PERIYAR - Sniper of Sacred Cows

PERIYAR - Sniper of Sacred Cows

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.

For decades, Periyar made a habit of beginning his mammoth meetings of the Self-respect Movement with that incantation. He spoke rhythmically, and watching him on video - a bulky man in a black shirt with a bald head, untamed white beard and, beside him, a little dog to scare away Brahmins, who consider dogs unclean - I feel as if I'm in the company of a beat poet.

He was a scorching critic of anything and everything he considered irrational, beginning with caste and religion.

(p. 268)

Sunil Khilnani: INCARNATIONS - A HISTORY OF INDIA IN 50 LIVES (PENGUIN BOOKS), 500 pages; ₹ 599

Periyar - clone of f. Vish./Kr.?

Kishalay Sinha [G]