Periyar EV Ramasamy’s 146th Birth Anniversary

Periyar EV Ramasamy’s 146th Birth Anniversary was recently commemorated in Chennai.

• About Periyar EV Ramasamy: He was an Indian social activist and politician who started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam (DK). 
  • He is known as the ‘Father of the Dravidian movement’
  • The title “Periyar,” means “Respected Elder.
  • Since 2021, the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has celebrated his birth anniversary as ‘Social Justice Day’.
• Political Beginnings: Periyar began his political career as a Congress worker in Erode in 1919.
• Vaikom Satyagraha (1924)
  • Periyar’s fame grew beyond the Tamil region during the Vaikom Satyagraha, a mass movement demanding equal access to a public path in front of the Vaikom temple for lower-caste individuals.
  • He actively participated in the agitation with his wife and was arrested twice, earning him the title “Vaikom Veerar” (Hero of Vaikom).

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• Resignation from Congress: He resigned from the Congress in 1925 when he felt that the party was only serving the interests of Brahmins. 
• Association with Justice Party: He associated himself with the Justice Party and the Self Respect Movement, which opposed the dominance of Brahmins in social life, especially the bureaucracy.
• Social and Political Reform (1920s-1930s)
  • Redefined Tamil Identity: He redefined Tamil identity as egalitarian and untainted by the caste system, contrasting it with the Indian identity promoted by the Congress.
    • He argued that caste was introduced to the Tamil region by Aryan Brahmins from Northern India.
  • Self Respect Movement: The Self-Respect Movement was a significant social reform movement that originated in Tamil Nadu, South India, in 1925. 
    • The movement aimed to promote social equality and eradicate the caste system, which was deeply entrenched in Indian society.
• Opposition to Hindi Imposition (1930s)
  • Periyar opposed the imposition of Hindi by the Congress Ministry, paralleling it with the Aryanisation process and viewing it as an attack on Tamil identity and self-respect.
  • Under his leadership, the Dravidian Movement evolved into a struggle against caste and an assertion of Tamil national identity.
• Dravidar Kazhagam: In 1939, Ramasamy became the head of the Justice Party, and in 1944, he changed its name to Dravidar Kazhagam. 
• Formation of Dravidar Kazhagam (1940s)
  • In the 1940s, Periyar established Dravidar Kazhagam, advocating for an independent Dravida Nadu for Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Kannada speakers.
  • He based his idea of Dravida national identity on the Dravidian linguistic family.
    • The party later split with one group led by C. N. Annadurai formed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 1949.

Legacy of Periyar

• Influenced the Political Identity of Tamil Nadu: Periyar’s ideas significantly influenced the political identity and culture of Tamil-speaking areas within the Madras Presidency and continue to resonate in present-day Tamil Nadu.
• Linguistic Pride: For many Tamils, Periyar represents an ideology centred on social equality, self-respect, and pride in the Tamil language.
• Focus on Reform: As a social reformer, Periyar addressed social, cultural, and gender inequalities. His reform agenda critically examined faith, gender roles, and traditions.
• Promotion of Rationalism: Periyar advocated for rational decision-making in life. He championed women’s independence, arguing they should not be confined to childbearing but should have equal employment opportunities.
• Self Respect Movement: Under his leadership, the Self Respect Movement promoted ritual-free weddings and supported women’s property and divorce rights. 
• Challenge to Caste System: Periyar urged people to drop caste suffixes from their names and avoid mentioning caste. He also introduced inter-dining practices with food prepared by Dalits at public conferences in the 1930s.
• He passed away in 1973 at the age of 94.

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Conclusion

Over the years, Periyar has transcended the political divide as well as the faultlines of religion and caste, and come to be revered as Thanthai Periyar, the father figure of modern Tamil Nadu.

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