INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Periyar E.Ramasamy (E.V.R.) was a ‘Crusader against social

inequality and injustice in Tamil Nadu’. His thoughts revolved around Human

Rights and he even struggled against the social ills in the society. He played the

role of "Father Figure" in Tamil Nadu for half a century and he was reverently

addressed as 'Thanthai Periyar.' He worked hard to usher in an egalitarian and

casteless society where equality of status of all the people was ensured.

E.V.Ramasami is respectfully referred to as Periyar. There is another

word, Periyaru, which is a combination of two words, Periya - Aaru, Periya =

Big, Great, Noble, Aaru = River. In the title, Periyar, the honorific suffix "aar"

is added to the stem "Periya." (There are two kinds of Rs. The R in Aaru is

'Vallinam' - a hard one and the R in 'Aar' is "mellinam", soft). E. V. Ramasami

is hailed by his followers and admirers as 'Thanthai Periyar' (Noble Father) -

Thanthai = Father, Periyar = Noble Person. The title, Periyar, was formally

conferred on E.V.Ramasami. by women when they gathered in a Conference in

Chennai in 1938, for his invaluable service in promoting their welfare.

Periyar predicted that unless social and communal justice is attained and

human rights assured to the neglected, marginalized and weaker sections of the

society, the Nation cannot enjoy the fruit of political independence. To Periyar

the Human Rights included women rights, children rights, the rights of the

depressed and oppressed people and the rights of the workers. He considered

the abolition of caste system as the way to attain social equality. Till the
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attainment of social equality, he advocated Communal Reservation to all

communities in public services in proportion to their population. In this regard,

he strongly opposed the situation of elite minority dominating the majority

people. In short, Periyar was a great Social Revolutionary, Champion of the

Underprivileged and Forerunner of the Human Rights Movement in Tamil

Nadu.

Periyar was a practical leader and his service to the nation is multi-

dimensional. He had absolute courage and a clear plan of action. His Self-

Respect Movement was the blend of social equality and equal rights to all. He

single handedly struggled against the deep-rooted social maladies in the Indian

Society. He very boldly attacked the existence of discrimination based on birth,

caste, sex etc. His attack on society was based on reason, intelligence and

scientific approach. In short, the work of a hundred or two hundred years of

reform was compressed into a period of twenty years, by Periyar .

Social Reform Idea

Even during his boyhood days, Periyar was highly moved by the idea

of social reform to remove the evils of caste system and religious obscurantism

that was widely practised in Erode, his native town in Tamil Nadu. To realize

his dream of Social Reform, Periyar wished to involve himself in politics. He

enrolled himself in the Congress Party when Gandhi launched the Non-Co-

Operation Movement in August 1920. As a Congressman, he strengthened the

Constructive Programme of Gandhi which included the goals of the

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amelioration of the subaltern communities, enforcement of Prohibition, and

promotion of Hindu-Muslim Unity. In 1922, he was elected to the All India

Congress Committee.

Periyar came to prominence when he offered Satyagraha in protest

against the rule of prohibiting the Untouchables from using certain roads

outside the Temple at Vaikom in Travancore State in 1924. He was called

'Vaikom Veerar' (Hero). As the Champion of the Untouchables, Periyar's

popularity after Vikom Satyagraha was on the increase. Thereafter, Periyar

fought against segregation practised in the nationally funded organization

called, Seranmadevi Gurukulam, near Kallidaikurichi in Tirunelveli, run by

V. V. Subramania Aiyer, a Congress Veteran.

In order to redress the grievance of the non-Brahmins in general and of

the Non-Brahmins in the Congress Party in particular, Periyar insisted on the

passing of a Resolution, relating to Communal Representation in proportion to

population strength, at the annual meeting of the Tamil Nadu Congress Party

which was held at Kanchipuram in 1925. When his intention was not realized,

Periyar severed his relations with the Congress.

Periyar launched the Self-Respect Movement and started the Tamil

Newspaper, Kudi Arasu (People's Government) in which he wrote a number of

articles against superstitious beliefs and caste prejudices. An English Daily,

entitled, Revolt was started in 1928. The First Provincial Self-Respect

Conference was held at Chengelput in February 1929. The Second Provincial

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Self-Respect Conference was held at Erode on 10th May 1930, under the

presidentship of M.R. Jayakar. The Third Provincial Self-Respect Conference

was held at Virudhunagar. The Self Respect Movement gave strength to the

weak and hope to the forlorn, for people groping in the dark, seeking identity

and respectability, against the oppressive practice of Untouchability,

segregation and denial of fundamental Human Rights.

