Periyar (September 17, 1879–December 24, 1973), also known as E.V. Ramasami, EVR, Thanthai Periyar, or Periyar Ramasami, is a well-known rationalist, atheist, freedom fighter, activist, founder of Dravidar Kazhagam and founder of the Self-respect Movement in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Though he was born in an affluent Naicker (an upper caste) family, he fought against the untouchability practiced by Brahmins and the rituals of Hinduism and the caste system.

By the natives, he is sometimes referred to as the enemy of Brahmins. He is very well known for his quotation against religion: He who created the god was a fool; he who spreads his name is a scoundrel and he who worships him is a barbarian.

He believed in the concept of Aryan race, German Scholar Max Meullar's Theory of Aryan Invasion of India and subjugation of Dravidian race by Aryan Race. He is the founding father of Dravidian Nationalism which is based on Dravidian race and language. He demanded vivisection of India and creation of a separate Dravidian nation. Today, his ideology dominates the socio-political landscape of Tamil Nadu. All major political parties in the state are based on his ideology.

His Anti-Brahmin class-struggle was based on the assumption that all Brahmins are upper-class Aryans and all non-Brahmins are lower-class Dravidians. He accused Brahmins of dominating Dravidian civilization.

He was anti-Hindu because he considered it a brahminical religion. In 1953, atheist Periyar did a state-wide celebration of Buddha Purnima (Lord Buddha's Enlightenment, Nirvana and Birth Day) by publicly destroying Hindu God Ganesha's idols. His most popular literary-work is a rational view on Ramayana, a Hindu epic (The Ramayana: A True Reading, 1959)[1]. In that he demonizes and denigrates Hindu god Lord Ram and goddess Sita. He also destroyed Lord-Ram's portrait in public.

Notable followers

• K.Veeramani - Dravidar Kazhagam leader after Periyar
• Kavignar Inkulab - Rational Tamil poet
• Kamal Haasan - Famous Tamil actor

Further reading

• E. V. Ramaswami Naicker-Periyar: A study of the influence of a personality in contemporary South India by Anita Diehl ISBN 9124276456

External links

• Periyar's Movement - Timeline of Periyar's work
• Dravidar Kazhagam - Official homepage of Dravidar Kazhagam with Objective, Public life of Periyar, Attitude, Resolutions, etc
• PERIYAR-Rationalist/Social Reformer
• The Revolutionary Sayings of Periyar
• What if Periyar had not been born?