The very title “Dravidian Maya – A Perspective” (“Dhraavida Maayai – Oru Paarvai” in Tamil) itself indicates the contents of this book. The cover, which has “Dravidian Maya” written in Red letters with Black colour in the background and “A Perspective” in Saffron, looks like beautiful poetry. Yes, good poetry does not tell its message ‘openly’ but makes us understand. Similarly, the cover conveys that it is a ‘Hindu’ perspective of Dravidian Politics. The author’s name and the publishers’ emblem are in bright yellow, the favourite colour of our Dravidian racist Chief Minister!

As we open the book we see an announcement that it is a compilation of a successful serial of articles in the name “will be known in due course” (“Poga Poga Theriyum” in Tamil), which appeared in www.tamilhindu.com. I as a contributor to and committed reader of ‘Tamil Hindu’ thoroughly enjoyed this serial for its sheer excellence.

“If the one which conceals the real is Maya, then the one which shows the fake as real is also Maya. The first one covers the truth and hides it. The second one shows the false as truth…” The publishers’ note sets the tone for the book. It states how Dravidian Maya, the fallout of the British concoction known as the Aryan Invasion Theory, has engulfed the state of Tamil Nadu, placing it in complete darkness with the help of strong propagation, facility of government administration, and people’s ignorance, indifference by the learned, and the cowardice of the knowledgeable.

The publisher says, “To tear apart this Maya, expose the Dravidian racist propagandists and enlighten the people, one need to have a Dharmic spirit, intelligent approach, responsibility to gather evidences and proofs and the civilized manners to address every individual in a decent manner. We found all these noble qualities in Subbu’s series of articles in ‘Tamil Hindu’.”

The evil seed was sown by the “Justice Party”, which later grew as the Dravidian Movement. Justice Party was renamed as “Dravidar Kazhagam” in 1944 and CN Annadurai came out of the DK and founded the “Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam” (DMK) in 1949. In 1972, MGR split the DMK and formed his own “All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam” (AIADMK); now we have a dozen Dravidian parties in different names all selling EV Ramasamy as their ‘Father’ (Thanthai) and CN Annadurai as ‘Elder Brother’ (Anna). So, the evil seed sown by the Justice Party has grown as the Dravidian Movement and developed various Dravidian parties as its branches, and this huge poisonous tree has engulfed the entire state, plunging it into darkness suffocating the people. 

The book aims to get the people out of the darkness, make them breathe and feel the pleasant breeze. In his prologue Subbu says, “The environment prevailing here (read Tamil Nadu) is not conducive for an honest criticism of Justice Party, DK and DMK, etc. This book aims to research and analyse the history of Dravidian Movement in an overt manner, so that the people get liberated from the Dravidian Maya.”

Subbu has dealt in detail with almost all political and social events between 1917 and 1944, along with developments in the field of art and literature in connection with those events. The immense research undertaken by him is visible throughout the book and he has not said anything without authentic proof or evidence. In a scholarly manner he simply rejects Dravidian racism with contempt. This forms the First Volume of his book Dravidian Maya’.

For the convenience of readers, he begins with a backdrop of important events, from the ‘Hanging of Veerapandiya Kattabomman in 1799’ to the ‘Formation of Arunthathiyar community Maha Saba by LC Gurusamy in 1920’, mentioning other important events such as the East India Company, Macaulay System of Education, arrival of Christian missionaries like Robert Caldwell and British Rule, etc., under the title “Footprints of History”.   

Each essay (chapter) begins with a text from other writers’ books, articles, poems or even an incident, and ends with a quotation. Both the opening text and end quote are relevant and in absolute sequence with the essay in between, and that is the beauty of this book.

Taking ‘untouchability’ as the subject in the very first chapter, he exposes the hypocrisy of the Justice Party and Dravidar Kazhagam, and ends with a quote by Italian missionary Robert De Nobili, which exposes the Christian agenda. This gives the required fillip to the reader, who is treated to the Machiavellian machinations of the various Christian missionaries who followed the Portuguese, Dutch, French and British invaders in the chapter “Caldwell’s Relatives”. He shocks readers with the poem, “Why Jesus has not resurrected?” by Dravidian rationalist Poet Barathidasan and elaborates the untouchability, social inequality and caste discrimination prevailing in Christianity right from those days with authentic evidences. Here readers get a clear understanding of the unholy Dravidian-Xian nexus, which are dealt with exhaustively in the successive chapters.       

Apart from exposing the hypocrisy and deviousness of the Justice Party and Dravidar Kazhagam in matters like caste and untouchability, the author gives a detailed account of the ‘Vaikom Agitation’ in which EVR was supposed to have played a prominent role. It is well known that the Dravidian leaders and their sycophants have been tom-toming EVR’s role in the Vaikom agitation for close to a century; Subbu helps people understand the truth behind it.

The author’s expositions on the freedom struggle of the twenties and thirties are simple and interesting. He describes the farmers’ struggle during the days of famine (seven years out of the first 26 years of the 20th century) in Tamil Nadu and how the Justice Party turned a blind eye to them, despite being in governance then.

The bogus Aryan Invasion theory espoused by the DK, DMK and others to cheat the gullible masses, their use of the anti-Brahmin policy to isolate and drive out the Brahmins, suppress the scheduled castes and lower castes and empower further the already powerful OBCs, their anti-Hindu tirades used to win over the minorities (Muslims and Christians), their double standards in SC welfare and phony interest in the growth of the Tamil language, are all thoroughly exposed. 

