Periyar Caste Quotes & Sayings

An anomaly is not an abnormality. Diversity does not signify sickness. — Georges Canguilhem

There are two great gifts which God, in his love for man, has granted from on high: the priesthood and the imperial dignity, — Justinian I

You are what you do when it counts — John Steakley

Women in India experience much worse suffering, humiliation and slavery in all spheres than even the untouchables. — Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

Without any reason or basis, untouchability has been created as a result of caste. It is foolish to think of abolishing untouchability, in the face of the continuance of caste. — Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

The duty and the responsibility of a rationalist is to thoughtfully and promptly carry out his actions, in fraternal affection, without considering country, language, God, religion and caste. — Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

Self-interest, or rather self-love, or egoism, has been more plausibly substituted as the basis of morality. — Thomas Jefferson

Nature doesn't move in a straight line, and as part of nature, neither do we. — Gloria Steinem

Why should anyone, in the name of caste, be considered lowly or be made to do a mean job?. If all in the country are given education, can there exist a caste for doing mean work? It is not because of lack of education that those people are constrained to do contemptible work and are considered lowly? — Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

In the end, I am the only one who can give my children a happy mother who loves life. — Janene Wolsey Baadsgaard

The stirring incidents of the last few months had spoiled her; the monotony of the last few weeks had bored her; and now she had just rode out in quest of adventures. — E.D.E.N. Southworth

I talked with my rustic customers and fellow merchants. I also spoke with the pious devotees and priests. These conversations generally gave shape to my anti-religion, anti-shastra, anti-purana and atheist policies. They formed the basis for my views on caste, God and religion. I also developed a general distaste for Brahminism. - Periyar, on his childhood days — Bala Jeyaraman

I want the Brahmins to realize that the Dravidian people today are very much hating those who cunningly cheated them with absurdities. They are now aware of the particular community making a living by spreading the foolishness. People have begun to hate god, religion, caste, mythologies (puranas) and so on. — Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

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. — Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

If you don't make up your mind, your unmade mind will unmake you. — E. Stanley Jones