பெரியார் ஈ.வெ. ராமசாமியும் தமிழகப் பெண்கள் மறுமலர்ச்சியும்: ஒரு வரலாற்று ஆய்வு

Abstract

Among the social renaissance movements that emerged in Tamil Nadu at the beginning of the twentieth century, the Self-Respect Movement led by Thanthai Periyar E.V. Ramasamy holds a unique place. Periyar fiercely criticized not only caste and religious domination, but also the structural systems that enslaved women, such as the family institution, marriage systems, denial of property rights, and denial of education. This article examines Periyar's feminist thoughts within their historical background. It attempts to establish that he did not import women's liberation from Western theories, but rather formulated it from Tamil Nadu's own social realities. The contributions of women leaders such as Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar, Neelavathi, and Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, alongside Periyar's struggles in areas such as the abolition of the Devadasi system, self-respect marriages, widow remarriage, women's education, and changes in attire and habits, are discussed here. The relevance of Periyar's feminist thoughts to contemporary demands for gender justice is also analyzed. Finally, the historical significance and limitations of the theory of women's liberation put forth by Periyar are reviewed.