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The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
From prison to printing press: legacy of Kudiarasu, first journal Periyar published
A century ago, from within the confines of the Coimbatore prison, Periyar E.V. Ramasamy envisioned a publication that would speak 'unflinching truths to power'. That vision materialised as Kudiarasu (Republic), a Tamil weekly that became not only a mouthpiece of the Self-Respect Movement but also a platform for challenging caste oppression, colonial subjugation, and religious orthodoxy. In the early 1920s, when Periyar was a prominent member of the Indian National Congress, he was imprisoned for leading a protest. During this period of incarceration, he and fellow activist Va. Mu. Thangaperumal Pillai discussed the need for a powerful platform to express bold and honest opinions. This need sparked the idea for Kudiarasu, which would become a crucial weapon in the battle for social justice and rationalism. 'After his release, Periyar formally registered the name Kudiarasu on January 19, 1923,' writes Sa. Su. Ilango in his book Kudiarasu Yettil Puratchi Kavignar Kavithaigal. The first issue A perusal of the archival materials of the journal, available at Periyar Rationalist Library and Research Centre at Periyar Thidal in Chennai, shows that the first issue of Kudiarasu was published on May 2, 1925 (Saturday). Launching it, Sri-La-Sri Sivashanmuga Meignana Sivacharya Swamigal of Thirupathiripuliyur Gnaniyar Math said he would be extremely happy if Kudiarasu could help eradicate the 'superiority-inferiority mindset' and spread the sense of equality. At the function, Periyar criticised other publications for hesitating to express their honest opinions owing to fear or bias. In his editorial, he said: 'For those who wish to know the purpose of this journal, Kudiarasu is being launched with the aim of making our motherland shine with excellence in all fields, such as politics, economics, society, and more.' It was published from Erode and edited jointly by Periyar and Thangaperumal Pillai. From its second issue, it was published every Sunday, but the day of publication was changed to Saturday in 1943. A few months after its launch, Periyar's differences with Congress leaders became more pronounced. He left the party in 1925. Then, he dedicated himself to the Self-Respect Movement, and Kudiarasu became its mouthpiece. In its early years, the editor's name was printed as E.V. Ramasamy Naicker. However, after December 18, 1927, he dropped the caste name from the publication. The journal had a broad and inclusive visual language in its early years. Its cover featured images of Bharat Mata, farmers, labourers, and symbols from Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. From April 1926 to December 1927, it included slogans such as 'Long Live Mahatma Gandhi' and 'Long Live Khadi'. Though Periyar had left Congress by then, he still supported Gandhi's initiatives like the Khadi movement and wrote in support of it. Kudiarasu also featured an image of the spinning wheel, along with a proclamation of its ideological stance beneath it. The price of Kudiarasu varied over time — starting at one 'anna' (1/16th of a rupee), rising to 1.5 annas, then to 2 annas, and later fluctuating between these rates. Until October 30, 1943, Kudiarasu was sold at half-price to women and the oppressed communities. It also played an important role in publishing the Tamil translation of the works of renowned thinkers such as B.R. Ambedkar, Robert G. Ingersoll, Bertrand Russell, George Bernard Shaw, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Voltaire, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Clear themes The themes focused on were clear and consistent: abolition of untouchability, caste reform, women's rights, socialism, atheism, labour welfare, and the rejection of superstition. Prominent personalities who wrote included C. Rajagopalachari, M. Singaravelar, K.A.P. Viswanatham, Kalyanasundaram, Maraimalai Adigal, C.N. Annadurai, and M. Karunanidhi. Prominent women activists, including Moovalur Ramamirtham and Kunjammal, also wrote in Kudiarasu, recalls Viduthalai Rajendran, general secretary, Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam. The journal also published Thirukkural and the poems of Bharathiar. 'When the literacy rate was just 7%, Periyar wrote extensively in Kudiarasu on several progressive ideas. Representatives of Periyar, including Nagai Kaliappan, travelled to Malaysia to get subscriptions for the journal from the Tamil diaspora,' he said. Mr. Rajedran pointed out that Periyar translated and published the Communist Manifesto of Marx and Engels and the Five-Year Plan of the Soviet Union. Ambedkar's Annihilation of Caste was published in Tamil, first in an Indian language, in Kudiarasu. Tamil script reforms Periyar introduced Tamil script reforms in Kudiarasu from January 13, 1935. Its bold tone often brought it into conflict with the authorities. On December 30, 1933, Periyar was arrested for an editorial, titled Indraya Aatchi Murai Yen Ozhiya Vendum (Why today's ruling method should be abolished). His sister Kannammal, serving as the journal's publisher, was also jailed. The publication was briefly suspended, but returned soon after. Meanwhile, during this ban period, Periyar started Puratchi (Revolution), a weekly Tamil journal, in 1933 and Pagutharivu (Rationalism), a daily, in 1934. The publication of Kudiarasu faced a longer break during World War II, between 1941 and 1942. After nearly 24 years of publication, Kudiarasu, however, ceased printing on November 5, 1949.
