Dravidian Engagement With RSS In Tamil Nadu

We want to borrow from Swami Vivekananda’s quote here: “Each work has to pass through these stages—ridicule, opposition, and then acceptance.” This has been true for the RSS: not just in Tamil Nadu, but across India. Around 50 years ago, Hindu ideals were subject to politicised mocking, and the idea of Tamil nationalism was spreading its roots. There are still people who slight Hindu culture. As the decades have passed, Hindu society has awakened. Silent toleration has turned into displeasure being voiced.

In 1971, naked portraits of Shri Rama and Sita were paraded in Tamil Nadu with ‘slipper garlands’. Today, this cannot happen anymore. Collective work by the RSS, many spiritual leaders, Hindu organisations, intellectuals and social workers, the ground reality has shifted. The RSS, which was ridiculed earlier, has also started gaining acceptance from society. We have shakhas (daily gatherings) in almost all localities at the Panchayat Union level. Every year, we receive thousands of ‘Join RSS’ requests in Tamil Nadu through our website.

Dravidianism as an ideology does not have a clear definition. Outside Tamil Nadu, it has virtually no takers. Is it based on language or geography or ideology? Those who claim to be patrons of the ideology have not come up with a clear answer to this question for around 100 years now. Tamil nationalism, meanwhile, is not a new concept. It also has not had many takers in all these years. We are not sure whether these organisations themselves accept your labelling of ‘left-wing’ vs ‘right-wing’. That said, we would like to reiterate that state political borders were drawn seven decades ago for the sake of administrative convenience. We may be born in any part of India. We may differ in the language we speak, food we eat or festivals we celebrate. However, spiritually and culturally we are connected. We all belong to one nation, India. This is the inherent nature of Indian society and in the long term, this cannot be changed by anyone.

Periyar is one of the social reformers Tamil Nadu has seen in the last 100 years. However, he is not the only one; and has not pioneered anything that is credited solely to him by his ardent followers. For example, they claim Periyar is the reason for Dalit temple entry and women’s education. Both of these are completely false claims. Hundreds of social leaders were working and fighting for temple access for Dalits in Tamil Nadu; some were very successful in their battle. For instance, Sri Vaidyanatha Iyer and Muthuramalinga Thevar successfully led a group of Dalit into the famous Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple in 1939.

From the Vedic period, Tamil Nadu has seen many women rulers and scholars. Sembian Mahadevi, Velu Nachiyar, Rani Mangammal all lived and ruled this land. Avvaiyar, Kaaraikkal Ammaiyar, Aandaal were all great scholars. Muthulakshmi Reddy became a doctor in 1912, even before E.V.R. was a prominent leader. Official documents by the British reveal gurukuls for boys and girls in the erstwhile Madras Presidency in the 19th century.

With respect to Periyar eradicating caste, Tamil Nadu has seen this occur only at the ‘Names of Roads’ level. We see caste clashes continuing to happen regularly. Electoral politics continues to be played mostly on a caste basis even now. Temple entry is still restricted in many Tamil Nadu villages based on caste, even after seven decades of political prominence by Dravidian parties. Periyar has expounded many radical thoughts and ideas which may attract a few but are not practically implementable.

The Aryan-Dravidian theory is fake. Swami Vivekananda, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi have conducted extensive studies on this: particularly, the Aryan invasion theory. All of them have dismissed it as a hoax. Recent studies and excavations also strongly suggest that there has been no evidence of Aryan invasion. Britishers used Max Muller’s theory to cause a deep faultline in Indian society. The Dravidian political leadership caught on to this false propaganda and has run a successful campaign based on it. No one outside Tamil Nadu sees themselves as Dravidians. This is nothing but a weak attempt at creating division in society for their political advantage. India is one nation connected together by its spiritual culture, ranging from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

Tamil Nadu is a land of Sanatana Dharma. We are home to 84 of the 108 Vaishnva Divya Kshethrams, 276 sacred Shiva temples (paadal petra thalam), four Shakti peeths, 12 Aazhvaar, 18 Siddhar, 63 Nayanmar. Not all Tamil saints are Brahmins. Countless literature has been written since the Sangam age praising the Hindu gods and the Puranas. There is widespread Bhakti literature in Tamil: Thiruppavai, Thiruvembavai, Periya Puranam, Kamba Ramyanam, Thiruvasagam, Thiruppugazh, etc. Even today, every temple festival attracts thousands and thousands of devotees. It is not an over-statement to say that Tamil Nadu has been a key centre of Hindu Dharma.

However, unfortunately, over the last 1000 years, Hindu society in Tamil Nadu (and India) has been contaminated by certain factors. Caste discrimination and untouchability have spread across various sects of the society. This is definitely a degradation of a civilised society. Hindu Dharma says that all descendants are from the same divine element.

There is no evidence in any of the Vedas, scriptures or literature that puts one caste over the other. Shri Krishna says that Varna is defined by deeds and not by birth. But ignoring all these truths, some elements sowed discrimination in Hindu society. Instead of reconciling differences between communities through dialogues and proactive measures, some selfish leaders pitted one against another. The ‘Divide and Rule’ policy which was first started by the British was sustained in other forms by political leaders.

The RSS, on the other hand, works towards uniting the entire Hindu society. The RSS doesn’t see anyone as an adversary. We always strive hard to make people realise the truth of oneness through positive and proactive dialogue. We want the entire society to come together to take India to the pinnacle of glory in every walk of life.

This story appeared as 'One Hundred Years Of...Prachar' in the print edition of Outlook magazine’s October 21 issue titled Who is an Indian?, which offers a bird's-eye view of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), testimonies of exclusion and inclusion, organisational complexities, and regional challenges faced by the organisation.