, in the manner of scriptures and ancient works, by stating that you should trust what I say, that my words are Apocalyptic; and that if you do not believe me, you will become atheists and go to Hell. If what I say is not agreeable to your instinct, knowledge, experience and inquiry, reject it.
Every one has the right to refute any opinion. But no one has the right to prevent its expression.
I express, plainly and openly, thoughts which occur to me, and which strike me as right. This may embrrass a few; to some this may be distastefule; and a few others may even be irritated; however, all that I utter are porven turths and not lies.Not that all the people of the world should act according to my wish, but that come what may, surely in politics and in public life, human justice alone not justice as prescribed by any epoch or religion. Should be imposed; such is my desire.
Decide for Yourselves
Decide for yourselves as to what you should thing of those who say there is God, that He is a the Preserver of Justice an that He is the Protector of All, even after seeing that the practice of Untouchablity in the form of man being banned from human sight and contac, from walkinh into the streets, from entering the temples and drawing water from a tank, is rampant in the land and yet that land is spared from being razed by an earthquake, burnt by the fiery lava of a volcano, engulfed in a deluge from the ocean, submerged in the chasm of the earth, or fragemented by thunder-storm.
Self-Respect
We are fit to think of `Self-Respect’ only when the notion of superior ans inferior caste is banished from our land.
He who does not care for dignity, is no better than to a prostitute, however highly educated he is. His edcation will only endanger those that care for dignity.
Co-operation
The aim of co-operation is to serve and help others.
Who do spend wastefully, without thought. If we carry on our life through co-operative means, only one eighth of our present expenditure will be incurre. What remains can be helpful to seven more persons. If the conditions of our nation are not changed, it is certain that our life will soon come to ruin.
Socialism & Communism
What should be done, If everyone is to have enough food?
If none consumes more than what is needed, then, there will be enough food for all
Though my aim is to demad economic equality, I belive that coveting other people’s properties is an act that is worse than economic inequality.Therefore, It is the Government that should divide equitably by Law.
Women’s Rights
Man treats woman as his own property and not as being capable of feelings, like himself.The way man treats women is much worse than the way landlords treat servants and the high-caste treat the low-caste. These treat them so demeaningly only in situations mutally affecting them; but men treat cruelly and as slaves, from their birth till death.
Public Service
The number of thosewho do selfless public service and those who serve without expecting any return, should increase. Their sterling qualities should show the way to the people at large. Their life would be a model to show how man should conduct himself in public life.
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