E V R Periyar Quotes

#1. Till the end of my life, I shall never canvas for a vote. I shall not even expect a word of praise from any quarter.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#2. 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

#3. There is no god, there is no god, there is no god at all. He who invented god is a fool. He who propagates god is a scoundrel. He who worships god is a barbarian.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#4. The terms 'Husband' and 'Wife' are inappropriate. They are only companions ad partners. One does not slave for other. They both have equal status.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#5. While all men are born as equals, to say that Brahmins alone are the highest and all others are low as Pariah (the Untouchables ) or Panchama is sheer nonsense. It is roguish to say so. It is a big hoax played on us

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#6. Any opposition not based on rationalism or science or experience will one day or other, reveal the fraud, selfishness, lies and conspiracies.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#7. Women in India experience much worse suffering, humiliation and slavery in all spheres than even the untouchables.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#8. Marriages should culminate on account of the wishes of the couple. It is their knitting of the hearts that should lead to marriages

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#9. The proper task of social reform is to remove poverty from society and to ensure that people do not sell their conscience to make a living.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#10. You cannot expect any rational thought from a religious man. He is like a rocking log in water .

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#11. A male has the right to wander about as he pleases. He has the right to marry any number of girls. This practice has led to prostitution.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#12. Money lending is a horrible profession. If we are to call it otherwise it is lawful plundering.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#13. Whomsoever I love and hate, my principle is the same. That is, the educated, the rich and the administrators should not suck the blood of the poor.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#14. Our thoughts of literary renaissance should always center themselves on the removal of superstition, meanness, indignity and ignorance.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#15. It is absurd to quote religion or God or religious doctrines to render the people as lowest castes.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#16. We do not need to explain how the Aryans entered and settled in the Dravidian country, and subjugated and oppressed the Dravidians. Nor do we need to explain how before the Aryans entered the Dravidian country, the Dravidian country had a civilization and arts of the highest rank.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#17. I want to say a word to the Brahmins: In the name of God, religion, sastras you have duped us. We were the ruling people. Stop this life of cheating us from this year. Give room for rationalism and humanism.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#18. Because our ladies mostly attend Kalatshepams, (Religious discourses) they have fallen prey to the superstitions, blind beliefs, and immorality by the false and fictituous propaganda of the Brahmins

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#19. Every one has the right to refute any opinion. But no one has the right to prevent its expression.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#20. There is no use of simply acquiring titles or amassing wealth if one has no self-respect and scientific knowledge .

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#21. Many crores of rupees are squandered in this country by way offering gratitude to God and bribing Him to gain greater and greater wealth.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#22. Foreigners are sending messages to the planets. We are sending rice and cereals to our dead fore-father through the Brahmins. It is a wise deed?

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#23. Capitalists control the machineries. They create difficulties to the workers. Consequently rationalism , which has to lead the way for peaceful life to all, has resulted in causing poverty and worries to the people because of dominating forces

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#24. Village reform is not merely cleaning the roads, constructing schools and worshipping monasteries. It is not mere celebration of festivals.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#25. By helping the poor, we must be able to remove their poverty. But extending help to one here and one there in the form of providing food will not remove poverty.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#26. I am a plain person. I have merely spoken out my mind. I do not say you should believe what I have said because it alone is certain. Accept such ideas as can be accepted, with the help of your reason, after a sound inquiry. Reject the rest.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#27. The number of those who do selfless public service and those who serve without expecting any return, should increase. Their sterling qualities should show the way to the people at large. Their life would be a model to show how man should conduct himself in public life.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#28. Religious devotion is for the individual. Character is for all. There is no loss if there is no devotion. Everything is lost if there is no character.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#29. The word 'Sudra' which means 'Son of prostitute' should not find a place even in the history hereafter. We will not allow it to find a place in the dictionary or encycl

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

#30. To discard what is unwanted, and to retain what is needed, is what reform means.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy