Rain was drizzling and the breeze felt pleasant as it passed by my
cheek. Hot tea complimented the resplended climate at Rajapalayam on
31st October, 2011.
Meanwhile, I noticed an uniformed band performed “Enga kula thangam, thevar kula singam” in a loud fashion and half a dozen guys were dancing to the tune on the sludgy Rajapalayam-Thenkasi highway. They were followed by more than a hundred dhothi-ed men and neatly saree-d women, I was able to see a great sense of pride as they moved closer to the statue that was a little far away from me. A man with a white turban garlanded the idol for which later poojas were made with camphor which are usually used for poojas of Gods. Exuberance filled the atmosphere. One of them shouted with full enthusiasm, “Muthuramalinga Thevar” and rest of the crowd shouted in chorus “Vazhga”. And then I realized that it was the statue of U.Muthuramalinga Thevar.
Rewinding the tape two days back, when I was in the southern districts of Tamilnadu I was able to notice a few things. There were barricades in roads for 200meters for every 30km with check posts of police at the beginning and at the end of it. Vajra, the anti-riot vehicle of police were placed in many villages which has majority Dalit population. Policemen of all nine districts which included all sorts of policemen were mobilized totally for maintaining the law and order of the state in the southern districts. The apathy was that even the policemen incharge of Kutralam who are also life guards were also pulled out of their duty for the same cause. Not just with that, TASMAC, the socializing spot for many was also closed for three days on a streak to control the crowd and you know the reason ‘why’. Known is always a drop and unknown is always an ocean, I have just put forth a known drop of mine and a lot left.
I’m glad that the Jayanthi 2011, the day marking the birth of Sri. Muthuramlingam Thevar went peacefully unlike the year 1997 which saw a heavy bloodshed. It all started just as a day for paying tribute to the great man of my grandfather’s time but later he was used as an icon for a particular sect of people. Believe me, Sri.Ukkirapandi Muthuramalinga Thevar can be regarded as the modern day Karnan and I always wish to become like him someday. When the whole of Ramanathapuram was in drought and when people came to him, he gave them land and paddy which was the need of the hour without checking who they were and what they are, that was U.Muthuramalinga Thevar. But today the day for homage has become the day to show supremacy of one over another by a few.
Thevar Jayanthi is just one of the few things that is happening around us. A few others are Sri. Immanuvel Sekaran Memorial Day, when the listed caste people of Tamilnadu come together at the Paramakudi to pay homage. This year more than 5 were shot dead during the same day and Emergency was placed in those districts. Would Mr. Immanuel Sekaran have asked for this? Would he have asked for five lives on that day? Definitely no, instead he would have asked you to work for the social upliftment as he did. But today the day to pay respect for the Major.Immanuvel Sekaran has become the day to show the rest of the people the strength by a few.
This is just not in Tamilnadu but found everywhere else. Sri Narayana Jayanthi in the ‘God’s own country’ is also one such event. As I had said earlier, this is just a drop. All these are available in various levels in the society and in all places.
Do you think the person who rallies on road for the Jayanthi knows what these great men fought for or for what they lived? Do they know what these legends considered as their pillars of life? No, they don’t. Sekaran and Thevar, the great disciples of Mahatma and Netaji respectively have been taken as icons and a certain mob is using their names to show their hatred towards others. If both of them were alive they wouldn’t have asked for this.
This disease is just not with the people but also with the government which is formed by the people. Former Chief Minister who is an atheist built the statue of Thevar at Madurai who is one of the most spiritualistic leader. You know the reason why, to please the 15 to 20 percent voting population of Tamilnadu. Present governments during one of its rule mentioned, “We are spending 20 million governments’ cash during Thevar jayanthi while the opposition spent only a petty 5 million during the day”, is it a matter of boasting? These days have been very well used by politicians to gain their vote base but are not appreciating the fact that they are dividing people.
Every day whenever I cross the Goripalyam junction I could see a minimum of 5 constables guarding the sculpture of Thevar and nearly equal number guarding Dr,BR.Ambedkar’s statue. Say the constables are paid 2L per annum then the total amount accounts to 20L per annum just for the city of Madurai for guarding the statues of two. Glide your thoughts about all the municipalities, town panchayats, and village panchayats having these statues and others as well. Just image the level upto which the government machineries and public fund is being used. If the same amount is spent on education it would have got the same Tamilnadu a minimum of 200 brilliant minds. Good government will preach their principles and will not built statues.
I’m not asking these functions to become like Gandhi Jayanthi (All due respect to Mahatma) which has just become a day for distributing chocolates in schools, closing colleges and telecasting new movies on Televisions with interviews of tinsel town hot chicks of Kollywood or become one like Nataji Subash Chandra Bose’s birthday which is not known by many. What I ask for is a peaceful function with no disturbance to public and “one for all and all for one” attitude during the day.
This vote bank politics of parties have reached such an extent where it has caused a great rift in the society where everyone is trying to show the supremacy over others. The way to save the society is not by pelt stones on statues or not by building statues or not by rallying people in support of leaders or not by spread hatred in the name of leaders but, rather by following their principles for which they lived for. Every group wants a face for branding, and these great men for the selfish needs. These leaders are not just for you or not for your group but for us and for our world. Give them to us. Whenever a statue is guarded we should feel ashamed and we should make it a point to preclude our future generation learn and practice these divisions, sects and hatred.
To communal harmony,
Alagiri Samy.S
www.rebelspath.blogspot.com
* Intention of this post is not to hurt feelings of any individual. if I had, I’m sorry.