Next to Phule of Maharastra, it was Periyar who took up the cause of

women on a much larger scale than any other Social Reformer. He discouraged

arranged marriage because it enslaved women. The better marriage he

prescribed was 'Love Marriage.' Periyar was of the opinion that if women were

educated and took up employment, they can emerge equal to men. In India,

when none gave serious thought to the importance of family planning as a

principal step for the emancipation of women, it was E.V.R. who supported the

extreme step of removing the uterus after limiting the family to one or two

children, in order to save mothers from the risk of unwanted pregnancies.

Thus, E.V.R. waged an epic struggle to get rid of social evils and establish

Human Rights in the country. His principles and ideologies on Human Rights

have survived the onslaught of time. They are eternal and undying.

Human Rights recognise the inherent dignity of the human person and it

is the foundations for all basic freedoms. Disregard and contempt for Human

Rights in the recent past have resulted in barbarous acts, shocking the

conscience of mankind. Human Rights, when protected by the Rule of Law,

ensures peace in society by preventing man from becoming an animal.

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To promote respect for Human Rights, the United Nations Organisation

has proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (U.D.H.R.), a

series of Covenants on political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights and

many international instruments. The Constitution of the Republic of India

spells out Human Rights in the Preamble, in the parts on Fundamental Rights

and the Directive Principles. With the enactment of the Human Rights

Protection Act of 1993 and the establishment of the National Human Rights

Commission, the Government of India has sent out clear signals to everyone

about its commitment to uphold and implement Human Rights.

Human Rights are rights enjoyed by all persons, simply because they are

humans.1 Every human being is entitled to certain natural rights by virtue of his

being a member of the human society. These rights are called 'Human Rights'.2

Human Rights are those minimal rights which every individual must have

against the State or other public authority by virtue of his being a member of

the human family, irrespective of any other consideration. 3 When Human

Rights are guaranteed by a written constitution, they are called Fundamental

Rights because a written constitution is the Fundamental Law of a State. 4

Human Rights are those rights which are inherent in nature and without which

human beings cannot live in dignity. Human Rights and Fundamental

1
.Alan Gewirth, Human Rights: Essays on Justification and Applications, 1980,
p.23.
2
Mangari Rajendar, The Protection of Human Riqhts Act. 1993 and Relating Laws,
Hyderabad, 1999, p.1.
3
Durga Das Basu, Human Rights in Constitutional Law, New Delhi, 1994, p.22.
4
Mangari Rajendar, op.cit., p.1.
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Freedoms allow people to develop fully their intelligence and to conceive and

satisfy spiritual and other material things.5

Human Rights is concerned not only with a mystical or spiritual search

but also with something more concrete and visible. It is concerned with the

relationship between the needs of the individual and the needs of the

community. The needs of ‘the soul' (or the individual's moral needs to put it in

an everyday sense) are expressed in the rights and obligations of society in the

social definition of order, liberty, obedience, responsibility and truth. 6

Human Rights belong to an individual as a consequence of being a

human and they refer to a wide range of values that are universal in character

and equally claimed by all human beings. Human Rights are understood to

represent individual and group demands for the shaping and sharing of respect,

tolerance and forbearance in the pursuit of other values.7

Scope of Study

A comprehensive study of the ‘Periyar Age : His Public Life and

Thoughts, Tamil Nadu (1919-1973)’ from the period of Periyar

E.V.Ramasamy’s public life in 1919 down to the end of his life in 1973 is

coterminous with the study of the socio-political history of Tamil Nadu. In

other words, his thoughts, and political and social activities run parallel to the

study of the Twentieth Century Socio- Political History of Tamil Nadu.

5
Ibid.
6
Susan Visvanathan, The Question of Human Rights, Nagpur, 1995, p.7.
7
The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 6, Chicago, 1985, p.615.
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Period of Study

The Study begins from 1919 and ends in 1973. It was in 1919 that

Periyar E.V.Ramasamy entered in the public life and became a Congressman.

His Public life till his death in 1973 marked an epoch making period in the

History of Tamil Nadu. Even after his death, the movement launched by

Periyar was cherished by his wife Maniammai. It was because of this thought

provoking speeches in public platforms and rationalist writings in his

newspapers Peiyar lives in human society even today. After the death of

Maniammai in 1978, the Movement is successfully sustained under the

leadership of K.Veeramani, the General Secretary of Dravida Kazhagam.

Periyar’s Movement served the Tamil Society in various social aspects.

