Tamil Nadu Political Thought Online Test 11th Political Science Lesson 15 Questions in English

The ancient ports of Korkai, Poompuhar, Vasavasamudram, Perimula, Arikamedu, Alagankulam, Mamallapuram reveal the active trade, commerce and cultural exchanges with the Southeast Asian countries, Sri Lanka, China, Egypt, Greece and Rome.

Sangam literature dated approximately 300 BC(BCE) to 300 AD(CE) is another valuable literary source(s) that reflects society, economy, culture and politics. The classification of Sangam poetry into akam (on love) and puram (on war, good and evil, community, justice and kingdom) is a revelation of the Tamil polity.

The Sangam literary works have been grouped into eight anthologies (Ettuthogai) and there is a ninth group of poems called the Patthupattu (Ten Idylls). The early part of the first two books of Tholkappiyam, a work on Tamil grammar, belongs to the same period.

The famous post-Sangam literature which was collected later as an anthology is known as the Kilkkanakku. There are 18 works as part of this collection and the most famous is Silappadikaram, Manimekalai and Eighteen Minor Works (Pathinen kilkkanakku, which includes the Thirukkural) were written during this period.

Prabandha literature consists of poetry of various forms: kovai, in which the verses are arranged according to a particular theme (usually about love), and kalambakam, in which the end of one stanza/line formed the beginning of the next (usually about kings and bravery) and parani.

The best illustrations of Prabandha Literature are the Pantikkovai, Nandikkalambakam, and Kalingattup-parani. Paripadal comes under Ettuthogai.

The literary finding(s) is also substantiated by a stone inscription of Kalinga King Kharavela (BC(BCE) 165), who claims to have destroyed a ‘Tamil federation’ which existed for 132 years. Similarly, such a Tamil federation of kings to fight foreign invasion is also mentioned in ‘Agananooru’, a sangam literature.

The land was traditionally classified according to its nature into five geographical regions (tinai): the mountainous region (kurinji), the forest areas(mullai), fertile plains (marudam), coastal region (neidhal) and arid region (palai).

The concept of State and the idea king coincided with the territorial emphasis of polity as the Greek city-state. The classical Tamil country known as Tamizhagam covered areas south of Tirupati hills up to the tip of the Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari).

Silappathikaram is about the story of Kannagi and Kovalan. Silappathikaram means the Epic of the Anklet.

The sabhai or mandram was the highest court of justice presided by the king himself. Every village had its own mandram which met at a common public place and was involved in organizing village and community activities.

Purananooru, a sangam literature, hails the Pandyan king who announces all the women, children, sick and elderly people, cattles, to move to safety zone before invading a country. The idea of justice formed the conscience of State and king. Justice is an essential element in a king’s rule.

In flags and coins the Cholas were represented by the tiger, the Cheras by the bow and arrow the Pandyas by the fish and the Pallavas by the lion.

Pandya inscriptions mention about officers for pearl fisheries as kalatika and the chief scribes as kanatikan.

The practice of caste system or jati was unknown among ancient Tamils. The idea and concept of class with differences in status based on professional distinctions did prevail. The caste system was alien and unknown to Sangam society.

Though social stratification did prevail yet legitimization of Manusmiriti or AryanBrahminical interpretation of caste as divine arrangement was not integral to the cultural universe or worldview of the ancient Tamils.

The worship of Murugan among the tribes of Tamil Nadu and the cult worship of Murugan as the warrior God was based on folk culture. An earthly composition of God is rooted in the Tamil – Dravidian traditions. It was only after the sixth century AD(CE), inscriptions were written in Tamil as well as Sanskrit.

The Pallavas maintained that as they were the descendants of Brahma, the kingship was of divine origin and was hereditary.

The Pallava period witnessed the penetration of the Aryan culture of North India into the South as well as the assimilation of some of the patterns, ideas and institutions and rejection or modification of certain other aspects. Tamil devotional culture was one of the results of this interaction as revealed by the themes and dedication of deity at temples.

In narrating the role and status of women in Tamil society we need to mention about the tradition of Avvaiyar (meaning respectable women). More than a name, this was a title, literary canon, given to distinguished women who made contributions to Tamil literature. There were as many as four to six women who held this Tamil literary canon title at different times based on different sources.

Women participated in public assemblies but rulers and administrators were mostly men. Women formed significant part of social rituals and functioned as pivots of the family despite the inheritance rights and formal authority remained with men.

Avvaiyars of Sangam age and Cholas age are best known for their extraordinary influence upon literature, culture, moral universe, nature of polity, war, peace and the art of diplomacy. Sangam age Avvaiyar lived during the 1st and 2nd century AD(CE). King Athiyaman Neduman Anchi of the Velir Dynasty was her chief patron.

