There is always a two-side to the coin, and you cannot be good for everyone. No revolutionist can. Periyar was undoubtedly the best revolutionist we have seen, and you cannot expect Periyar to be too. The so-called dominant caste people possibly hate him for his ideologies. But he least cares. In fact, that is what he wants too.
We live in a generation where we get things quite easily compared to what it was in earlier days. The struggle was real those days, and it took a man to stand up against all the dominant forces. If not for Periyar, things would have not been what it is for a lot of people, maybe to your friend’s family, your family, to you.
The way he stood up for the rights, against caste, for women and education. He was one of the firsts to point out the importance of women’s freedom, the consent, and he did put forward words about family planning, telling that women are not machines to keep producing babies. Today, if women can read and go for a job, Periyar’s role is bigger in this. While we are still fighting for all these rights even now, he did in the 30s. He certainly thought ahead of years.
From “given in marriage”, the terms that treated women as a thing, he played a major role in coining the term “Life-partner.”
Periyar’s statement in ‘Viduthalai’:
“There should be a drastic revolution in the desires and ideals of Indian women. They should equip themselves to do all types of work that men are doing. They should have good domestic life without allowing nature’s obstacles in their own lives. Therefore, there should be a welcome change in the minds of our women. The administrators also most pay special attention to the advancement of women”
In a 1932 article of Kudi Arasu:
“Women should develop physical strength like men. They must take exercise and get training in the use of weapons. They must acquire the ability to protect themselves when any sex-mad person tries to molest them. They should get the necessary training to join the armey when need arises and fight the enemy. This is the view of all civilized people. Women also wholeheartedly support this view. When the general view in the world is like this, who can accept the statement of some people that there is no use in giving higher education to women?”
His role against the ‘Devadasi’ system is another example.
“if a man’s physical passion is aroused when his wife is not with him, he immediately goes to a prostitute. Rough stones are planted where cows and buffaloes graze to facilitate the animals to rub against the stones when they feel like it. Likewise, Devadasis served in temples and in all villages rough stones planted on the borders and they say that these two (employing devadasis and the planting rough stones) are among the 32 dharmas mentioned in the Sastras. When we consider why his kindness to the suffering and also the 32 dharmas are all bogus”
He also voiced against widow remarriage and child marriage which was brutal those days. Imagine a five-year-old kid being married to an elder who is a 50-year-old and if that 50-year-old dies, what would a five-year-old kid know?
Periyar stood against them all.
Periyar always said that he doesn’t want to be remembered as a man who had different ideas and stood against the men in “power” but he wanted the people to remember the ideas alone and he believed that the ideas will help the upcoming generations. Undoubtedly, he was right in a lot of things and look where we are now.