Periyar’s thoughts paved the way for the abolition of social evils like devadasi

system, child marriage, untouchablity and stood for self-respect marriages,

women empowerment and liberation, upliftment of Untouchables and

reservation for Backward Classes. His thoughts and activities took the cause of

non-Brahmins in the path of socio-political progress.

Hypotheses

The Scholar attempts to test the following hypotheses, with source

materials judiciously selected for the purpose.

1. Periyar nurtured his social reform idea from his early life

2. The Non-Brahmin Movement synchronized with the Movement

of the Periyar.
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3. Periyar’s thoughts began to spread vigorously after his exit from

Congress.

4. After the Justice Party, E.V.R. successfully mobilised the non-

Brahmins though his activities and thoughts.

5. Periyar's activities were human rights oriented.

6. Periyar’s thoughts solely aimed at the liberation of the Women

and Depressed Classes.

7. Periyar’s rational thoughts had left imprints on varied human

rights like women emancipation, reform marriage, self-respect

ideals, temple entry, eradication of untouchability and social

equality.

8. Periyar’s thoughts are successfully sustained even after his

death.

9. Periyar’s thoughts are more relevant to the contemporary

society.

Chapterization

The Thesis entitled, ‘Periyar Age: His Public Life and Thoughts,

Tamil Nadu (1919-1973)’ is structured into Six Chapters, besides an

Introduction and a Conclusion. The Introduction Chapter deals with the

evolution of social reform idea in the mind of Periyar, his role in promoting

human rights, the meaning of human rights, his position among the social

Reforms, hypotheses, chapterization, sources, review of relevant literature and

methodology.
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The First Chapter, ‘Life and Career of Periyar’, deals with Peiyar's

family background, boyhood days, business activities, thoughts on religion,

married life and his early public career and as a. a true follower of cherished

ideals of Congress. Periyar’s early participation in the Congress Conferences,

his membership in Madras Presidency Association, his association with Rajaji

and P. Varadarajulu Naidu, his membership in Congress and his active

involvement in the Constructive Programme of Congress like Temperance

Campaign and Khadi activities, are pointed out. Periyar was a great social

worker ever since the days of his stint in the Congress. When Periyar was the

President of the Congress, satyagraha was held to open the roads to all at

Vaikom in Kerala. Unfortunately the Kerala Congress leaders were arrested.

Periyar was invited to preside over the Satyagraha. Periyar along with his

followers and family members had involved in the Satyagraha. They were

arrested and put in Jail two times. On account of Periyar's tireless fight to

remove untouchabilty, the prohibitory order was totally revoked in 1925. It was

followed by the Travancore Temple Entry Proclamation. He was also involved

in the ‘Seranmadevi Gurukulam Issue’ in which discriminatory practices were

observed between high caste and low caste students in the Gurukulam of

Seranmadevi in Tirunelveli district. In this regard, Periyar’s fight to end the

discriminatory practice and the role played by the Brahmin leaders in

supporting the practice are vividly depicted. Periyar's demand for communal

representation in the provincial and district Congress sessions which were held

at various district headquarters was narrated. Certain circumstances became

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responsible for Periyar’s exit from Congress and his continuous propaganda for

Social Justice. Besides, factors that influenced Periyar’s life and thoughts and

his bitter personal experiences with Brahmins, Periyar’s technique of fighting,

and his democratic ways are discussed. His involvement in Justice Party

activities, his leadership activity under Dravida Kazhagam and his services to

the Tamil society till the end of his life is narrated.

The Second Chapter on ‘Social Stratification of Periyar’s Age’, deals

with his contemporary social set up which was based upon the caste system.

The position of Brahmins, dominant castes, mercantile castes, functional

castes, warrior castes, depressed classes is also discussed.

‘Backdrop for Periyar’s Thoughts’ is the Third Chapter. It deals with

the situation and motivation that shaped Periyar’s thoughts on religion,

education, society, politics and economics. Periyar’s thoughts on the necessity

for Dravidian Movement, position of non-Brahmins before the birth of Justice

Party, services rendered by the Justice Party, the end of Justice Party’s rule and

the beginning of non-Brahmins’ agony under Rajaji and the rise of Periyar

against Brahmins’ Imperialism are also studied in this chapter.

‘Social Thoughts and Actions of Periyar’ forms the Fourth Chapter. In

this Chapter, the followers of Periyar’s attempt to enter temples at Madurai,

Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchi, Erode, Varagoor is highlighted. As the judgment was

in favour of the Caste - Hindus, Periyar and his followers, thereafter, boycotted

the Hindu temples and advocated Hindu temple reforms and atheist principles.

