Xavierncr at 04:11, 8 January 2026

2026-01-08T04:11:22Z

New page

{{italic title}}
{{Periyar}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
[[File:Periyarkutiarasu.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Front page of ''Kudi Arasu'' (3 September 1939). The headline reads "Veezhga Indhi" (Down with Hindi) during [[Anti-Hindi agitation of 1937-40]]]]
'''''Kudi Arasu''''' (also pronounced as '''''Kudiyarasu'''''; English: Republic) was a [[Tamil language|Tamil]] weekly magazine published by [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy]] in [[Madras Presidency]] (present-day [[Tamil Nadu]]) in India.

== History ==
Periyar started ''Kudi Arasu'' on 2 May 1925 in [[Erode]]<ref name="Srilata2003">{{cite book|author=K. Srilata|title=The Other Half of the Coconut: Women Writing Self-respect History : an Anthology of Self-respect Literature (1928–1936)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4AOnhw_0UREC&pg=PA25|year=2003|publisher=Zubaan|isbn=978-81-86706-50-3|pages=25–26}}</ref> with K. M. Thangaperumal pillai as the editor. Its initial publications were issued weekly on Sunday with 16 pages at a cost of one [[Anna (monetary subunit)|anna]]. In November 1925, Periyar quit the [[Indian National Congress]] after his failed attempt to bring [[Reservation in India|reservation]] for non-Brahmins in educational institutions and government jobs.<ref name="Muthiah2008">{{cite book|author=S. Muthiah|title=Madras, Chennai: A 400-year Record of the First City of Modern India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tbR_LLkqdI8C&pg=PA354|year=2008|publisher=Palaniappa Brothers|isbn=978-81-8379-468-8|page=354}}</ref> [[S. Ramanathan (politician)|S. Ramanathan]] who founded Self Respect Movement in 1921 along with like minded friends, invited EVR to spearhead the [[Self-Respect Movement]] to propagate [[self-respect]] among Indians, especially [[Tamils]]. The magazine became the mouthpiece of the movement.<ref name="Krishnaraj2012">{{cite book|author=Maithreyi Krishnaraj|title=Motherhood in India: Glorification without Empowerment?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BFZkVq2vHtkC&pg=PA203|date=27 April 2012|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-136-51779-2|page=203}}</ref><ref name="Mallampalli2004">{{cite book|author=Chandra Mallampalli|title=Christians and Public Life in Colonial South India, 1863–1937: Contending with Marginality|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g_N-AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA176|date=31 July 2004|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-35025-4|page=176}}</ref> The magazine circulated in the [[Tamil diaspora]], for which [[Thamizhavel G. Sarangapani]] played a prominent role.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://tamilnation.co/hundredtamils/sarangapany.htm | title=Thamizhavel G. Sarangapani | publisher=tamilnation.co | work=The Modern rationalist | accessdate=21 March 2014}}</ref> It had Periyar's wife [[Nagammai]], his sister Kannammal<ref name="Srilata2003" /> and his brother E. V. Krishnasamy<ref name="critic" /> as the publisher for a period of time when he was on tour or arrested. It ceased publication on 5 November 1949.{{fact|date=July 2020}}

== Publications ==
Periyar wrote several articles [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy and women's rights|on women's rights]], [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy and religion|on atheism]] and [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy and the eradication of caste|against the caste system]]. Others like [[Malayapuram Singaravelu Chettiar|M. Singaravelu]] wrote many articles on socialism.<ref name="Omvedt2006">{{cite book|author=Gail Omvedt|title=Dalit Visions: The Anti-caste Movement and the Construction of an Indian Identity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kCwpXZlKqL0C&pg=PA57|date=1 January 2006|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=978-81-250-2895-6|page=57}}</ref>

In an editorial dated 29 March 1931, Periyar criticised [[Mahatma Gandhi]] for [[Bhagat Singh]]'s death.<ref name="critic">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/periyar-admired-bhagat-singh-criticised-gandhiji/article2380792.ece | title=Periyar admired Bhagat Singh, criticised Gandhiji | work=The Hindu | date=22 August 2011 | accessdate=21 March 2014}}</ref> He wrote,
<blockquote>There is no one who has not condoled the death of Mr. Bhagat Singh by hanging. There is none who has not condemned the government for hanging him. Besides, we now see several people known as patriots and national heroes scolding Mr. Gandhi for the happening of this event.<ref name="SinghHooja2007">{{cite book|author1=Bhagat Singh|author2=Bhupendra Hooja|title=The Jail Notebook and Other Writings|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OAq4N60oopEC&pg=PA189|year=2007|publisher=LeftWord Books|isbn=978-81-87496-72-4|pages=189–}}</ref></blockquote>

The Madras government of the [[British Raj]] banned the magazine at several occasions for various reasons including sedition and for propagating communism. In 1935, the Tamil version of ''[[Why I am an Atheist]]'' was banned,<ref name="Reddy2002">{{cite book|author=Kanchi Venugopal Reddy|title=Class, Colonialism, and Nationalism: Madras Presidency, 1928-1939|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xzb0blj57o4C&pg=PA85|year=2002|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-854-9|pages=85–}}</ref> and translator [[P. Jeevanandham]] and publisher E.V. Krishnasamy were arrested.<ref name="critic" />

== In recent times ==
In 2010, works from between 1925 and 1938 were reproduced and published as books.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/periyars-speeches-writings-released/article461145.ece | title=Periyar's speeches, writings released | work=The Hindu | date=12 June 2010 | accessdate=22 March 2014}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Defunct magazines published in India]]
[[Category:Dravidian movement]]
[[Category:News magazines published in India]]
[[Category:Weekly magazines published in India]]
[[Category:Magazines established in 1925]]
[[Category:Magazines disestablished in 1949]]
[[Category:Tamil-language magazines]]

Kudi Arasu - Revision history

Xavierncr at 04:11, 8 January 2026