The 146th Birthday of Thanthai Periyar and the 116th Birthday of Arignar Anna were celebrated in Tokyo, Japan on 15th of September, 2024 by the Non-Resident Tamil Indians Association (NRTIA). The event was held at Funabory Tower Hall, Tokyo, presided over by Asiriyar Dr. K. Veeramani, the President, the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK). Periyar, born on September 17, 1879 and Arignar Anna born on September 15, 1909 were paid glorious tributes during the twin celebration. Asiriyar Dr.K. Veeramani delivered the Presidential Address. Excerpts from his speech are as follows:-
At the outset I convey my hearty thanks to all the members of the NRTIA, other invitees and dignitaries who have assembled at this venue. Tamil Nadu is considered the capital state of culture, where innumerable celebrations take place throughout the year but your arrangements and your decorum in organising this meet is comparatively superior to those events of us. I heartily commend you all for your exceptionally excellent planning and execution.
This visit of mine to Japan is after a very long gap of 35 years. I am really extremely delighted by your love, respect and regard for me. Having settled here from various parts of India, you have been serving Japan contributing your mite treating its citizens as your own family members. You have made proud our Tamil language and Tamil culture.
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The Social Outlook of Periyar
I was offered this as the topic of my speech. One can speak endlessly on the societal outlook of Periyar. I shall describe his outlook briefly to the best extent possible. I can start citing you all to hail his outlook. Long ago our people were denied education, jobs, status and all fundamental rights because of birth based discriminations and the evil caste system, but you people have proved that you are in no way inferior to anyone in society. You people acquired education and advanced in life. You migrated seeking progress in life and today in Japan, you are all leading a dignified life. The social outlook of Periyar made it possible. Our self-respect movement has helped you all scale great heights in life. The dreams of Periyar have come true by the progress of all the non-resident Tamil Indians in Japan. Similarly Tamil Indians have settled well in various countries in the world as we are all aware.
Periyar’s Vision was never focussed on his personal needs. It had the focus on society and the common men and women in it. Our youth of this fifth generation have prospered by his restless fights and strife. Long ago, migrants from India had to work in Coffee plantations, tea gardens and other such spots suffering as labourers for meagre wages in return. But today, our non-resident Indians are well-placed in coveted posts and positions. Our people have acquired lucrative jobs all over the world because of their hard work and unswerving patience. This was a dream of Periyar in his lifetime. Our people have proved their skills in administration. Overseas countries admire the competence of Indian diaspora. Stalwarts like Periyar and Anna paved the way for your enviable status in society today, didn’t they? Our children have come up as doctors, engineers and experts in information technology. The credit should go to great men like Periyar and Anna.
Prop roots
They were like roots of trees buried in the bowels of the earth and you are all like the descending prop roots falling down from the branches of trees. You derive your strength from the deep seated roots. This twin celebration is intended to convey gratitude to those origin roots like Periyar and Anna.
Most of you have come along with family members to thank those great roots of origin and I feel young blooded among you all. I arrived at this venue as a 91 – year old man but while returning, I would feel like I am just a 19 – year old young man. Your love and regard as the prop roots invigorates and encourages me to carry on with my tasks for the society envisioned by Periyar and Anna.
Unity in diversity
We may be from different parts of Tamil Nadu but we are undeniably one family united – inspite of the diversity. Our habitations may vary but we are all indivisive and united by our common culture.
“Everything is for Everyone” has been the philosophy of Periyar. His social outlook was infact an outlook of humankind. He was against the fanatics who segregated people as untouchable, unseeable and unapproachable. Nowhere else in the entire world could this disparity be found. Periyar believed that social justice can prevail only when everyone in society gets everything in life. He wanted absolute equality in society. Universal brotherhood was his dream. To establish an egalitarian society was his noble mission. We have fulfilled his desire to a great extent but still we have to go a long way. I solicit your collective efforts to achieve complete victory.
Periyar founded Self-Respect movement to eradicate birth based discriminations. We are celebrating today the centenary of this noble movement conveying our gratitude to him. Communal fanatics used to babble that we are all born from various parts of the body of the so called God. They segregated people as eligible to study and ineligible to study. They classified humans as touchables and untouchables. Periyar fought for abolition of this social injustice.
Touching low caste people was believed to cause impurity. Those who touched a low caste man or woman had to bathe and cleanse themselves. Nowhere else in this world can one find this kind of injustice other than in India. A live wire is untouchable. How can a live human being be untouchable? People in the U.S. and several other countries are surprised when we say that “unseeability” and “unapproachability” also existed in India.
Export of Social injustice
The matter of grave concern is that people who migrate from India, carry with them the luggage of this social injustice. That which is to be discarded in the sea and dumped in trash cans is being carried all the way to overseas countries. The evil called caste system has spread to other countries. Qualified, competent migrants from India are in high posts and positions in the U.S., Australia and many other countries. Our people have risen up as Computer experts and scholars in the I.T. field but they face caste related problems in their work places. Our people have been moving courts of law in the U.S. and Australia seeking justice. The Periyar Ambedkar Study Circle in Australia requested me to visit Australia and solve the disputes. During our video conferences they have been narrating their problems owing to caste discriminations. The purpose of organising events like this is to prevent your country from getting infected by the epidemic of our country.
Swine-flu; avian-flu or epidemic such as Covid-19 spread fast to other countries. Similarly, there are some who are busy exporting the evil caste system, nourished by the toxic root called Manusmriti and the graded inequality which sprang from it. I urge upon you all to avoid founding caste related forums and outfits. Establish forums of achievements related to public welfare. I am sure you people can achieve victory in this ideological warfare.