Avvaiyars of Sangam age are considered as contemporary of literary legends Thiruvalluvar and Kabilar with notable contribution of verses in Natrinai, Kuruntogai, Akananooru and Purananooru. She is also credited as the most gracious and scholarly diplomat who undertook diplomatic missions for King Adhiyaman Neduman Anchi.

Avvaiyar, a poetess and friend of King Adhiyaman, ruler of Tagadur, is supposed to have helped in avoiding war between two kingdom states. King Thondaiman, ruler of Kanchipuram, had sent him a note declaring his intention to attack Thagadur

Another famous Avvaiyar was from the Cholas age, around 10thCentury AD(CE), who wrote moral universe for children and advocated ethical principles for all. Whilst her works Aathichoodi and Konraiventhan were written for young children, Mooturai and Nalvazhi were written for older children.

Political ideologies in Tamilnadu is rich with ideas, beliefs, opinions and attitudes towards society, polity and economy. This is evident from the ancient political ideas of Thiruvalluvar, whereas Bharathiyar is a nationalist and Singaravelar is a communist. According to periyar, Dravidian ideology focuses on social justice.

In Arathupal of Thirukkural, Valluvar was a great enunciator of morals; In Inbathupal, he has become a poet and in Porutpal, he is known to be a political philosopher. The political philosophy of Thiruvalluvar is applicable across times even today.

Porutpal consists of 7 parts, further it has 70 verses / couplets. They are Politics-25, Ministry-10, Defence-2, Wealth-1, Army-2, Friendship-17, and citizens-13 respectively.

In porutpal, at the first verse itself valluvar differentiated the six categories essential for a state. Thus, different parts of government are ministry, army, wealth, people, friendship and citizens, which determines the rule of a king. Moreover, these components are categorized for king in a separate way, thus contributing a lot of ideas regarding administration of a state and assets for a king.

In porutpal, Valluvar mentioned about nature of a king in detailed manner in 25 chapters starting from Qualities of ruler (Iraimatchi – chapter 39) to idukkan azhaiyaamai (Unfazed in the face of trouble – chapter 63) in 25 chapters.

Valluvar mentioned about nature of a king in the name of “Arasar”, “Vender”, “Nilan Aandavar”, “Mannavar” he has indicated 46 times about the king.

Valluvar’s political system is based on welfare state. For instance, in Iraimatchi (Qualities of a ruler), he says If a king delivered justice by doing the duties honestly, he may be regarded as a God.

The characteristics of a state is to maintain ethics, the eradication of wrong doing activity, mandating impartiality of justice and protection of honour.

King’s path is the peoples’ path, king should act as a guide for his subjects, if he does harm or evil activities, it may influence all. It is because of his position as a leader, his discipline and private life will spread to all in the kingdom.

In the monarchical rule, the integrity and ideal governance for all periods were advocated by Valluvar. People of all regions expect rain for their growth; likewise, citizens of a nation expect integrity and ideal rule of the king.

According to Valluvar iyatral, eetall, kaathal and vaguthal are the four ways of utilizing the income to be expertise by the king of nation. It is a primary duty of the king.

All such resources which was collected (Iyatral) should be put together, which is called as “Ettal”.

C. Subramaniya Bharathiyar was a poet, freedom fighter and social reformer from Tamil Nadu. His songs on nationalism and freedom of India helped to rally the masses to support the Indian Independence Movement in Tamil Nadu. He was known as Mahakavi Bharathiyar and the laudatory epithet Mahakavi means a great poet.

A new age in Tamil literature began with Subramaniya Bharathi. Most part of his compositions are classifiable as short lyrical outpourings on patriotic, devotional and mystic themes. Bharathi was essentially a lyrical poet. “Kannan Pattu” “Nilavum Vanminum Katrum” “Panchali Sabatam” “Kuyil Pattu” are examples of Bharathi’s great poetic output.

Bharathi is considered as a national poet due to his number of poems of the patriotic flavour through which he exhorted the people to join the independence struggle and work vigorously for the liberation of the country. He published the sensational “Sudesa Geethangal” in 1908.

Many years of Bharathi’s life were spent in the field of journalism, Bharathi, as a young man began his career as a journalist and as a sub-editor in “Swadesamitran” in November 1904.

“India” was the first paper in Tamil Nadu to publish political cartoons. It is not surprising therefore that soon a warrant was waiting at the door of the “India” office for the arrest of the editor of the magazine.

Bharathi also edited and published 'Vijaya', a Tamil daily “Bala Bharatha” an English monthly, and 'Suryothayam' a local weekly of Pondicherry.