Deccan Herald
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Deccan Herald
Daughter or sister — How are Kannada and Tamil related?
Actor Kamal Haasan's remark that Kannada was born out of Tamil has sparked a furore in Karnataka, but he has said nothing new. Leaders of all political hues in Tamil Nadu propagate the sentiment, and it is part of the state anthem as well. .The actor's casual remark, made in Chennai at the audio release of his upcoming film, Thug Life, could also be seen in the context of the Dravidian movement spearheaded by Periyar in the early part of the 20th century. As an ideologue, Periyar (1879-1973) espoused the cause of the south and opposed Hindi dominance. He held that all south Indian languages were born from Old Tamil. In current-day politics, Kamal Haasan is seeking to enter the Rajya Sabha with support from the DMK, a party founded on Periyarist Periyar calls Old Tamil is the very same language that linguists call Proto-Dravidian, assumed to have been the source of Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tulu, Kodava, Badaga and less widely spoken languages such as Hassan's position on the supremacy of Tamil is contentious. For Kannadigas, the dispute is not so much about whether Kannada and Tamil are related — there is no question that they are — but about how they are related. Linguists DH spoke to argue that the languages are sisters, and not mother and fallout of Kamal Haasan's casual remark, and his subsequent refusal to retract his position and apologise, has triggered outrage in Karnataka. .Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam, comes 38 years after Nayakan, the gangster drama on which the two had collaborated and created box office history. .Meti Mallikarjun, linguist, professor and researcher at Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, says it is a common belief among Tamil people that Tamil is the mother of all Dravidian languages. 'There is no rationale behind it. It is like a folk belief,' he says. .Kamal Haasan would not have made the controversial statement had he acquired a deeper understanding of the history of the southern languages, he observes. 'The two languages are like branches of the same tree. The roots are what is known as Proto-Dravidian,' he multiplicity of tongues in India derives predominantly from two language families — Proto-Dravidian and Proto-Indo-Aryan. 'We have 25 to 27 languages in the Dravidian family. Some studies suggest the number is 70, but we have no evidence to support it,' Meti says. .The languages branched out at different points in time — Brahui, Malto, Tulu, Gondi, Kodava, Tamil, Kannada and so on. Gradually, when mutual intelligibility among the languages faded, they became independent languages, he adds. .A well-known linguist based in Karnataka says Kannada and Tamil share a cognate relationship, and one is not a descendant of the other. .Predictably, politicians wade into language controversies to score points and push their agendas. The claim that Kannada descended from Sanskrit is advanced by some. 'These are popular ideas that do not have evidence to support them,' the linguist, who requested anonymity, Malayalam and Kannada were part of the same Dravidian language group (known as the south Dravidian language group), he explains. 'Kannada was the first to branch out from it. Tamil and Malayalam were together for a long time. Some studies also suggest that Tulu and Kodava had already branched out much before Kannada,' he says..K Nallathambi, who writes fiction and poetry in Kannada and Tamil, says, 'The languages have many identical words but that does not mean one originated from the other. Korean has many words in common with Tamil, but that does not mean Korean originated from Tamil.'.The academics do not dispute the antiquity of Tamil. 'Sangam literature, which dates back to about 300 BCE, is evidence that Tamil is an old language. To add to it, one of the oldest grammar books, Tolkappiyam, was written by Tolkappiyar, a contemporary of Panini. It is a famous grammar book of south India,' Meti Carlos, who was a Tamil professor in the Kannada department at Bangalore University — he taught Tamil through Kannada — says the belief that Tamil is older than other southern languages is deeply rooted in Tamil Nadu. 'In his poem chosen as the Tamil Nadu state anthem, Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai says all Dravidian languages originated from Tamil. The Tamils sing this song every day and go by it. He also praises the other languages. He refers to Telugu as a beautiful language, and Kannada as a happy language and so on. But he also says that they all came from the womb of the Tamil mother. This is what Kamal has also said,' he the British missionary and linguist Robert Caldwell, who wrote A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South-Indian Family of Languages in the mid-19th century, debated the etymology of the name Tamil. 'He writes that 'Dramil' has now become Tamil. But there is a debate about it. Some people say Tamil has become Dramil in some Sanskrit texts,' says Meti. .Carlos calls attention to A Dravidian Etymological Dictionary, originally published in 1961, compiled by M B Emeneau and T Burrow. 'In this book, about 12 Dravidian languages are enumerated with their roots. Words are listed in alphabetical order and compared with the other example, hogu ('go' in Kannada) is listed alongside po in Tamil and so on,' he explains. He describes it as a pioneering book that put forth the theory that all south Indian languages came from a Proto-Dravidian it is true that Kannada and Tamil share many similarities in grammar and lexis, it is equally true that, over the centuries, they have chosen their priorities differently. Formal Kannada borrows generously from Sanskrit, while formal Tamil mines its Dravidian lexis to create new terms. For example, for 'president', Kannada uses 'rashtrapati', a term adopted by many Indian languages with a Sanskrit influence, while Tamil has coined a more native 'kudiyarasu thalaivar' — head of the Kamal Haasan nor Mani Ratnam is a stranger to Kannada. The actor has starred in several hit Kannada films, including Rama Shama Bhama (2005), in which he speaks Kannada in the north Karnataka dialect. Mani Ratnam made his directorial debut with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983). .The two languages enjoy much warmth, but sometimes, sibling rivalry kicks in.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘BJP trying to paint caste colour on Periyar': Vijay slams Centre, urges students to reject divisive politics
