PUDUKKOTTAI: A tea stall owner in Pudukkottai celebrated the birth anniversary of Periyar in a novel way by distributing 500 copies of the social reformer’s book, Pen Yen Adimaiyanal? (Why woman got enslaved?) to his customers free of cost on Friday. Though a staunch believer, Sivakumar (43) of Vamban village says beyond religion and God, Periyar had spoken about a lot of things such as women empowerment, social justice and social reform – all of which the public should read.
Sivakumar told TNIE, “A few years ago, Igot an opportunity to read this book and Iwas very impressed. Since then, I always wanted to share it with others and make them read it. As the government announced Periyar’s birth anniversary as Social Justice Day, I could not find a more perfect opportunity to distribute copies to my customers.”
He tried all means to get the book locally from book stores in Pudukkottai, but could not get enough copies. “Through a mutual friend, I contacted a seller from Nagapattinam and got 500 copies couriered to my shop. I spent around Rs 5,000 for it,” he said.
On Friday, supporters of Dravidian ideology, politicians and public paid garlanded statues of Periyar at various places.