8 / அயோத்திதாசர் சிந்தனைகள்
progress. While you, sir, a Brahmin, have now come forward with a report on the Pariahs as if you meant thereby to plead their cause. Our people, therefore, are beset with a grave doubt whether any good or evil may be the result of your report.
While under this Government other communities have made progress without changing their religion you have without any difficulty made a suggestion that Pariahs alone should become either Christians or Mahommedans to make any prgress; but I cannot see the benefits that could arise to them from your proposal. I therefore humbly beg that you will let me know them, since I (a member of this community) desire to know them first before proceeding to ascertain if there are any other benefits to be derived by adopting other suggestions, with a view of bettering the condition of this down-trodden nation.
- Yours Obediently,
- Pundit C. Iyothee Thoss,
- S1, Ammaiappa Mudaly Street,
- Rayapettah
2. A Unique Petition
To,
- Colonel H.S. Olcott, F.T.S.
- Adyar, Madras.
- Reverend and Dear Sir,
At the request of many educated men of my community, I beg to call your attention to the following grievances which we experience as regards religion at the hands of the so-called high caste men, and to request that you may be pleased to help us with your advice in the matter.
It is our earnest desire to revive Buddhism in this Presidency and the following explanation of the way in which the Brahmins are treated in villages will enable you to understand the former social and religious position of the people who are now termed Panchamas and the reasonableness of our above mentioned wish.
If those who are known as Brahmins enter the villages and streets occupied by our people, who were the original Dravidians. Panchamas by the Hindu high caste men, they (Brahmins) are driven out of the place in the most disgraceful manner amidst tumult and uproar, on the ground that the spots stepped on by them have become polluted. The measure adopted to eradicate the impurity thus caused is to cleanse the places trodden by these so-called Brahmins by means of cow-dung and the pots used for such purposes are destroyed beyond the limits of such towns. This treatment is similar to the one done when a person is dead and the body removed from the house. Should these people enter the streets of the Brahmins, they are driven out, but menial servants such as cobbler, washerman, totty, barber etc., are allowed to converse with them (Brahmins, etc.) freely and to enter their houses. When the so-called high caste men see these people, they become irritated and begin to scorn them, and they try their utmost to keep them down in the social scale. Such is the hatred between the two classes of people. This kind of
