The south Indian state of Tamil Nadu has become a battleground for the proponents of Hindutva and the champions of Tamil nationalism. Hindutva is the rallying cry of the Bharathiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a militant Hindu nationalist group that has for decades provided the shock troops for the BJP.
The BJP’s approach is based on the assumption that the predominantly Hindu Tamils could be persuaded to embrace Hindu nationalism based on Hindutva, which calls for a homogeneous identity for all Hindus by eschewing other markers, languages and cultures.
Tamil nationalism
This runs counter to Tamil nationalism, which derives its identity from language and rejects religion as a marker of Tamil identity.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a political party founded in 1949, and several other Tamil nationalist parties and personalities have joined together in countering Hindutva. A DMK offshoot and political rival, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, is in no position to take on the BJP, having imploded after the death of its charismatic leader Jayaram Jayalalithaa.
The success of the DMK and the AIADMK is a testimony to the potency of Tamil nationalism, which both parties have successfully exploited. In the hands of the DMK, Tamil nationalism became an ideology of mass mobilization. This has enabled the DMK and the AIADMK to secure and hold political power for more than 50 years.
The clash
In January, the latest clash between these two nationalisms was played out in two separate incidents. Central to both incidents was H Raja, the national secretary of the BJP, the ruling party federally.
In late January, at an event marking the release of a book by H Raja’s father, a participant at the event, a Hindu priest, triggered a controversy by not standing up when the Tamil anthem was played. Vijayendra Saraswathi remained seated even as other dignitaries such as the chief guest, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, stood up for the Tamizh Thai Vazhthu.
The Tamil anthem is sung or played at the beginning of functions in Tamil Nadu. By not standing up, Vijayendra Saraswathi angered the public. Several public figures condemned the Hindu priest for disrespecting Tamil sentiments, and these notably included leading politicians across Tamil Nadu with strong nationalistic leanings.
Earlier in January, Vairamuthu, a Tamil scholar, speaking on Andal, one of the best-loved Hindu poet-saints of the Tamils, quoted from the 1978 book Indian Movements: Some Aspects of Dissent, Protest and Reform, which identified Andal as a devadasi. The term devadasi is open to interpretation; it could mean a female servant of a deva (god) or in a more pedestrian sense a temple prostitute.
The BJP’s Raja mounted a vituperative attack by claiming that Vairamuthu had reduced the Hindu saint to a common prostitute. The attack gained momentum as several Andal devotees joined in, believing Vairamuthu had tarnished the image of Andal. This was met by a massive uproar against H Raja by Tamil nationalists who accused him of exploiting religious sentiments for political gain.
Political vacuum
The BJP’s evocation of Hindutva is an obvious attempt to capture power based on the perception that there is a political vacuum in Tamil Nadu.
Since 1967, Tamil Nadu’s politics has been dominated by two regional political parties, the DMK and AIADMK. Ever since the DMK captured political power in 1967, the state has been ruled by one of these two parties.
In terms of policy and ideology, the two parties are similar. The distinction is largely attributable to the personalities of its leaders. Both parties have had charismatic leaders with mass appeal.
The DMK’s M Karunanidhi has led the party since 1969, when he became leader after the death of its founder C N Annadurai. At the age of 92, Karunanidhi created history by winning his seat in the legislative assembly for the 13th time in a row in 2016. However, old age and ill health made him retire from politics.
The AIADMK owed its success to its own charismatic leaders, M G Ramachandran, who was its leader since his split from the DMK to form the new party in 1972 until his death in 1989. And thereafter Jayalalithaa led the party from 1989 until her untimely demise in December 2016 while in office.
Since then the AIADMK has been torn apart by a leadership struggle, while the DMK is yet to find a leader who can match Karunanidhi. M K Stalin, the son of Karunanidhi and heir apparent, is yet to prove himself.
Strategy and tactics
It is this apparent political vacuum caused by the departures of Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi that seems to have rekindled the BJP’s hopes of securing a foothold in Tamil Nadu. This sits well with the BJP’s two-stage strategy – electoral victory at the national level, which has been achieved, to be followed by similar success at the state level.
The tactics used by the proponents of Hindutva have been shaped by the RSS’s tried and tested methods in northern India. In the north, it is not difficult to provoke anti-Islamic sentiment because of the widely held belief that conversions to Islam were made at the point of the sword, and memories of the horrendous clashes between Hindus and Muslims that took place during India’s partition have not faded away.
Anti-Christian sentiments are also much more pronounced in northern Indian states than in the southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which have larger Christian populations and longer exposure to Christianity.
H Raja’s tactics are predicated on the assumption that by labeling anyone expressing anti-BJP sentiments, or by referring to his or her Islamic or Christian background, a religious divide could be perpetrated. Last October, Raja’s attempt to discredit Tamil actor Vijay, who had been critical of the BJP’s politics, by “outing” him as a Christian failed.
It is hard to refute the assessment by Ramu Manivannan, head of the department of politics at the University of Madras, that the BJP has forfeited the opportunity to present itself as a potential alternative by embarking on polarizing tactics and intimidating strategies to gain access to political power.
இதுல சீமான் பேரே வராம பாத்துக்கிட்ட பாத்தியா அதுதாண்டா அயோக்கியத்தனம் அப்படிங்கிறது.
‘This runs counter to Tamil nationalism, which derives its identity from language and rejects religion as a marker of Tamil identity.’
This would be yet another separation between Modi’s Hindutva which is derived from Gujrarat, her legacy of the Maratha Empire and the fact that Gujarati is an Indo Aryan language.