Meanwhile, I noticed an uniformed band performed “Enga kula thangam, thevar kula singam” in a loud fashion and half a dozen guys were dancing to the tune on the sludgy Rajapalayam-Thenkasi highway. They were followed by more than a hundred dhothi-ed men and neatly saree-d women, I was able to see a great sense of pride as they moved closer to the statue that was a little far away from me. A man with a white turban garlanded the idol for which later poojas were made with camphor which are usually used for poojas of Gods. Exuberance filled the atmosphere. One of them shouted with full enthusiasm, “Muthuramalinga Thevar” and rest of the crowd shouted in chorus “Vazhga”. And then I realized that it was the statue of U.Muthuramalinga Thevar.
Rewinding the tape two days back, when I was in the southern districts of Tamilnadu I was able to notice a few things. There were barricades in roads for 200meters for every 30km with check posts of police at the beginning and at the end of it. Vajra, the anti-riot vehicle of police were placed in many villages which has majority Dalit population. Policemen of all nine districts which included all sorts of policemen were mobilized totally for maintaining the law and order of the state in the southern districts. The apathy was that even the policemen incharge of Kutralam who are also life guards were also pulled out of their duty for the same cause. Not just with that, TASMAC, the socializing spot for many was also closed for three days on a streak to control the crowd and you know the reason ‘why’. Known is always a drop and unknown is always an ocean, I have just put forth a known drop of mine and a lot left.
I’m glad that the Jayanthi 2011, the day marking the birth of Sri. Muthuramlingam Thevar went peacefully unlike the year 1997 which saw a heavy bloodshed. It all started just as a day for paying tribute to the great man of my grandfather’s time but later he was used as an icon for a particular sect of people. Believe me, Sri.Ukkirapandi Muthuramalinga Thevar can be regarded as the modern day Karnan and I always wish to become like him someday. When the whole of Ramanathapuram was in drought and when people came to him, he gave them land and paddy which was the need of the hour without checking who they were and what they are, that was U.Muthuramalinga Thevar. But today the day for homage has become the day to show supremacy of one over another by a few.
Thevar Jayanthi is just one of the few things that is happening around us. A few others are Sri. Immanuvel Sekaran Memorial Day, when the listed caste people of Tamilnadu come together at the Paramakudi to pay homage. This year more than 5 were shot dead during the same day and Emergency was placed in those districts. Would Mr. Immanuel Sekaran have asked for this? Would he have asked for five lives on that day? Definitely no, instead he would have asked you to work for the social upliftment as he did. But today the day to pay respect for the Major.Immanuvel Sekaran has become the day to show the rest of the people the strength by a few.
This is just not in Tamilnadu but found everywhere else. Sri Narayana Jayanthi in the ‘God’s own country’ is also one such event. As I had said earlier, this is just a drop. All these are available in various levels in the society and in all places.
Do you think the person who rallies on road for the Jayanthi knows what these great men fought for or for what they lived? Do they know what these legends considered as their pillars of life? No, they don’t. Sekaran and Thevar, the great disciples of Mahatma and Netaji respectively have been taken as icons and a certain mob is using their names to show their hatred towards others. If both of them were alive they wouldn’t have asked for this.
This disease is just not with the people but also with the government which is formed by the people. Former Chief Minister who is an atheist built the statue of Thevar at Madurai who is one of the most spiritualistic leader. You know the reason why, to please the 15 to 20 percent voting population of Tamilnadu. Present governments during one of its rule mentioned, “We are spending 20 million governments’ cash during Thevar jayanthi while the opposition spent only a petty 5 million during the day”, is it a matter of boasting? These days have been very well used by politicians to gain their vote base but are not appreciating the fact that they are dividing people.
Every day whenever I cross the Goripalyam junction I could see a minimum of 5 constables guarding the sculpture of Thevar and nearly equal number guarding Dr,BR.Ambedkar’s statue. Say the constables are paid 2L per annum then the total amount accounts to 20L per annum just for the city of Madurai for guarding the statues of two. Glide your thoughts about all the municipalities, town panchayats, and village panchayats having these statues and others as well. Just image the level upto which the government machineries and public fund is being used. If the same amount is spent on education it would have got the same Tamilnadu a minimum of 200 brilliant minds. Good government will preach their principles and will not built statues.
I’m not asking these functions to become like Gandhi Jayanthi (All due respect to Mahatma) which has just become a day for distributing chocolates in schools, closing colleges and telecasting new movies on Televisions with interviews of tinsel town hot chicks of Kollywood or become one like Nataji Subash Chandra Bose’s birthday which is not known by many. What I ask for is a peaceful function with no disturbance to public and “one for all and all for one” attitude during the day.
This vote bank politics of parties have reached such an extent where it has caused a great rift in the society where everyone is trying to show the supremacy over others. The way to save the society is not by pelt stones on statues or not by building statues or not by rallying people in support of leaders or not by spread hatred in the name of leaders but, rather by following their principles for which they lived for. Every group wants a face for branding, and these great men for the selfish needs. These leaders are not just for you or not for your group but for us and for our world. Give them to us. Whenever a statue is guarded we should feel ashamed and we should make it a point to preclude our future generation learn and practice these divisions, sects and hatred.
To communal harmony,
Alagiri Samy.S
www.rebelspath.blogspot.com
* Intention of this post is not to hurt feelings of any individual. if I had, I’m sorry.
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