Women empowerment
I learnt from some of the Tamil Indians here that most of them are first generation graduates. Their mothers and grandmothers were all illiterate, but the women assembled here are all highly qualified. This was the social outlook of Periyar. This was the dream of Anna. Women today are intellectuals in esteemed posts and positions. Women were denied even primary education long ago. Stalwarts like Periyar and Anna have empowered women by their restless struggles. Periyar believed that the beauty of a human being lies in dignity and intellect. I urge upon you all to lead such an enviable life. Every country has problems such as blind faith and superstitions, but man has been bestowed by Nature with reasoning power. You should all use the ability to reason and fight against irrationality. Outward appearances fade away with the passing of time. Beauty is a victim of impermanence. Age takes its own toll. True beauty lies in our wisdom, knowledge, dignity and intellect. Live with a handsome heart and lead a meaningful life.
The unflinching resolve of the Japanese
History has highlighted time and again that the people of Japan are always unperturbed when they face disasters and calamities. This unflinching resolve is common in Periyar and the Japanese. Periyar too was unperturbed at all times. He believed he can face all challenges. He did have the moral courage to face the brickbats of his rivals. Some of our friends here took me yesterday to the huge statue of Buddha. On the land which faces frequent threats of tremor and quakes, the statue of Buddha – an epitome of tolerance and stoical attitude! I was surprised indeed. I urge upon all the Tamil Indians here to imbibe the self-confidence and courage of the Japanese. Inculcate the “never-say-die” spirit from the people of Japan.
Trust in ourselves
Our progress in life depends on our self-confidence. People used to ask Periyar how an individual can abolish enslavement of women. Periyar proved that he could do it as a lone warrior. Women today are free from all the shackles of slavery. The Self-respect movement founded by Periyar transformed the lives of our people. Had he not fought for the common good, you would not be here today and I would not be addressing you here. Caste discrimination was also abolished by him to a great extent as a lone warrior, but we have to fight collectively for complete victory.
Periyar used to say – “Never believe blindly what others say. Think freely and decide which is true or false. Fanatics kept our people in constant threat and soaked them in blind faith.
Periyar helped people give up their inferiority complex and made them live with self-respect. He is hailed as the “Sun of Rationalism”. Arignar Anna and Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi followed in his foot prints. Our Dravidian Model rule today in Tamil Nadu is following the noble principles of Periyar. Dravidian Movements continue to fight for the welfare of everyone of you.
Crazy rivals of Periyar used to humiliate him in multiple ways. Footwears and filthy objects were at times hurled at him when he delivered public speeches but he used to continue his oration tolerating every abuse and brickbat.
Equality of men and women
There were insensitive people who believed women can never equal men in any respect. Periyar used to say “We have two legs, two arms and two eyes for equal functioning. If one does not function, it would be a handicap. Similarly men and women should co-exist with absolute equality”. This was his argument at all times.
Perspectives of Periyar Thought
Periyar used to say that he denied the existence of God because religion promoted it. He opposed religion because it divided people based on castes. He ridiculed graded inequality and the crazy concept that people were born from different parts of the non-existent God. Periyar never believed in destiny, rebirth, heaven, hell and other idiocies.
Gullible people used to believe that God had pre-ordained their lives. Periyar used to ridicule such beliefs. He was furious when the low caste people were denied temple entry. He used to ask – “People who toiled and built the temple are outside and the upper caste people who hardly worked are inside the temple. Why should this social injustice be tolerated?”
Once our people were unable even to fill admission forms of colleges but look at our advancement today in the world of education. Only upper caste people were taught classical dance long ago. Today people of all castes learn it and practise. Muthulakshmi Reddy was the only female student in a medical college. She had to sit behind a curtain and attend classes. Women were prohibited from joining medical courses those days. She bravely attended classes and emerged as the first woman doctor in Tamil Nadu. Great men like Periyar and Anna made it possible. If our women have reached glorious heights in life today, they owe a debt of gratitude to stalwarts like Periyar and Anna.
S. Prince Ennares Periyar, V.C. Vilvam with
Asiriyar Dr. K. Veeramani at Kamakura
Luck and Fortune
Periyar never believed in the concepts of luck and fortune; auspicious and inauspicious time etc; He called it rubbish. He stressed that there is nothing good or bad; thinking makes it so. Some people in Tamil Nadu make the new bride keep her right leg first at front and step into the house of her parents – in – law. Periyar used to ask – “What sin has her left leg committed? In a Defence Academy, boys are expected to march in an order of “left and right”. Can a trainee insist on marching with his right leg at first? Periyar rubbished several other crazy concepts like this.
Periyar insisted on spirit of enquiry and scientific temper. He stressed on the indispensable need of a rationalist outlook for all of us. He paved the way for our progressive life. He protested against female infanticide, child marriage and widows being tonsured and tortured.
Summing up:
Even after the devastation caused by the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan rose to great heights. We should imbibe this indomitable courage from Japan.
Before I conclude my speech I urge upon all of you to praise the good deeds of the youth, womenfolk and the elders. Do not be frugal in commending people who really deserve praise. Throw overboard all the outdated concepts. Give top priority to equality, rationalist outlook and social justice. Use all that is old as manure for fresh growth; not as food itself. New outlook and innovative thoughts must be your food. Take on oath to adhere to the policy of social justice.
I convey my hearty thanks once again to everyone for your love, honour and hospitality.