-Tamil Nationalism is old and the Tamil language is considered the oldest language in the world (according to Google). Tamil one of India’s classical languages on par with Sanskrit and a the mother language of the Dravidian family of languages (others being Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam).
Tamil culture help define and shape Hinduism in a major manner. Hinduism got the iconic "Shiva Nataraja" from Tamils. India’s oldest and most famous classical dance, Bharatanatyam, which went on to influence dances in South east Asia is Tamil.
Tamil is one of the few "international" languages of India and is an official language in India, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malayasia. There are over 100 million Tamil speakers.
Tamil Hindu Architecture is one of the crowning glories of Hinduism. Her massive Gopurams and city sized Temples with their 1 thousand pillared halls are some of the grandest expressions of Hinduism.
Tamil Hindu philosophers from Shankara, Thiruvalluvar to a long list are the heritage of Hinduism’
Tamil Empires including the Chola, Pandya, Pallava and Vijayanagar were some of the greatest Hinduism ever had.
Tamil Hindu nationalists were some of the deadliest South Asia has known. Calling themselves the Tamil Tigers they launched a 30 year war in neighboring Sri Lanka for a Tamil homeland called Eelam which still remains an issue
Tamil culture resisted Sanscitization of her language 2 thousand years ago and the imposition of Hindi in the 20th century.
Tamils were never ruled by New Delhi except under the British Empire and in the modern age.
If Tamil Nadu were to become an independent nation and be joined by her sister Dravidian states of Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which together were under the Madras Presidency, it would be a nation of over 200 thousand square miles with over 200 million people. It would include vast natural resources, strategic ports and some of the highest standards of living.
The Angkor Vat of Camodia is predominantly based on Tamil Temple architecture mimiking the vastness of Tamil Temples. However the 5 star pattern of Angkor Vat’s shikaras is based on Sanskrit architectural design.
Michael Bagala,
I grew up in a predominantly Tamil suburb. So, I have an affinity with people who spoke Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Back on the late 80’s a Tamil Singaporean friend went to India as a tourist to visit the birthplace of his grandparents in Tamil Nadu. All was like a homecoming until he went North to Delhi and to to Mumbai. He said the Northern Indians treated him like an inferior person because of his very dark, blacker than African, skin.
Based on his traumatic experience, I think the Dravidians should fight for independence. Why be treated as an inferior Indian? I was totally shocked when I found out about this fair v dark skin discrimination by the Northern Indians! Shameful! Stuff and **** off the Hindutva of the BJP? They can go back to the Aryan Mountains where their ancestors came from!
Vince Cheok
Thanks for sharing. The Dravidian South is racially very diverse. I agree a good number are very dark, but the range of complexion includes fair complexion. Some of the most attractive Indians I have met have been dark skinned Tamils with green colored eyes. In addition South India has sharper features and more delicate bone structure.
It could be due to all those invasions from Afganistan that North Indians generally do not have delicate features, tend to be more hairy, and the mannerism is more harsh.
I see that difference between Bollywood movies and Tamil Movies, which is something I failed to mentiion in my original comment. The Tamil movie industry not only equals Bollywood in production numbers but is better in quality, especially movies from the 1960;s (Golden age). Tamil movies had a greater influence before North Indians became an expat community. The Tamil movie industry spanned the Middle East, good part of Africa, and South East Asia. Customs and traditions shown in those films had as much an influence in those areas as Hollywood often does but few give the Tamil industry this credit. One classic example are the actresses Padmini Devi and Vijayantimala. Both were accomplished Bharatanatyam classical dancers and due to them brought classical dance to the cinema and influenced choreography both in the South and in Bollywood.
It is due to the hegemony of New Delhi that the entire Southern culture is practically unknown outside of India. Most Americans think of the language Hindi, and the Taj Mahal as the only face and voice of India.
Vince Cheok
Oops I forgot. Yes I agree with you. South India has nothing to do with North India’s incessant problems with Pakistan or Muslim invasions. Her history does not reflect that sense of being invaded and jubjugated like North Indians have.
As a matter of fact South Indian history is positive and was far more sea faring than North Indian Hindus. Ancient Tamils had no problem crossing the ocean to go to South East Asia. North Indian Hindus did. Also South Indian Hinduism is life affirming, North Indian Hinduism tends to be nihilistic (life is an illusion, that kind of thing). The gulf between South Indian Dravidians and North India is greater than the Indian ocean.
South India does not have winters and can grow up to 4 crops per year. North India cannot due to Winters.
South India was more familiar with the Roman Empire, China, and South East Asia. The port of Cochin was known to the Middle East and to ancient Greece.
Unlike the Hindu monuments of the North one does not see the wholescale destruction on South Indian Hindu monuments.
Considering the literacy of Kerala, the massive natural resources, places like Bangalore, and ports like Vishakapatanam South India can easily emerge as a powerful nation free of problems with the Muslim world and more open to dealing with China than North India could achieve.
Although, the essay is good on substance but it seems the author either fails to highlight the root cause of the issue or he is unaware of it, ie the Aryan race based Brahmanical religious supremacist discrimination called caste system, which is the mother of all the problems in the contemporary India.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trxfck1hpqk H RAJA IS A GREAT GUY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trxfck1hpqk H RAJA IS A GREAT GUY
ANA PARAIYAR IS A CHRISTIAN NOT A HINDU
ANA PARAIYAR IS A CHRISTIAN NOT A HINDU