Bharathi because of this worsening situation in 1908 that Bharathi decided to go away to Pondicherry, a French territory at that time, and continue to publish the “India” magazine. Bharathi resided in Pondicherry for some time to escape the wrath of the British imperialists.

In Madras, in 1908, he organised a mammoth public meeting to celebrate ‘Swaraj Day’. His poems ‘Vanthe Matharam’, ‘Enthayum Thayum’, ‘Jaya Bharath’ were printed and distributed free to the Tamil People.

During his exile, Bharathi had the opportunity to mingle with many leaders of the militant wing of the independence movement such as Aurobindo, Lajpat Rai and V. V. Subramaniam who had also sought asylum in the French ruled Pondicherry. The most profitable years of Bharathi’s life were the ten years he spent in Pondicherry.

From Pondicherry, he guided the Tamil youth of Madras to tread in the path of nationalism. This increased the anger of the British towards Bharathi’s writings. Bharathi entered British India near Cuddalore in November 1918 and was promptly arrested. Even in prison, he spent his time in writing poems on freedom, nationalism and country’s welfare.

Bharathi met Mahatma Gandhi in 1919 in Rajaji’s home at Madras. In his early days of youth, he had good relations with Nationalist Tamil Leaders like V. O. Chidambaram, Subramanya Siva, Mandayam Thirumalachariar and Srinivasachari.

Bharathi participation and activities in Benaras Session (1905) and Surat Session (1907) of the Indian National Congress impressed many national leaders about his patriotic fervour. Bharathi had maintained good relations with some of the national leaders and shared his thoughts and views on the nation and offered his suggestions to strengthen the nationalist movement.

Bharathi himself had removed his sacred thread. He believed in women’s rights, gender equality and women emancipation. He opposed child marriage, dowry system and supported widow remarriage.

Bharathi meeting with Sister Nivedita, Swami Vivekananda’s disciple, added women’s rights to his already wide repertoire of social issues from caste to Independence to spiritualism. He took up the symbolism of Shakthi as the image of modern women; powerful, strong, independent and equal partners to men.

Bharathiyar passed away on 11th September 1921.It was a travesty that only 14 people attended his funeral, fearing repercussion from the British and caste ostracization. Even today, after many decades, Subramaniya Bharathiyar stands as an undying symbol of Indian freedom and vibrant Tamil nationalism.

The emergence of Swadeshi and Home rule movement in India in the initial part of 20th century aroused the thirst for freedom. Reforms were made in Hindu religion in accordance with the existing society. These movements played a key role in creating the feeling of Indians and Nationalism in the political Scenario.

Subramaniya Bharati said “We shall not look at caste or religion, all human beings in this land, whether they be those who preach the vedas or who belong to other castes are one”.

The Labour organizations were headed by Thiru.V.Kalyanasundaranar and D.Varadharajalu in the Madras presidency. It was Singaravelar who took major efforts in the emergence of labour organizations in Madras presidency.

Singaravelar wanted to sensitize the workers on politics and wanted to engage them in the freedom struggle. But Congress Party did not accept this idea of Singaravelar. Singaravelar critised it vehemently and send telegraphs to Congress high command, following this, he wrote a letter to Mahatma Gandhi.

Singaravelar participated in the Congress Committee (1922) meeting as a representative of Tamilnadu. Singaravelar wanted to sensitize the workers on politics and wanted to engage them in the freedom struggle. He also propagated this among congress workers. he also wrote about this issue on the popular dailies Swadesamitran, The Hindu, and magazines like Navasakthi.

In the Congress Committee meeting Singaravelar explained the following demands and sought support from Congress members. 1) Indian freedom includes economic freedom of workers and farmers. 2) The welfare of farmers and labourers should also be the motto of Congress party. 3) Farmers and labourers must be included in the Indian national movement. 4) Congress leaders should help to raise masses from different organization.

Singaravelar emphasized this demand by writing in all popular dailies. As an outcome, labour protective law was passed in 1926, in India. Moreover, he advised for speaking in vernacular languages. Only then, he believed that the ideas will reach all the people. So, that leaders and people can maintain good relations.

When Periyar resigned from Congress Party citing the existence of Brahmin and Non-Brahmin divide and discrimination in the party, Singaravelar supported the action of Periyar.

After visiting USSR, Periyar was influenced by the Communist ideals. He changed the name of self-respect movement to Self-Respect Social Justice Party. Singaravelar made his contribution in framing the policies and principles of the movement. He also wrote extensively in Periyar’s Republic magazine against superstitious beliefs.

