Protests against casteism in the social reform discourse of the thanthai periyar: a historical review

Abstract

This study critically examines the anti-caste reformist interventions of erode Venkata Ramasamy (Thanthai Periyar), focusing on his pivotal role in reshaping the socio-political landscape of early twentieth-century tamil nadu. While critiques of caste hierarchy and untouchability had intermittently emerged within indigenous intellectual traditions, colonial transformations particularly the spread of modern education, liberal legal reforms, and print culture enabled such critiques to attain sustained public visibility. Through the self- respect movement, founded in 1925, periyar advanced a systematic and uncompromising challenge to caste orthodoxy and religious conservatism. His rationalist, humanist, and egalitarian ideology sought the abolition of untouchability, the promotion of inter-caste marriage, the democratization of educational and occupational access, and temple entry for all communities. Despite resistance from dominant caste groups and religious institutions, periyar’s activism catalyzed enduring shifts in public consciousness. Though tangible structural changes during his lifetime were limited, his ideas profoundly influenced later struggles for social justice and equality in South India. This research adopts a historically grounded methodology, integrating primary sources including speeches, writing, and organizational documents with secondary academic scholarship. By situating Periyar’s activism within broader anti-caste movements in colonial and postcolonial India, it underscores his enduring legacy in shaping contemporary debates on caste, identity, and structural reform.