CHENNAI: Sahitya Akademi award winning writer and vice-chairperson of Tamil Nadu State Commission for SC and ST Imayam said that, once implemented, the “revolutionary” initiative to rename “colonies” used to denote habitations of Scheduled Castes, being undertaken as per the announcement of Chief Minister MK Stalin, will be etched in history for removing the social stigma that has burdened the oppressed communities for about 13 centuries.
In an interaction with TNIE, Imayam said, “Imagine a situation where a person applies for a bank loan or a job. A manager or recruiter with casteist views, upon noticing the word ‘colony’ in the address, might deliberately delay the process or even reject the application.”
He explained that such terminology in official documents unnecessarily reveals a person's caste, thereby enabling discrimination. “This is a psychological assault on the oppressed community. That’s why we are pushing for its removal,” he emphasised.
Imayam pointed out that the word ‘cheri’ appears in Tholkappiyam, the ancient Tamil grammar text, and in classical works such as Agananooru, Kurunthogai, and Nattrinai. “In these texts, ‘cheri’ did not signify a separate settlement for a specific group, but referred to general living spaces where everyone resided. In Silappathikaram, the terms ‘cheri’ and ‘purancheri’ were used to describe the inner and outer parts of a habitation,” he noted.
He explained that the spatial segregation of habitations began around the 9th century, and it was during this period that the term ‘Theendacheri’ emerged in Tamil literature. “Over time, ‘cheri’ came to be associated exclusively with the hamlets of Scheduled Castes. Later, the term was replaced by ‘colony’ in official records and public usage,” he said.
Imayam believes that replacing these terms is not merely symbolic but a meaningful step towards dignity and equality.