113:
463:
and decided to contest elections, they viewed mass media as the most important tool to carry the ideology and principles of their new party to the masses. As a result, a number of films were made condemning what they regarded as "Brahmin oppression" and advocating social reform and atheism. The first
405:
In recent times, apart from sporadic outbursts of anti-Brahmin sentiment in newspapers and television, anti-Brahminism has largely subsided. Anti-Brahmin sentiment reached intense proportions on the occasion of the arrest of the Kanchi
Shankaracharya and when Periyar's statue in Srirangam was defaced
484:
was one of the biggest hits of the 1980s. The story revolved around a non-Brahmin boy who learns music from a respected
Brahmin . In the process, he falls in love with the priest's daughter and the duo prepare to elope when confronted by opposition from the society. In recent times, Iyers have been
474:. The film featured a controversial scene wherein a temple priest tries to rape a woman and was considered for a ban. However, the film became popular with the masses and triggered an era wherein many more films supporting the Dravidian ideology were made.
371:, the cultural organisation that he established continues to indulge in vehement anti-Brahmin rhetoric in its magazines and periodicals, though popular support and enthusiasm for their anti-Brahmin tirade has died down with the passage of time.
188:
he depicts the vagaries in the school-life of a young Iyer boy, Swaminathan, and how he and his family, especially his father, W. S. Srinivasan, deal with them. The book provides an interesting insight into father-son relations in traditional
431:
was based on the tale of a rich
Brahmin landlord called Vedhiyar who illtreated his farm-workers. The movie ends with Vedhiyar falling on the feet of a farmhand Nandan who worked in his fields on realising that the latter was blessed by Lord
414:
There have been an extensively large number of Indian movies in which
Brahminical practices and customs have been ridiculed or broadly stereotyped and played for laughs. Some of the early Tamil films ridiculing the Brahminical orthodoxy as
1211:
436:. This scene generated a huge controversy as orthodox Brahmins objected to Vedhiyar falling on the feet of Nandan as Vedhiyar was incidentally played by Viswanatha Iyer who was a Brahmin in real life and Nandan was played by
284:, anti-Brahminism was actively propagated by both British administrators as well as writers. J. H. Nelson, a popular administrator and writer, spoke of non-Brahmins as superior and degraded Tamil Iyers and Iyengars.
897:
145:
written by one Mulam Kilar of Avur praises the learning and character of a
Brahmin Kauniyan Vinnam Tayan of Cholanadu. The poem praises his efforts and those of his ancestors in combating the penetration of
1203:
378:, one of the earliest Tamil novelists, launched a sharp criticism of the sexual exploitation of young girls by older men in the 19th century upper caste society. His English novel
345:
From 1930 onwards, with the rise of
Periyar and the Justice Party, anti-Brahminism intensified to larger proportions. The periodicals and newspapers of the Justice Party such as
1241:
394:
penned in 1903, he describes the plight of a
Brahmin child widow. The story ends on a happy note with the remarriage of the widow as per her wishes. Ameen Merchant's
224:
There have always been movies in Tamil portraying
Brahmin society and traditional values in a positive manner until 1970. The black-and-white era saw Tamil films as
905:
1099:
1142:
264:
has a
Brahmin playing a protagonist character, where they use religion as one of the motivations, to get rid of corruption and other bad elements in society.
193:
households in the early twentieth century, besides providing details of day-to-day life. Along with the text of the tale, the sketches to accompany it, by
1278:
845:
776:
374:
There have also been novels criticising the patriarchal nature of Tamil
Brahmin society and critically portraying the plight of Brahmin women
1093:
1052:
1021:
880:
644:
1165:
123:
There have been references to Brahmins even in the earliest period of Tamil literature. A sage named Gautama who served in the court of
936:
967:
1136:
819:
444:, one of the actors Natesa Iyer drew flak from the Brahmin orthodoxy for acting in a controversial scene wherein he throws away his
388:
by a British soldier. She falls in love with the soldier and converts to Christianity on the death of her lover. In his Tamil novel
21:
have been portrayed both positively and negatively in popular media. These portrayals extend across both literature and film.
1233:
527:
There have also been a few non-Tamil films in which Iyers have been portrayed in a negative way. The portrayal of Iyers in
141:
537:
can be viewed as negative, but it also shows a positive change in one's outlook due to the dramatic events that occurred.