They strongly attacked Brahmanism which was responsible for the evil of
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social discrimination. Periyar also advocated various rights to women which

included property rights, remarriage right, right of freedom from the clutches

of men, right to marry on their own choice and so on. Periyar considered family

planning as a principal step for the emancipation of women. He even advocated

the empowerment of women to lead the nation towards the path of prosperity.

The Chapter also highlights the Self-Respectors’ united struggle with the

support of the Communists and the role played by the Periyar’s Movement

against the caste system and for the removal of the practice of untouchability.

The Chapter also highlights Periyar as the forerunner in protecting human

rights and his Self - Respect Ideology is the reflection of human rights.

The Fifth Chapter on ‘Thoughts on Self –Respect’ deals with the

evolution of Periyar’s thoughts on religion and starting of self- respect

movement. It deals with the genesis of self-respect movement, traces the causes

for starting self-respect movement, the reason why the Dravidians demand

equal status, the importance of self-respect movement and the dawn of

Dravidar Kazhagam.

The Sixth and Last Chapter, ‘Thoughts on Theism and Atheism’ deals

with Periyar’s thoughts on religion and rationalism. Periyar liked the idea of

one God like that of Christians and Muslims. At one time, he says that

Brahmins alone know the true one God. If he knows that Brahmins know the

God it means he also knows the true God, or else how can he say that Brahmins

know the true God. He says that the God is the reason for world movements

and Brahmins are worshipping the devas without knowing the God – Truth. He
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says his self – respect movement is not an atheistic movement. Often he is

heard saying that he is not bothered whether God exist or do not exist. He

believed in Nature. He used the word, ‘Nature’ often as equivalent to God. He

asserted at one time that he spoke against Hinduism only with the permission

of God. At one time he said that the British were ruling over Indians because of

the will of the God and trying to remove it meant against the will of God. He

wanted the God to appear before his senses to perceive and only then he was

ready to accept his existence. He wanted a loving and merciful God. He also

knows that there is a difference in the belief of God between the common man

and the intellectual. He also believed that so many immoral activities were

being done by human beings because they don’t understand the True God. He

called the people hypocritic who called him an atheist. Also he pointed out that

Brahmins were calling all those people as Atheists those who were thinking

and questioning and refusing the existence of God. He liked the idea of having

a Religion for Dravidian and called it Dravidian Religion or Kural Religion or

even Gandhi Religion.

The ‘Conclusion’ summarizes the views and arguments put forth in the

earlier chapters. It declares the finding of this research. Since research is a

continuous process, this study paves the way for further researches in this area

with suitable suggestions and recommendations. Further, the hypotheses of the

study are substantiated with the judicious use of relevant materials. A

complete list of Bibliography is added for easy reference.

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Sources

For writing the Thesis entitled, ‘Periyar’s Age: His Public Life and

Thoughts”, the Primary Sources are collected from the Tamil Nadu State

Archives, and Periyar E. V. Ramasamy's Library, Chennai. The newspapers of

Periyar, his published works and the newspapers of Periyar’s age constitutes

primary source of information. E.V.R. 's newspapers and journals like Kudi

Arasu (People's Government), Viduthalai (Freedom), Pagutharivu

(Rationalism), Modern Rationalist, Dravidian and Revolt provided full details

regarding E.V.R.'s thoughts and action for the attainment of Human Rights in

Tamil Nadu. Indeed, the contemporary newspapers of Periyar’s, like The

Hindu, Swadesamitran, Navasakthi, New India, Young India, and Common

Weal, furnished valuable information for the study. The published works of

historians and other authors, articles, papers and journals largely form

secondary sources. They are available at Connemara Public Library,

Theosophical Society Library, Maraiamalai Adigal Library, and Madras

Institute of Development Studies Library, Madras. A comparative study of all

these data provided a complete and wholesome account relevant for the Study.

Review of Relevant Literature

There have been several studies, by researchers as well as journalists,

politicians and academicians, on the thoughts and activities of Periyar.. Among

them, the most important is the book by C.J.Baker called, The Politics of

South India, 1920-1937 which gives an account of the political and social
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changes in Tamil Nadu during the period of Study. In this work he deals with

Periyar’s political activities and social reform measures. The book was, to

some extent, useful for this Study.

E.Sa. Visswanathan, in his work on, "The Political Career of E. V.

Ramaswami Naicker", begins with Periyar as a Congressman in 1919 and ends

with the formation of D.M.K. in 1949. He vividly describes the political

activities of Periyar in that work. This work was very useful to understand

Periyar’s involvement in the public activities covering the Tamil districts.

