Chinnaswami Subramania Bharathi, also known as Bharathiyar (11 December 1882 – 11 September 1921), was a Tamil writer, poet, noted member of the Swadeshi movement, journalist, Indian independence activist , a social reformer and a polyglot. Popularly known as "Mahakavi Bharathi", he was a pioneer of modern Tamil poetry and is considered one of the greatest Tamil literary figures of all time. His numerous works included fiery songs kindling patriotism during the Indian Independence movement. He died on Sept 11 1921, all of 38 years he had the wisdom and courage to talk of feminism, condemn caste and the British! I still find his works modern in this age, 95 years later.
One of the firsts who spoke of women in politics. And what plight it is, that women still struggle in various walks of life. #MahakaviSubramaniyaBharathiyar
"சாதிகள் இல்லையடி பாப்பா!-குலத்
தாழ்ச்சி உயர்ச்சி சொல்லல் பாவம்;
நீதி உயர்ந்த மதி, கல்வி-அன்பு
நிறைய உடையவர்கள் மேலோர்."
[English Translation]
There is no caste system.
It is a sin to divide people on caste basis.
The ones who are really of a superior class are the ones
excelling in being just, wise, educated and loving.
(Here he expresses the love between human beings,
where a man should not see their caste. They should see
them as human beings. Not only human beings, they
should see them as their brothers and sisters.
Which means a well educated person knows to treat
them same and not by their caste.)
Also pointed out to us in class by our beloved physics master Thomas Jacob, his song also spoke of the theory of relativity - "kaanbadellaam maraiyumenraal maraindadellaam kaanbomanro" The lifeless things that stand still, The beings that can walk, and those which fly at will! Are you a mirror image of what I see in my dreams? A multifaceted illusion which makes me believe the world is just as it seems?! The things that I learn, What I hear, and the things that I think that forms the underlying pattern! Is it all just a hallucination? Without any deeper sense of meaning or notion? The infinitely vast sky, The pleasant warmth of sunlight and the green trees on mountain side that slopes by! Are you like the ever elusive mirage, around the bend? Just my erroneous points of view, in the end? Everything thats gone and lost fast, Seems like a dream, buried in the past! I would be gone one day too! Just a living dream – Am I? The whole universe, one big lie?! The placidity of the viewpoint in a period of time , But disguised within it are a million points of view, given by the senses of mine! Are all the appearances surreal? Characters and characteristics just unreal? Everything that we see would disappear forever, someday! Would we ever see them come back, from all the way? I would be gone one day too! Just a living dream – Am I? The whole universe, one big lie?! #AchamIllaiAchamIllai #NeverFear #WeShallStandTallWhenTheSkyCrumbles
Today is his 137th Birth Anniversary on 11 December, 2019. And the man, his legacy and works are still relevant! My salutations to him.
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