155:
520:
206:
94:
49:
290:
63:
602:
514:
460:
342:
were a part of an Aryan-Brahmin conspiracy and launched a veiled attack on Brahmin historians and intellectuals.
857:
316:, holds Brahmins responsible for making a conscious attempt to "foist their system on the Tamils". Hindu savant
306:, regarded as one of the instigators of the Dravidian Movement was vociferous in his attacks on Tamil Brahmins.
1268:
312:
226:
1273:
990:
466:
307:
167:
161:
326:
277:
According to J. H. Hutton, there was opposition to Brahmins from Tamils as early as the 13th century AD.
437:
243:
788:
380:
72:
417:
150:
in the Tamil land. Kauniyan Vinnam Tayan is also praised for the faithful performance of sacrifices.
390:
367:
and superstitions. Periyar's pattern of anti-Brahmin rhetoric was absorbed by his followers and the
321:
171:
written by A. Madhaviah in 1898. Both these novels portray the lives of Brahmins in rural parts of
1060:
1029:
261:
1169:
359:
139:, which belongs to an earlier era, speaks of "the victorious Brahmin". One of the poems in the
1132:
1089:
1083:
876:
815:
640:
456:
368:
317:
184:
172:
88:
1126:
928:
493:
285:
68:
239:
Except for the film Aaha (1996), Tamil brahmins have been portrayed negatively till date.
1190:
533:
476:
452:
354:
303:
83:
58:
959:
688:
487:
471:
217:
135:
129:
32:
26:
18:
1262:
512:
Kerala Iyers too have been portrayed in Tamil films as naive people in films such as
499:
232:
179:
44:
38:
1122:
481:
423:
375:
194:
78:
112:
363:
ridicules the rituals and practices of Brahmins and accuses them of propagating
281:
251:
124:
528:
445:
335:
662:
433:
364:
147:
24:
Positive portrayals in literature date back to ancient works such as the
592:
353:
launched scathing attacks on Brahmins. The works of Periyar as well as
247:
197:, in early editions, provide a wealth of information about the latter.
339:
256:
153:
The Tamil novel had its beginnings in Mayuram Vedanayakam Pillai's
505:
470:
which was a resounding hit and launched the career of Tamil actor
111:
597:
190:
1234:"25 Years of Maddy: From 'Chocolate Boy' To A Versatile Actor!"
459:
left the organisation and formed a new political party called
1204:"Is Kamal Haasan giving saffron shades to his Leftist image?"
205:
Iyers have been positively portrayed in Hindi films such as
427:(1938) were by the Tamil Brahmin director K. Subrahmanyam.
770:
768:
593:"Characters in Malayalam movie 'Iyer the Great' from IMDB"
221:
series which have fictitious Iyer characters in the lead.
658:
656:
485:
portrayed as conservative and narrow-minded in films as
81:). Films ridiculing or insulting Tamil Brahmins include
298:
The Brahmans have corrupted what they could not destroy
165:
written by B. R. Rajam Iyer in 1893 and the third was
57:
On the other hand, negative portrayals, influenced by
384:
tells the story of a Brahmin woman who is saved from
663:
Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature
464:important film attacking the Brahmin orthodoxy was
334:published in 1923, said that the classification of
294:is replete with anti-Brahmin rhetoric. He remarks:
159:which appeared in 1879. The second Tamil novel was
760:
693:Selected Writings by Dharmeratnam Sivaram (Taraki)
689:"Part 8: The Twin Narratives of Tamil Nationalism"
674:
551:
549:
440:who belonged to a lower caste. In Subrahmnayam's
1168:. Chennai, India: idlebrain.com. Archived from
296:
1128:Competitive Elections in Developing Countries
846:"Portrait of a novelist as a social reformer"
8:
839:
837:
835:
833:
831:
127:'s predecessor is praised in the Tamil work
1015:
1013:
1011:
960:"Stir in Tamil Nadu over Periyar's statue"
579:
567:
555:
242:Recently, movies by S. Shankar, such as
1166:"Films and the politics of convenience"
639:. Sahitya akademi. 1992. p. 3899.
545:
1202:Kalyanaraman, M.; Nurullah, Abdullah.
1131:. Duke University Press. p. 62.