Nambi Arooran's book, "Tamil Renaissance and Dravidian

Nationalism, 1905-1944" examines the distinctive phases in the evolution of

the thoughts and policies of the Periyar 's Self-Respect Movement. Another

aspect he examines is how the Non-Brahmin Movement helped the Tamil

Renaissance in Tamil Nadu. N.K. Mangala Murugesan in his work, "Self--

Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu 1920-1940", directly deals with the history

of the Self-Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu. S. Saraswathi in her study,

"Minorities in Madras State: Group Interest in Modern Politics", has

critically analysed the Self-Respect Movement. It also covers Periyar’s post-

independent period thoughts and activities.

Eugene F. Irschick in his study on, "Political and Social Conflict in

South India and the Non-Brahmin Movement and Tamil Separatism, 1916-

1929”, traces the evolution of the Non-Brahmin Movement, along with the

demand for Tamil Separatism. In this work, he dealt with the Self-Respect
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Movement's crusade against caste, untouchability, and struggle for the dignity

of women. In another work, "Tamil Revivalism in the 1930s," the same author

traces political and social relations developed in Tamil Nadu during the 1930s.

In that work, he has given the biographical sketch of E.V.R. and his multi-

faceted activities.

Robert L. Hardgrave, Jr., in his study, "The Dravidian Movement"

has merely outlined the history of the Self-Respect Movement. In another work

entitled, "The Nadars of Tamil Nadu: The Political Culture of a Community

in Change" Hardgrave describes the impact of the self-respect marriage on the

Nadar Community. The role of W.P.A Soundra Pandian Nadar, an ardent

follower of Periyar is dealt in this work.

Anita Diehl's “Periyar E. V. Ramaswami," throws light on Periyar's

ideas, thoughts and speeches. She has also given a critical estimate of Periyar

as a Rationalist and as a Political Thinker. D.A. Washbrook's "The Emergence

of Provincial Politics: The Madras Presidency, 1870- 1920", analyses some

of the factors that led to the growth of Non-Brahmin Movement in the Madras

Presidency.

M.S.S.Pandian’s Brahmin & Non-Brahmin deals with the Non-

Brahmin writings and discursive strategies of E.V.Ramasami Periyar. This

work also helps to understand the Dravida Kazhagam, DMK and Brahminic

Hinduism. A.R. Venkatachalapathy’s In Those Days There was No Coffee:

Writings in Cultural History deals with the Dravidian Movement and

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Self-Respect Movement and the ideological clash between the Saivites and

Self-Respetcors

B.S. Chandrababu, in his work, "Social Protest in Tamil Nadu”,

focuses attention on the formative as well as the most flourishing period of the

Self-Respect Movement from 1905 to 1944. He also traces the political and

economic forces at work during that specific period.

G. Rengaraju’s ‘Dravidain Movement in Tamil Nadu’, and Colonial

Design and Dravidian Awakening in Tamil Nadu, highlights the origin and

growth of the Dravidian Movement in the Twentieth Century Tamil Nadu. I.

Udhayasankar’s ‘Periyar E.V. Ramasamy : Communal Justice and Social

Recognition’ throws light on the Periyar’s ideological struggle for social

justice against the established orthodox society.

Sami Chidambaranar's Tamizhar Thalaivar (Tamil) is the first ever

attempt to provide continuous biographical notes of Periyar. Besides, S.

Karunanandam, Tamizhvanan, N.D. Sundaravadivelu and Mangaiyarkarasi

have written biographies of Periyar. Periyar E.V.R.'s Chinthanaigal (Tamil)

in three volumes is the compilation work of Periyar.'s speeches and writings

dating from the early days of his public career to his last days.

In spite of varied literature available on Periyar's thoughts and activities,

and the challenges posed by Periyar to the orthodox society and the need to

examine with sources untapped so far, demanded a new and fresh outlook. The

study represents a step in that direction.

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Methodology

The Study adopts both a narrative and an analytical approach. It

critically examines the thoughts and contribution made by Periyar towards the

attainment of social equality, based on rationalistic ideals among the people of

Tamil Nadu.

Limitation

The translated passages may not fully communicate the spirit of Periyar

as they have done in Tamil language which he used. But, more of his translated

words are quoted in the hope that they would be more effective in

communicating his thoughts. Periyar’s Thoughts are varied in nature and his

thoughts on social Justice, self- respect, atheism and theism alone studied much

by the scholar.