Wednesday, November 24, 2004

'Dravidian' mythology

November 24

Whenever I hear of 'Dravidians' I am reminded of their sainted leader EV Ramaswamy Naicker. He is known, among his other epithets, as 'Vaikom Veerar', meaning the 'hero of Vaikom'. This refers to the Vaikom Satyagraha in 1924 in Kerala. This was to demand the right for 'lower caste' people to use the public paths around the Vaikom Mahadeva temple. This was the seminal struggle that led to the 1936 Temple Entry Proclamation that opened all temples in Travancore to all Hindus.

The implication is that Naicker was one of the heros of the Vaikom Satyagraha, if not the main man.

However, in point of fact, he came, he saw, and he was ignored. Nobody paid the slightest attention to Naicker. He was a complete nobody as far as the Vaikom Satyagraha is concerned.

Yet, according to Tamil mythmakers, he was a hero.

And how do I know this? It's because family members of mine were among the leaders of the agitation. They were the ones who were arrested, beaten up, whose bones were broken.

Naicker could be renamed 'Vaikom Visitor' or 'Vaikom Tourist' and it would be more correct.

This is a metaphor for the entire edifice of 'Dravidian' thought. It is a complete hoax, manufactured by one Bishop Caldwell.

If it is this great 'rationalist' movement, how come no 'Dravidian' hero has ever said anything against the organized religions of Islam and Christianity? And against the semi-organized religion of Marxistm? It is because 'Dravidians' are afraid of Muslims, Christians and Marxists.

'Dravidian' is like 'Piltdown Man', an enormous hoax that has fooled a lot of people. It has, however enriched many, mostly middle-caste Tamils, who now go around terrorising Dalits.

And, oh, if you are thinking the usual crap 'Dravidians' throw at me, about me being a Tamil Brahmin, forget it. I am neither Tamil nor Brahmin.

Take over Aurobindo trust, Government told

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, NOV. 18. The Dravida Peravai today demanded that the government take over the Aurobindo Ashram Trust and its subsidiaries....



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

First, why was the Vaikom protest necessary? Why the lower castes were discriminated? Please accept the role of Namboodiri Brahmins in creating such a casteist environment in Kerala.

Then, you not being a Tamil Brahmin? You are a Malayali. That I can guess from your posts, but Brahmin? Are you referring to your present profession? I will be surprised if you are not a Brahmin-by-birth.

Muse (# 01429798200730556938) said...

Dear Rajeev,

Mr. EVR Naickar has been the much much made-big hoax in Tamil Nadu. He was made big as he was a very successful accomplice of the christian propaganda designed by British. I have even read a reminiscence by one of his comrade that once they visited Afghanistan where they were surrounded by a warring tribe. Mr. EVR "intelligently" escaped them by convincing them that he is an arch rival of their enemies and explained in detail about his plan to crush them. And those people let him go!!

He says that when troubled with language he made signs with his hands and lo they believed him. Good story, right?

Actually, all his so-called "revolutionery" ideas are also not original. His ideas are borrowed from the socialist movements in German (He paid visit to German, where he had taken photos in nude club!).

When he visited Russia as a great communist representative from India, Stalin did not even notice such a great "phenomenon" from India. He was fore-warned about the farce!

The bad thing is nobody has the guts to research and publish from where Mr. Naickar has got the revolutionary ideas.

Muse (# 01429798200730556938) said...

Dear Rajeev,

Mr. EVR Naickar has been the much much made-big hoax in Tamil Nadu. He was made big as he was a very successful accomplice of the christian propaganda designed by British. I have even read a reminiscence by one of his comrade that once they visited Afghanistan where they were surrounded by a warring tribe. Mr. EVR "intelligently" escaped them by convincing them that he is an arch rival of their enemies and explained in detail about his plan to crush them. And those people let him go!!

He says that when troubled with language he made signs with his hands and lo they believed him. Good story, right?

Actually, all his so-called "revolutionery" ideas are also not original. His ideas are borrowed from the socialist movements in German (He paid visit to German, where he had taken photos in nude club!).

When he visited Russia as a great communist representative from India, Stalin did not even notice such a great "phenomenon" from India. He was fore-warned about the farce!

The bad thing is nobody has the guts to research and publish from where Mr. Naickar has got the revolutionary ideas.

Anonymous said...

Brahmin...maybe not !!! but possibly warrier, what say ... eh ?

Most of your posts are too acerbic for me..but you do a good job of bringing issues to light....

Carry on the good work

- A reader from L.A.

Anonymous said...

Rajeev,

Firstly , I am Tamil & proud to be one.I understand your concernto uphold the great way of life of our motherland(read : Hinduism) But its unfair of you to Rubbish so brusquely anybody who dared challenge the so-called "Guardians" of the vedas & upanishads that existed in Tamil Nadu.
The "Dravidian" Movement was a much needed one in Tamil Nadu to awaken the supposedly lower castes to the fact that everybody was equal & that they need not consider any human superior to them.The actions of Periyaar , anna, et al, though extreme (like slippering Lord Vinayaka) were just a part of whats famous now as the "Shock & awe " effect to make the suppressed masses question the "racial" discrimination that was going on.
I realise that you are a very learned man but I suggest you go back to the history books & try to find atleast one name among the ruling classes in tamil nadu (CMs,powerful misisters,etc.) who was not from an "upper caste" until the dravidian movement happened.

I absolutely agree that the "Dravidian" claim may be obselete now but I challenge you to rethink & come up with plausible defense for being so dissmissive of Periyaar,Anna & the dravidian movement's role in the upliftment of tamil nadu's majority "lower castes" & therby the state's standing to what it is today.

Btw, I was a huge fan of Yours & Varsha Bhosle's columns on rediff.Don't you write there anymore ?? What about Varsha ?

Bharathan

Boston, MA