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Thread: Lets recall some significant events from Periyar life sketch on his birth anniversary. #HBDPeriyar
The insult at Kaasi enlightened his rationalism. As he reached kaasi he was not allowed to get a free meal at choultries by Brahmins. Starvation for the past few days forced
Periyar to compete with the street - dogs in eating the
remnants of food in the leaves.
Periyar to compete with the street - dogs in eating the
remnants of food in the leaves.
Suddenly in the mind of this young man, some questions
could have sparked such as: “Why and how the Brahmins can
obstruct the Dravidians from taking meals in the choultry
although the choultry was built with the money of a
Dravidian Philanthropist?
could have sparked such as: “Why and how the Brahmins can
obstruct the Dravidians from taking meals in the choultry
although the choultry was built with the money of a
Dravidian Philanthropist?
Why the Brahmins behaved so
mercilessly and fanatically as to push the communities of the
Dravidian race even to starvation - death by adamantly
enforcing their evil casteism?”
mercilessly and fanatically as to push the communities of the
Dravidian race even to starvation - death by adamantly
enforcing their evil casteism?”
Periyar in youthful years was attracted by the Tamil scholar
Pandithamani Ayothidhaasar who vehemently condemned the
caste - system and Hindu religion of Brahmins with the
principles of rationalism and Buddhism.
Pandithamani Ayothidhaasar who vehemently condemned the
caste - system and Hindu religion of Brahmins with the
principles of rationalism and Buddhism.
In 1918 Periyar was made Honorary Magistrate by the British
Government. In 1924 speaking at a public meeting at Salem, he coined the new word ‘BRAHMNOCRACY’.
Government. In 1924 speaking at a public meeting at Salem, he coined the new word ‘BRAHMNOCRACY’.
Periyar founded the SELF-RESPECT Movement in
1925 and stressed the
compelling need of the Dravidians to preserve the self respect of their race, language, and culture which had
been degraded by the Brahminical dominance of their caste system and superstition of Hindu religion.
1925 and stressed the
compelling need of the Dravidians to preserve the self respect of their race, language, and culture which had
been degraded by the Brahminical dominance of their caste system and superstition of Hindu religion.
Periyar met Gandhi at Bangalore
and strongly argued that unless the poisonous caste-system
called ‘Varnashrama Dharma’ was uprooted, the eradication
of the ‘Untouchability’ stubbornly practised by the Brahmins
could not at all be made possible.
and strongly argued that unless the poisonous caste-system
called ‘Varnashrama Dharma’ was uprooted, the eradication
of the ‘Untouchability’ stubbornly practised by the Brahmins
could not at all be made possible.
He also told
Gandhi that before fighting for the freedom of India, first put an end to the three
threatening evils -
(1) The Congress Party.
(2) Hindu
religion with its caste - system and
(3) the Dominance of
Brahmins in the society.
Gandhi that before fighting for the freedom of India, first put an end to the three
threatening evils -
(1) The Congress Party.
(2) Hindu
religion with its caste - system and
(3) the Dominance of
Brahmins in the society.
On 12-5-1933 in Tiruchirappalli he conducted an Inter-religious Self Respect Marriage defying the section 144 promulgated in this
connection and got arrested. In 1936 in the conference held at Kanchipuram he arranged a resolution to be passed to oppose Hindi imposition.
connection and got arrested. In 1936 in the conference held at Kanchipuram he arranged a resolution to be passed to oppose Hindi imposition.
In his book entitled as “The world to come” Periyar
visuvalised many scientific inventions including the
possibility of the “Test Tube Baby” which is now a reality!
visuvalised many scientific inventions including the
possibility of the “Test Tube Baby” which is now a reality!
On 11-5-1946, the famous “Blackshirts Conference” was
held on the sands of the River Vaigai in Madurai when the
conference pandal was set on fire by Brahmin - instigated
hooligans. Periyar and his followers were stranded for the whole day.
held on the sands of the River Vaigai in Madurai when the
conference pandal was set on fire by Brahmin - instigated
hooligans. Periyar and his followers were stranded for the whole day.
On Indian Independence 15-8-1947, Periyar
boldly called it a ‘mourning’ day for Tamils with foresight.
He called Independence of India was nothing but a made
over to Brahmins and North Indian Merchants (Baniyas) from British.
boldly called it a ‘mourning’ day for Tamils with foresight.
He called Independence of India was nothing but a made
over to Brahmins and North Indian Merchants (Baniyas) from British.
He declared the Republic Day, 26-1-1950, as a Mourning
Day for Tamils to condemn the oppressive rule of North
Indian Capitalist Hindi fanatics.
Day for Tamils to condemn the oppressive rule of North
Indian Capitalist Hindi fanatics.
His struggle led to the first Amendment to
the Indian Constitution. Ultimately sub clause (4), was added
to the Article 15 to admit of the provisions of Communal
G.O. to preserve the rights and equal opportunities of
Backward classes of India.
the Indian Constitution. Ultimately sub clause (4), was added
to the Article 15 to admit of the provisions of Communal
G.O. to preserve the rights and equal opportunities of
Backward classes of India.
In order to condemn idolatary worship and to show to the
world that there was no divine power in idols, he organised a campaign. His followers and himself broke the idol of
Ganesha at public places.
world that there was no divine power in idols, he organised a campaign. His followers and himself broke the idol of
Ganesha at public places.
In 1954 Periyar met Ambedkar in Myanmar Burma where he attended the world Buddhist conference.
Periyar did
not prefer conversion so that he could sustain the right to
condemn the evils of Hindu religion.
Periyar did
not prefer conversion so that he could sustain the right to
condemn the evils of Hindu religion.
1955 Periyar was arrested for his public agitation of burning the
pictures of Rama - a Hindu deity at all public places, as a
symbolic protest against the Aryan domination and
degradation of the Dravidian leaders according to the
Ramayana epic.
pictures of Rama - a Hindu deity at all public places, as a
symbolic protest against the Aryan domination and
degradation of the Dravidian leaders according to the
Ramayana epic.
In 1957 against the Caste system Periyar started agitation and requested all his
followers to erase the name ‘Brahmin’ in the Hotel Name
Boards in all Brahmin Hotels in Tamil Nadu.
followers to erase the name ‘Brahmin’ in the Hotel Name
Boards in all Brahmin Hotels in Tamil Nadu.
In 1968 The Ramayana, Epic of Aryans, was burnt all over Tamil
Nadu as a mark of protest against cruel treatment of
Dravidians by the Aryans in the Ramayana.
Nadu as a mark of protest against cruel treatment of
Dravidians by the Aryans in the Ramayana.
In 1969 Periyar announced a Programme of agitation to enter the
Sanctum of temples to eradicate the caste
discrimination practised, according to which only Brahmins
could become Priests and perform poojas in Sanskrit language only instead of Tamil.
Sanctum of temples to eradicate the caste
discrimination practised, according to which only Brahmins
could become Priests and perform poojas in Sanskrit language only instead of Tamil.
The UNESCO on 27/6/1970conferred on Periyar a glorious title, the
citation of which read as “Periyar the prophet of New Age,
Socrates of South East Asia, Father of the social Reform
Movement, and Arch enemy of ignorance, superstitions,
meaningless customs and baseless manners”.
citation of which read as “Periyar the prophet of New Age,
Socrates of South East Asia, Father of the social Reform
Movement, and Arch enemy of ignorance, superstitions,
meaningless customs and baseless manners”.
Source: Collected Works Of Periyar E.V.R.
