Tamil Women in Tamil society, Early 1900s - Part 3

Neelambikai Ammaiyar and Her Works:

This is the third part giving a brief introduction to the role of women during the colonial times, specifically the early 1900s in the Tamil society. This part specifically deals with the works of Neelambikai Ammaiyar whose works survived the various direct and indirect attempts to suppress the works of women folk which were blatant acts of opposing the entrenched social structure.

Neelambikai Ammaiyar’s writings survived the overt and covert social cleansing. Sarada Nambiarooran, grand niece of Neelambikai chronicled Neelambikai’s writings as “Neelambikai Ammaiyarin Padaipugalil Samuga Chintanaikal”. Her works involved the translation and incorporation of literary works of Thiruvaasagam, Thevaram, writings of Ramalinga Adigal and also Periyar and thus was an amalgam of freedom movement, Tani Thamizh Iyakkam, Religious and Atheist work, a wide spectrum indeed. Her work also extended to English, she compiled a book ‘Six hundred parallel proverbs” in Tamil-English in 1931. Neelambikai’s works were influenced by Subbulaksmi and Panditai Krishnaveni who guided her through her home-schooling years. She was the daughter of Vedachalam Pillai who later changed his name to Maraimalai Adigal. She also contributed to the Tani Thamizh Iyakkam with many of her works like the Tamil/Sanskrit dictionary (Vadatchol-Tamil Agara Varisai) which was an effort to provide Tamil equivalent terms of Sanskrit words. “Thamizhil Vadamizhi Kalakkal Aagadu” was one of her seminal essays.

Neelambikai Ammaiyar’s works were also influenced by Elizabeth Browning and Stowe, specifically by Stowe’s work that was a factual report of the escape of a slave, Dred Scott. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is also subjected to a sympathetic handling in her biography. “Navalanteevin Pazhaiya Kudigal” (The ancient inhabitants of navalan island) is a work questioning the definition of cultural superiority as defined by the attitude to classify the “dasyus” and “meat-eating tribes’ as barbarians in Sanskrit scriptures. “Thamizh Nadum, Thamizhum Munneruvadu Eppadi” (How Tamil Nadu and Tamil can develop) is a book with her ideas for the improvement of the Tamil society in general.

While some of her works appreciated the women who stepped away from the traditional role of women in a patriarchal society and took up challenging roles, she also mothered thirteen children in fifteen years of married life. This personal ambiguity also shows up in her works. Apart from works that promoted and praised women who stepped over the traditional feminine social boundaries, she wrote “Muppennmanigal Varalaru” (Three-women’s history). This work talks about hagiographies of three women, two of whom belong to the Savaite Nayanar Pantheon. Karaikal Ammaiyar and Mangayarkarasiyar were chaste wives who possessed enormous spiritual powers. The third woman was Tilakavatiyar who undertook voluntary widowhood when her betrothed passed away. In the introduction to this book, Neelambikai Ammaiyar emphasizes that women should be given a spiritual outlook in life.

“Penmakkalin Arivum Aanmayum” (Women’s Intellect and Masculinity/Courage”) was one of her important works that questioned the established standards in the society of those days. In her work the word “Aanmai” denoting masculinity (aan is Tamil for Man) was used to represent “courage” common to man and woman instead of just a “manly character”. She used the old Tamil literary work “Tolkappiyam” in which “Aanmai” was used as a common term for courage commonly used for both the sexes as an example to promote “aanmai” among women.

Ironically she believed that widows over the age of twenty should not marry again while promoting re-marriage in the case of child widows. She gave birth to thirteen kids, eleven of whom survived during fifteen years of married life. Neelambikai Ammaiyar died in 1945 at the age of 42 during childbirth.

Neelambikai Ammaiyar’s life can be considered to be a pretty good example of the various women who challenged the patriarchal society during the freedom struggle, Tani Thamizh Iyakkam and other Dravidian Movements. A complex amalgam of interests and culture influenced and directed their ideas. Nevertheless, their contribution was important in mobilizing the women and uprooting entrenched ideas of female subjugation.

Tamil Women in Tamil society, Early 1900s - Part 2

This is the second part giving a brief introduction to the role of women during the colonial times, specifically the early 1900s in the Tamil society.

Dr. Dharmambal was a qualified doctor in “Siddha medicine system”. Apart from her work, Dr. Dharmambal and Achalambikkai (conferred the title Panditai) carried on conducting classes in Tamil literature. Achalmbikkai also wrote about Tiruvamattur Puranam, a sthalapuranam of a temple located in South Arcot district in “manipravalam” style which is a mixture of Tamil with Sanskrit words. Such “Manipravalam” style texts are also famous in Malayalam. She also wrote “Gandhi puranam” and “Tilakar puranam” thus reflecting her Gandhian ideologies. It is interesting to note that she was a child widow and had not only showed enormous courage in participating in mass movements but also in overcoming social stigma associated with widows in public life.

Another child widow, Subbulakshmi Ammal left her mark by establishing a destitute home for women and a school. Most of her writings suffered the same fate of her fellow women activists. They were mostly destroyed by her relatives who were ashamed of her open views on many aspects of the society.

Ramamirtham Ammaiyar campaigned for the abolition of the Devadasi system and organized “Pottu Arupu Sangam” in opposition to the “Pottu Kattudal” process which is the initiation process of a woman into the Devadasi profession. Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy also helped her in her door to door campaign for the “Devadasi abolition bill”. Ramamirtham Ammaiyar exhibited a zeal for abolition of the Devadasi system which is understandable since she was sold for a saree and ten rupees into the profession by her mother. Ramamirtham Ammaiyar later on married Suyambhu Pillai, a musician and then separated from him.

