Tamil Nadu Celebrates Periyar's Birthday As Social Justice Day: Check His Top 10 Non Controversial Quotes

Tamil Nadu observes the birthday of Erode Venkata Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, on September 17 each year as the 'Day of Social Justice.' Periyar was an Indian philosopher, politician, and social activist who played a crucial role in advocating for equality and justice.

Periyar led the Dravidian Movement, which sought to dismantle oppressive customs and traditions that perpetuated social inequality. He was the founder of the Self-Respect Movement and the socio-cultural organization Dravidar Kazhagam. Through his weekly magazine Kudi Arasu, Periyar voiced his opposition to political and social injustices.

His unwavering efforts reshaped Tamil Nadu's socio-political landscape, promoting a more just and equitable society. The Dravidian Movement, under his leadership, challenged age-old practices that had upheld inequality and discrimination for over two millennia.

Periyar's legacy extends well beyond his lifetime. His advocacy for self-respect and the pursuit of knowledge as core human virtues continues to inspire people from all walks of life today.

Tamil Nadu is celebrating his 146th birthday.

His quotes are often controversial yet had huge impacted on masses. On his special day, let's revisit his non-controversial quotes:

"Only education, self-respect and rational qualities will uplift the down-trodden."

"Man treats woman as his own property and not as being capable of feelings, like himself. The way man treats women is much worse than the way landlords treat servants and the high-caste treat the low-caste. These treat them so demeaningly only in situations mutually affecting them; but men treat cruelly and as slaves, from their birth till death."

"The terms Husband' and Wife' are inappropriate. They are only companions ad partners. One does not slave for other. They both have equal status."

"You cannot expect any rational thought from a religious man. He is like a rocking log in water."

"We do not need to explain how the Aryans entered and settled in the Dravidian country, and subjugated and oppressed the Dravidians. Nor do we need to explain how before the Aryans entered the Dravidian country, the Dravidian country had a civilization and arts of the highest rank."

"Many crores of rupees are squandered in this country by way offering gratitude to God and bribing Him to gain greater and greater wealth."

"Wisdom lies in thinking. The spear-head of thinking is rationalism."

"People are talking high of Thiruvalluvar. But in practice they do not respect his teachings. They act against him and disregard him."

"To discard what is unwanted, and to retain what is needed, is what reform means."

"The proper task of social reform is to remove poverty from society and to ensure that people do not sell their conscience to make a living."