In between, explaining how the cinema industry was instrumental in the rise of the Dravidian Movement and the downfall of Congress, the author says, “The films supporting Congress Movement had to fight against the oppression of the hostile British government, but the films supporting the Dravidian Movement enjoyed the freedom of expression and utilized the rights in a free India. Though the cinema industry helped the Congress during the freedom movement, the national party failed to recognize and reward the artists and other stalwarts, which made them to turn their attention to Dravidian parties, which readily welcomed them with open hands and made full use of the industry”

The book gives interesting episodes concerning the newspaper industry, dramas and cinemas and their impact on society. It talks about the slow intrusion of vulgar gyrations and sex in dramas and movies, in the name of modernism and liberalism. It notes the ugly truth that the Justice party, which banned Barathiyar’s poems and freedom songs, turned a blind eye to the rise of obscenity in films.

Besides a full chapter on ‘reservations and quotas’, which forms a part of the Dravidian parties’ farcical social justice policy, the author tables evidences on how government-aided minority educational institutions have not appointed even a single SC teacher (“Zero reservation for Dalits,” Annexure-II).

Explaining the ‘sham’ called ‘Self-Respect Movement’ and the ‘show’ called ‘Self-Respect Marriages’, the author interestingly reveals how the much touted ‘self-respect’ took reverse gear in course of time.

The book answers many important questions such as: “Why KB Sundarambal refused to sing an atheistic song in Karunanidhi’s film ‘Poompukar’?” and “Did His Holiness Sringeri Sankaracharya invite EVR?” It has interesting episodes on the meeting between atheistic film star MR Radha and religious discourser Sri Kirupananda Variyar, the ugly mentality of singer Nagoor Haneefa and Annadurai’s tacit support to him, Karunanidhi’s change of heart, Annadurai’s shock and his zero knowledge on geography, etc.

The nexus between Dravidian parties and minority institutions, and how the Dravidian parties continued their anti-God rhetoric only against Hinduism and not against Christianity or Islam, have been exposed with evidence. Subbu describes conversion activities which spread from small huts to huge prisons and even went up to the gallows (“Extra time for the Buffalo-headed,” Annexure-I). The most interesting part of the chapter is a quote by PMK founder Dr. Ramadas, which is enough to prove that “Tamil Eelam” was a Christian agenda.  

As there are a lot of satiric and sarcastic observations laced with humour, the reading is a pleasant experience: -

-        “The ‘Kaibar Pass’ is found only in Karunanidhi’s dialogues now.”

-        “Praising the strong and demeaning the weak has been the practice of these dialogue writers and rhetoric managers!” 

-        “The rationalistic tradition of self-respect movement started with marrying two women for every man. But the present day cadres are not aware of such information. They are under the impression that EVR had turned the whole world for women empowerment!”

-        “Honest Litterateurs ignored these fraudsters, who claimed themselves as Poets, Professors and Protectors!”

-        “The truth is, Dravidian writings had neither price nor sale. No value for them!”

-        “It is being told that MDMK General Secretary Vaiko’s suitcase has some testament in it!”

-        “These rationalists, who reason everything with science, have still not come out with a scientific basis for their belief that Tamil is the Mother of all world languages!”

Yet on other occasions, we can sense the sadness and pain of the author:  

-        “These Dravidian leaders enjoyed revenue even in others’ grief!”

-        “These people were able to turn the politics of Tamil Nadu upside-down with proficiency, which lacked width and depth!”

-        “These people didn’t share the grief of Imrana. They forgot her human rights in the Iftar party!”

The title “Dravidian Maya” should not lead people to assume that the book is a rebuttal of Annadurai’s “Aryan Maya”. Annadurai’s book has nothing worthy of discussion, debate or rebuttal; Subbu speaks of ‘Aryan Maya’ only in two places.

Pointing out that when Annadurai came out of DK (Dravidar Kazhagam) after a tiff with EVR and formed DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), the missing of letter “r” has its own significance, Subbu states, “The missing of letter ‘R’ exposes the difference between racial separation and geographical division. The racial separation was dumped, right on the day DMK was formed!”

So then, why do they keep harping on the bogus Aryan Invasion Theory and go on cheating the people? Cheating is the name of their game and they are best at playing it!

Reading the book, one is awestruck at the hard work behind the research and proof gathering behind this effort. Subbu has done a great service not only to the people of Tamil Nadu but also to the people of other states. This book is a ‘must read’ for all Indians in general and Tamils in particular. The English version is likely to be released soon and would certainly enhance the readers’ understanding of politics in India.

As I was finishing this review, I came across a news item that the Chief Minister presided over a function releasing 20 books titled “EVR Thoughts” compiled by a DK stalwart called Anaimuthu. I felt Subbu’s book could not have reached the bookstores at a more appropriate moment. Let the Dravidian parties come out with hundreds of books in the name of EVR, Annadurai and Karunanidhi. They cannot match Subbu’s Dravidian Maya and they can never come out with a book contesting it. Let them take this as a challenge and let us see if they meet it.

“Dravidian Maya” is a Turning Point in Tamil Nadu’s history. May Dravidian Maya evaporate and bright light fall on Tamil Nadu! 

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DRAVIDIAN MAYA – A PERSPECTIVE

Subbu (V Balasubramaniam)

Trisakthi Publications, 56/2, First Avenue, Shastri Nagar, Adayar, Chennai – 600020

Tel: 044-42970800

trisakthipublications@trisakthi.com

Pages: 320, Price: Rs. 125

For internet please visit www.ezeebookshop.com