CHENNAI: Actor and TVK President on Friday strongly condemned the govt at the centre for trying to paint a caste colour on social reformer Periyar, one of the five ideological mentors of TVK. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now At a function to honour toppers of SSLC and Plus Two held at a private hotel in Mahabalipuram, Vijay asked students to stay away from caste and religious divisive ideas. "Like narcotic substances, we should keep caste and religion away from us. It is good for all... Never allow the divisive ideas to disturb your mind," Vijay said. "Are farmers cultivating based on caste and religion? Are labourers manufacturing products based on caste and religion? Does nature differentiate based on caste and religion?" Vijay asked. Hitting out at the BJP govt, Vijay said, "In the recently held exam, they tried to paint a caste colour on Periyar. We strongly condemn this." Asking students not to get emotional on any issue, Vijay said that students should have a technical and scientific approach-based thinking as it is the only way to survive in the AI-dominated world. "The sky is vast and wide and you have strong winds. So, feel free to fly like a bird with courage, conviction, and confidence," Vijay said. Asking students not to get stressed about NEET exams, Vijay said, "The world doesn't end with NEET. There are many things to achieve outside NEET. Keep your minds strong and democratic. Only if there is democracy, the world and all the fields in it will have freedom. If we have proper democracy, everyone will get everything." Vijay asked students to ask their family members to exercise their democratic rights properly. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Exercising the democratic rights means electing good, confidential, and non-corrupt people," Vijay said. Recalling his message to students to avoid cash for votes in 2023, Vijay said, "I already asked the students two years ago not to encourage cash-for-votes culture and asked you to follow it. Next year, tonnes of cash will be poured for the election. All that money was swindled from you. What are you going to do? You know what to do. There is no need for me to tell you."
The Hindu
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
TVK chief Vijay urges voters to back honest, corruption-free candidates, reject cash-for-vote offers
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay on Friday (May 30, 2025) alleged that large sums of money — misappropriated from the public — would be spent during the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, and urged voters to exercise their democratic duty by voting for honest, trustworthy, and corruption-free candidates, while rejecting cash-for-vote offers. Speaking at an event held in Poonjeri near Mahabalipuram to felicitate students who excelled in Classes 10 and 12 exams, Mr. Vijay said, 'Though academic achievement is important, don't let it overwhelm you with stress and anxiety. The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is not the end of the world. There is a vast world beyond it, full of opportunities. You have so much more to achieve in life.' He urged the students to keep their minds strong and embrace democratic values. 'Only democracy can bring and sustain freedom worldwide and ensure everything for everyone. Encourage your family members to exercise their democratic duty by choosing honest, trustworthy, and corruption-free candidates, while rejecting cash-for-vote offers.' Urging students to adopt technical and scientific thinking, Mr. Vijay said, 'Keep caste and religious divisions away from you, like how you would keep away from drugs.' He also strongly condemned the reference to Periyar's [E.V. Ramasamy's] caste in a question in the recent Civil Services Preliminary Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Many daydreaming about cracks in alliance, but it's firm: TNCC chief
Trichy: Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai on Monday asserted that the INDIA alliance in the state remains "strong and intact," dismissing speculation of internal fissures. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking to reporters after garlanding a newly installed statue of veteran actor Sivaji Ganesan in Puthur, Trichy, Selvaperunthagai said, "Many are daydreaming that our alliance will break, but it is very strong. We are united by common ideals, and this alliance is one for the people." His remarks came in response to questions about VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan's recent informal interaction with state president K Annamalai and Union minister L Murugan at the Trichy airport. The Congress leader also slammed the BJP-led Centre for the recent inclusion of Periyar's caste suffix in a UPSC prelims question paper. "Periyar had renounced his caste identity. When did he ever identify himself with a caste? This is a deliberate attempt by the BJP govt to divide people along caste, religion, and language lines," he said. On criticisms by TVK chief Vijay that chief minister M K Stalin's recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi was politically motivated, Selvaperunthagai clarified that Stalin's visit was to press for long-pending fund allocations. "This is not about fear of ED raids. The BJP govt has consistently withheld funds, and now they're placing conditions like mandatory acceptance of the NEP. This is authoritarian," he said. Welcoming the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the limits of gubernatorial powers, the TNCC president said the upcoming elections would be a decisive moment for Tamil Nadu. "The BJP and AIADMK, who once operated covertly and now do so openly, will face the people's verdict. Our alliance is the only one that can ensure real development for Tamil Nadu," he said.