Kavi Malar Malai (Garland of verse/poetry) written by S. Krishnaveni Ammaiyar is a notable literary work in 1939 talking about the politics and freedom movement. Rajeshwari Ammaiyar’s “Vanakkappal” (Heavenly Ship) was another important literary work in 1945. Y.M. Kodainayaki Ammal, a devout Gandhian wrote about 115 novels during the 30s and 40s.

Ranganayaki Ammal, a devout Gandhian and a prolific writer with deep spiritual beliefs took off her “Thali” and dressed up like a widow when Ramana Maharishi passed away in 1951. This she did even when her husband was alive. Such was for dedication for religious, spiritual quest and she supplemented this with equal fervor for Gandhian ideologies and Tamil and Telugu writings about freedom struggle, plight of women, spiritual quests were burnt by her family and in-laws. This attitude of immediate family members destroying the works of the women activists persisted across the various movements and was used to effectively wipe out the literary and social contributions of many women.

Tamil Women in Tamil society, Early 1900s - Part 1

The role of women in the Tamil renaissance, Tani Thamizh Iyakkam, Freedom Movement, Dravidian Movement during late 1800s and early 1900s has always been suppressed. Their role has not been given equal importance. Many of the women who participated in these movements had overlapping interests and hence their ideas, writings promoted more than one and sometimes more than two movements at the same time. The intention of this article is to try and introduce a few women and their contribution to the general public.

This is basically a short introduction to the many women and their contribution during pre-independence in the Tamil society. The article was not edited and hence there could be a few mistakes in the formulation of sentences. The whole article has been divided into three parts. The first part is an introduction to the main women participants in the Tani Thamizh Iyakkam, Anti hindi agitations, 1937/38, Dravidian Movement. The second part is a continuation of the first part extending the introduction to a few other women and a brief introduction to their contribution. The third part talks about the works of Neelambikai Ammaiyar whose works survived the suppression of the patriarchal society. For non-Tamils, the word “Ammaiyar” used as a part of the name is more like a respectable way of referring to a woman.

On 14 November, 1938, a motley crowd of housewives, intellectuals, authors and professionals gathered before the Theosophical High School and raised slogans like “Down with English”, “Down with Hindi” along with “Thamizh Vaazhga”. Five women were jailed. Among them were Moovalur Ramamirtham, Malarmugathammai, Pattammal, Dharmambal, Neelambikai Ammaiyar. Many more women courted arrest in 1939 during rallies against English and Hindi.

Tani Thamizh Iyakkam provided women with an avenue to oppose the patriarchal society and also to empower themselves. Women’s participation in the Tani Thamizh Iyakkam and Dravidian movement has its base in various national, ethnic, linguistic and gender concerns and hence there was a variety of stance exhibited by different women and quite a few of them supported more than one specific movement.

Achalambikkai Ammaiyar and Kumudini were opposed to western education and hindi and believed that education should gear the woman to be a better wife, mother, care taker of the family. They were supporters of a patriarchal society. Moovalur Ramamirtham was someone who was against the patriarchal order which made her a “Devadasi”. She like many others came from “Isai Vellalar” caste in which women took up the “Devadasi” profession and men traditionally took up profession as musicians, specifically playing the “Nadaswaram”.

The women from the “Isai Vellalar” caste were not subjected to the same patriarchal rules of child marriage, widowhood; they were more open to ideas of equality acquired through western education which was also denied to the women in the traditional Tamil society. Since most women from this caste were made to take up the devadasi profession, most women who came from this caste openly opposed the devadasi system and were ardent supporters of the Devadasi abolition bill. The Tamil word for prostitute "Thevidiya" comes from "Thevar-adiyaal" which is an exact translation of "Deva-Dasi"

Neelambikai Ammaiyar is the torch bearer for the women’s contribution since her writings have survived the suppression of the patriarchal society. She was conferred the title of “Tani Thamizh Tiruvatti” (Champion of Pure Tamil Movement) in the 1940s. She passed away in 1945. Dr. Dharmambal carried on popularizing the importance of Tamil among women folk and was conferred the title of “Veera Thamizh Annai”(Valiant Thamizh Mother) in 1951.

The title of “Periyar” was conferred on E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker on 13 November, 1938 by Neelambikai Ammaiyar during the Tamil Women’s Conference. Other prominent women present during the conference were Dr. Dharmambal, Moovalu Ramamirtham, K.V. Kamatchi, K.E. Veera Kalyani, Lakshmi Ammal, Paripoornathammal Nagammai (Periyar’s wife), S.R. Kannamma (Periyar’s sister).

Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar participated in the anti hindi agitations in 1938 and later joined the “Suya Mariyadhai Iyakkam” (Self-Respect Movement) but withdrew from it after Periyar refused to give primary importance to the Devadasi bill which would prohibit the Devadasi system. This along with Periyar’s marriage to Maniammai who was around forty years younger to him made many other women like Thamaraikanniyar to move away from Periyar.

Most of the works of these women were destroyed by their close relatives since they believed that such outright violations of established social order would bring bad name to the family. Thus, we are not left with much evidence of works of such women who left their mark by mobilizing the women folk in these movements.