Singaravelar has a deep faith in the philosophy of Communisim. He urged the Congress party to support labour organizations. In the name of Madras Socialists, he telegraphed Congress High Command. In all the Congress Committee meetings he argued as a Communist representative.

In1923, it was he, who organized the first May Day celebrations in Chennai. In the same day, he announced the formation of labour-farmer political party.

demands of Singaravelar new political party (labour-farmer political party) are 1) Eight hours work 2) Right to form union 3) Right to strike as a last resort to pressure labour demands. 4) Minimum wages 5) Shelter with basic amenities 6) Medical and life Insurance 7) Provident fund facility 8) Earned leave 9) Free Medical assistance 10) Maternity leave11) Put an end to contract basis.

First socialist conference was headed by Singaravelar in 1925, in Kanpur. He spoke about socialism without violence. Also, he resolved for adopting Communism according to Indian circumstances. A socialist should play a role by being in the member of Congress Party, he advised. Socialist block was formed inside the Congress Party.

Since his childhood Singaravelar did not believe in the Varna System and superstitious belief. As a result of this, he established Buddhist Association and propagated against Varna System and superstitious beliefs during 1880 itself. Born in a rich family and well versed with law, he served as a member in Chennai Municipality and also in health sector. Due to the endemic diseases in the downtrodden areas, he gave priority to health and education. He also fought for rights of labourers. Based on this, he played active role in Congress Party. Later, he joined in Periyar’s Self – Respect movement.

It is to treat people as scapegoat, Capitalist Class along with other similar people, Patriotic feeling was misused, said Periyar. Nationalism has become a buzz word of addictiveness and emotionalist for the people, he exclaimed. Nationalism is an unreal feeling. Since National feeling is nothing but a conspiracy framed by rich and power-cantered, people who deceive the other people by controlling the negative emotions.

The original name of Periyar is E. V. Ramasamy. He was born in the year 1879 in an affluent business family in Erode. Even during his youth, Periyar criticized the superstitious beliefs in his family and surroundings. He did not enter politics at the early stages of his career. But still, he occupied posts like chairman of Erode municipality.

Periyar in his speech in Sri-Lanka, opposed strongly against Nation and Nationalism when others used ‘Indian Nationalism” as a weapon, Periyar spoke against these factors. He has also shown about other nations, nationalistic feeling apart from Indian Nationalism.

Periyar was attracted towards Gandhi’s entry into politics and hence joined congress and became actively participating in freedom movement and social reforms. During that period in 1920’s Congress was dominated by upper class people. But Periyar took Congress to the down trodden and successfully organized temple entry movements as a true Congress man.

Periyar said Russia has many races and cultural groups, but there is no discrimination in that nation. He also supported communist revolution. These nations which are free of nationalism, religion and God may not be affected with luxurious life styles, poverty and exploitation by rich community.

There are people who may not bother about Indians, Tamilians and the self-respect of the people. They deceive people to believe in nation and nationalism for their own welfare and betterment. If self-respect is submerged in the name of nation and nationalism that will be the crime against India, stated Periyar.

For instance, Dravidian nation had its culture, language, civilization and rule for thousands of years on accordance with historical facts. Undoubtedly it is known to all the people. “Dravidian Nationalism” proposed by Periyar was to a large extent against religious dominations.

Language should not be misused as weapon for separatism. If people are dependent upon Central rule for all kinds of amenities, there is no outcome in it. Each and everyone have their own rights to protect their languages. These rights can be protected and provided under Dravida, Socialist Republic Rule. No language can be enforced.

His argument was that the dominant communities misused Tamil, Tamil nationalism, Tamil race for sustaining the power in Tamil Nadu. It is with the help of Tamil leaders, they injected Tamil nationalism in the minds of the people for holding the power for a long time he said. Consequently, Periyar put an end to the demand of separate Tamil Nadu and upheld the ideal of casteless society.

Casteless society has become the only ambition and goals for Dravida Kazhagam, claimed Periyar. “The caste feeling, thus divided the Dravidian race and Dravidians became slaves for Aryans” stated Periyar in his writings published in the 1950’s in Tamil Nadu.

Dravidian movement developed in Madras Presidency which comprises the four major ethno-linguistic groups in South India.

The Self-Respect Movement is a movement with the aim of achieving a society where backward castes have equal human rights.

Welfare state a system whereby the state undertakes to protect the health and well-being of its citizens.

Ideal State would be a nation state that only exists in the realm of ideas and does not exist or cannot exist in the material world.

Annie Besant was the founder of Indian Home Rule Movement. Between the years 1916 and 1918, the Indian independence movement was spear headed by Dr Besant's home rule league.