TIRUCHY: Amid the glare of LED screens, GPS-fitted campaign vans and social media war rooms this election season, a vintage campaign vehicle used by E V Ramasamy — fondly known as Thanthai Periyar — is turning the clock back to a very different era of politics.
At the Periyar Maaligai, the headquarters of the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), a 1973 Fargo van used by Periyar during his final anti-caste campaign is being carefully restored. Backed by sponsors, the effort is focused on preserving its original character rather than modernising it. “We are restoring the vehicle while retaining its original character. It is not just about repainting, but about preserving a piece of history,” said V Anburaj, general secretary of the Dravidar Kazhagam.
The van, bearing registration TMZ 9595, was gifted by the public — through a fundraising effort organised by the Dravidar Kazhagam — to Periyar at Thanjavur on August 19, 1973. Then chief minister M Karunanidhi handed over a gold-crafted key, as leaders and well-wishers marked the occasion with symbolic gifts, reflecting the public reverence he commanded. Though `1 lakh was initially planned, contributions rose to `1.5 lakh under the present DK president K Veeramani, with the surplus handed to Periyar.
The van was tailored to Periyar’s needs, allowing him to address gatherings from within through a modified window, and featuring a bed-like seat for rest between campaign stops. It served him for only about four months, but in that brief time, it became a part of his final public journey.
“For him, time was everything,” recalls P Albert (87), a Karaikudi-based school teacher who accompanied Periyar. “Even if he appeared to be resting, he would suddenly wake up, jot down notes or pick up a book. He would constantly urge the driver not to delay. Every meeting mattered. As fresh coats of paint bring the vehicle back to life, it is not just metal being restored, but memory — of a leader, a movement, and style of politics that relied more on conviction,” he says.
For Amal Raj (65), who is repainting the vehicle, the restoration is deeply personal. “I grew up just 200m away in Alithurai. As children, we were not even allowed to enter or touch this vehicle. Today, I am repainting it,” he says. “I have seen Periyar travel in this and earlier vehicles. Being part of this work now feels special. For us, this van is not just a vehicle it carries the memory of Periyar and a time when politics meant meeting people directly, not through screens.”
Driver T Mariyappan (85), a resident of Tiruchy who joined on the recommendation of Anbil Dharmalingam, recalls his early hesitation. “It wasn’t like driving a regular car. I was nervous. But he accompanied me on the first trip from Alithurai to Kajamalai in Tiruchy. That gave me confidence,” he says. On December 19, 1973, Periyar delivered his final public address from this van at T Nagar in Chennai. He fell ill soon after and passed away days later, marking the end of an era in TN politics.