812:Fragments of a Life: A Family Archive
7:
1214:from the original on 28 January 2022
1145:from the original on 28 January 2022
1102:from the original on 28 January 2022
970:from the original on 25 October 2020
927:Ravishankar, Ra (16 November 2004).
605:from the original on 26 January 2009
406:by activists of the Hindu Munnani.
61:, also have many examples, such as
777:"Is the Dravidian movement dying?"
637:Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature
14:
1279:Stereotypes of South Asian people
623:
332:The Civilization of the Vellalars
1244:from the original on 4 June 2021
1059:. Chennai, India. Archived from
1028:. Chennai, India. Archived from
989:Marx, Rajan (12 December 2006).
958:Chanda, Arup (8 December 2006).
939:from the original on 16 May 2008
398:depicts the life of women in an
1057:The Hindu: Cinema Plus/ Columns
1051:Guy, Randor (1 February 2008).
1026:The Hindu: Cinema Plus/ Columns
1020:Guy, Randor (8 February 2008).
1164:A. Srivathsan (12 June 2006).
929:"The Brahmanic citadel shaken"
1:
1085:Social Change in Modern India
761:Periyar Speeches and Writings
455:and a few top leaders of the
291:The Folk Tales of South India
273:In literature and print media
108:In literature and print media
64:The Folk Tales of South India
675:Folk Tales of Southern India
156:Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram
36:. In film, examples include
991:"Idol-breaking as politics"
810:Sivaraman, Mythily (2006).
748:
736:
724:
712:
1295:
898:"Crisis before Brahminism"
875:. Douglas & McIntyre.
775:Subramanian Swami (2003).
211:. Malayalam films such as
687:Sachi Sri Kantha (1992).
515:Michael Madana Kama Rajan
461:Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
402:as a gruesome endeavour.
313:The Tamils 1800 years ago
871:Merchant, Ameen (2007).
844:Viswanathan, S. (2005).
1082:Srinivas, M N (1995).
308:V. Kanakasabhai Pillai
300:
120:
1053:"Seva Sadanam ā 1938"
580:Krishnaswami Aiyangar
568:Krishnaswami Aiyangar
556:Krishnaswami Aiyangar
115:
856:(17). Archived from
787:(12). Archived from
310:, in his 1904 book,
168:Padmavathi Charitram
162:Kamalambal Charitram
896:Siddharth, Gautam.
860:on 25 January 2013.
791:on 14 December 2006
327:Vellalar Nagareegam
324:, in a book called
322:Pure Tamil Movement
268:Negative portrayals
103:Positive portrayals
1238:JFW Just for women
1208:The Economic Times
1088:. Orient Longman.
438:Dhandapani Desikar
320:, who founded the
121:
116:A statue from the
1095:978-81-250-0422-6
1022:"Nandanar ā 1935"
882:978-1-55365-309-7
646:978-81-260-1221-3
457:Dravidar Kazhagam
369:Dravidar Kazhagam
318:Maraimalai Adigal
260:and Simbu's film
185:Swami and Friends
173:Madras Presidency
1286:
1254:
1253:
1251:
1249:
1230:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1219:
1199:
1193:
1188:
1182:
1181:
1179:
1177:
1161:
1155:
1154:
1152:
1150:
1121:Ćzbudun, Ergun;
1118:
1112:
1111:
1109:
1107:
1079:
1073:
1072:
1070:
1068:
1048:
1042:
1041:
1039:
1037:
1017:
1006:
1005:
1003:
1001:
986:
980:
979:
977:
975:
955:
949:
948:
946:
944:
933:Counter Currents
924:
918:
917:
915:
913:
904:. Archived from
893:
887:
886:
868:
862:
861:
841:
826:
825:
807:
801:
800:
798:
796:
772:
763:
758:
752:
746:
740:
734:
728:
722:
716:
710:
704:
703:
701:
699:
684:
678:
672:
666:
660:
651:
650:
633:
627:
621:
615:
614:
612:
610:
589:
583:
577:
571:
565:
559:
553:
494:Panchathanthiram
286:Charles E. Gover
69:Charles E. Gover
1294:
1293:
1289:
1288:
1287:
1285:
1284:
1283:
1269:Anti-Brahminism
1259:
1258:
1257:
1247:
1245:
1232:
1231:
1227:
1217:
1215:
1201:
1200:
1196:
1191:Vedham Pudhidhu
1189:
1185:
1175:
1173:
1172:on 13 June 2006
1163:
1162:
1158:
1148:
1146:
1139:
1120:
1119:
1115:
1105:
1103:
1096:
1081:
1080:
1076:
1066:
1064:
1050:
1049:
1045:
1035:
1033:
1019:
1018:
1009:
999:
997:
995:India Interacts
988:
987:
983:
973:
971:
957:
956:
952:
942:
940:
926:
925:
921:
911:
909:
895:
894:
890:
883:
873:The Silent Raga
870:
869:
865:
843:
842:
829:
822:
809:
808:
804:
794:
792:
774:
773:
766:
759:
755:
747:
743:
735:
731:
723:
719:
711:
707:
697:
695:
686:
685:
681:
673:
669:
661:
654:
647:
635:
634:
630:
622:
618:
608:
606:
591:
590:
586:
578:
574:
566:
562:
554:
547:
543:
534:Mr and Mrs Iyer
521:Nala Damayanthi
477:Vedham Pudhidhu
453:C. N. Annadurai
412:
396:The Silent Raga
355:C. N. Annadurai
304:Robert Caldwell
275:
270:
208:Tere Mere Sapne
203:
182:'s famous book
110:
105:
96:Nala Damayanthi
84:Bhakta Nandanar
59:anti-Brahminism
51:Tere Mere Sapne
12:
11:
5:
1292:
1290:
1282:
1281:
1276:
1274:Tamil Brahmins
1271:
1261:
1260:
1256:
1255:
1225:
1194:
1183:
1156:
1137:
1113:
1094:
1074:
1063:on 23 May 2008
1043:
1032:on 23 May 2008
1007:
981:
950:
919:
888:
881:
863:
827:
820:
802:
764:
753:
741:
729:
717:
705:
679:
667:
652:
645:
628:
616:
584:
572:
560:
544:
542:
539:
488:Avvai Shanmugi
472:Sivaji Ganesan
411:
408:
391:Muthumeenakshi
274:
271:
269:
266:
218:Sethurama Iyer
213:Iyer the Great
202:
199:
130:Silappatikaram
118:Silappatikaram
109:
106:
104:
101:
27:Cilappatikaram
19:Tamil Brahmins
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1291:
1280:
1277:
1275:
1272:
1270:
1267:
1266:
1264:
1243:
1239:
1235:
1229:
1226:
1213:
1209:
1205:
1198:
1195:
1192:
1187:
1184:
1171:
1167:
1160:
1157:
1144:
1140:
1138:0-8223-0766-9
1134:
1130:
1129:
1124:
1117:
1114:
1101:
1097:
1091:
1087:
1086:
1078:
1075:
1062:
1058:
1054:
1047:
1044:
1031:
1027:
1023:
1016:
1014:
1012:
1008:
996:
992:
985:
982:
969:
965:
961:
954:
951:
938:
934:
930:
923:
920:
908:on 6 May 2021
907:
903:
899:
892:
889:
884:
878:
874:
867:
864:
859:
855:
851:
847:
840:
838:
836:
834:
832:
828:
823:
821:81-89013-11-4
817:
813:
806:
803:
790:
786:
782:
778:
771:
769:
765:
762:
757:
754:
750:
745:
742:
738:
733:
730:
726:
721:
718:
714:
709:
706:
694:
690:
683:
680:
676:
671:
668:
664:
659:
657:
653:
648:
642:
638:
632:
629:
625:
620:
617:
604:
600:
599:
594:
588:
585:
581:
576:
573:
569:
564:
561:
557:
552:
550:
546:
540:
538:
536:
535:
530:
525:
523:
522:
517:
516:
510:
508:
507:
502:
501:
496:
495:
490:
489:
483:
479:
478:
473:
469:
468:
462:
458:
454:
449:
447:
446:sacred thread
443:
439:
435:
430:
426:
425:
420:
419:
409:
407:
403:
401:
397:
393:
392:
387:
383:
382:
377:
372:
370:
366:
362:
361:
356:
352:
348:
343:
341:
337:
333:
329:
328:
323:
319:
315:
314:
309:
305:
299:
295:
293:
292:
287:
283:
278:
272:
267:
265:
263:
259:
258:
253:
249:
245:
240:
237:
235:
234:
233:Vietnam Veedu
229:
228:
222:
220:
219:
214:
210:
209:
200:
198:
196:
192:
187:
186:
181:
180:R. K. Narayan
176:
174:
170:
169:
164:
163:
158:
157:
151:
149:
144:
143:
138:
137:
132:
131:
126:
119:
114:
107:
102:
100:
98:
97:
92:
91:
86:
85:
80:
76:
75:
70:
66:
65:
60:
55:
53:
52:
47:
46:
45:Vietnam Veedu
41:
40:
39:Thyaga Bhoomi
35:
34:
29:
28:
22:
20:
16:
1246:. Retrieved
1237:
1228:
1216:. Retrieved
1207:
1197:
1186:
1174:. Retrieved
1170:the original
1159:
1147:. Retrieved
1127:
1123:Myron Weiner
1116:
1104:. Retrieved
1084:
1077:
1065:. Retrieved
1061:the original
1056:
1046:
1034:. Retrieved
1030:the original
1025:
998:. Retrieved
994:
984:
972:. Retrieved
963:
953:
941:. Retrieved
932:
922:
910:. Retrieved
906:the original
901:
891:
872:
866:
858:the original
853:
849:
811:
805:
795:11 September
793:. Retrieved
789:the original
784:
780:
756:
744:
732:
720:
708:
696:. Retrieved
692:
682:
670:
636:
631:
624:G. S. Ghurye
619:
609:11 September
607:. Retrieved
596:
587:
575:
563:
532:
526:
519:
513:
511:
504:
500:Dasavatharam
498:
492:
486:
482:Bharathiraja
475:
465:
450:
442:Seva Sadanam
441:
428:
424:Seva Sadanam
422:
416:
413:
404:
399:
395:
389:
385:
379:
376:A. Madhaviah
373:
358:
350:
346:
344:
331:
325:
311:
301:
297:
289:
279:
276:
255:
241:
238:
231:
227:Thyagabhoomi
225:
223:
216:
212:
207:
204:
195:R. K. Laxman
183:
177:
166:
160:
154:
152:
140:
134:
128:
122:
117:
95:
93:(1952), and
89:
82:
79:A. Madhaviah
73:
62:
56:
50:
48:(1970), and
43:
37:
31:
25:
23:
17:
15:
1000:7 September
974:7 September
964:The Tribune
943:3 September
912:3 September
902:The Pioneer
698:3 September
421:(1935) and
280:During the
262:Silambattam
136:TolkÄppiyam
125:Senguttuvan
33:TolkÄppiyam
1263:Categories
1248:28 January
1218:28 January
814:. Zubaan.
529:Aparna Sen
467:Parasakthi
347:Viduthalai
142:Puį¹anÄį¹Å«į¹u
90:Parasakthi
77:(1915, by
850:Frontline
781:Frontline
400:agraharam
360:Aryamayai
336:Vellalars
244:Gentleman
99:(2003).\
1242:Archived
1212:Archived
1143:Archived
1125:(1987).
1100:Archived
968:Archived
937:Archived
603:Archived
434:Nataraja
429:Nandanar
418:Nandanar
381:Clarinda
365:casteism
254:'s film
215:and the
201:In films
148:Buddhism
87:(1935),
74:Clarinda
54:(1996).
42:(1939),
30:and the
1176:20 July
1149:27 June
1106:27 June
1067:20 July
1036:20 July
751:, Pg 13
739:, Pg 12
727:, Pg 11
715:, Pg 10
677:, Pg 14
665:,Pg 257
626:, p 360
582:, Pg 52
570:, Pg 51
558:, Pg 47
410:In film
351:Justice
302:Bishop
248:Anniyan
1135:
1092:
879:
818:
749:Revolt
737:Revolt
725:Revolt
713:Revolt
643:
340:Sudras
257:Aalwar
133:. The
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541:Notes
506:Seval
451:When
252:Ajith
1250:2022
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1178:2008
1151:2010
1133:ISBN
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1090:ISBN
1069:2008
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1002:2008
976:2008
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877:ISBN
816:ISBN
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700:2008
641:ISBN
611:2008
598:IMDb
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349:and
246:and
230:and
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330:or
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