As Bernard Bate notes in Tamil Oratory and the Dravidian Aesthetic, the literary sophistication of the Centamil (chaste Tamil) movement ensured that Dravidian politicians distinguished themselves not only from their political opponents but, interestingly, from the electorate as well. Photo: cup.columbia.edu
For many years there was an old wall in my village, the white layer of which had been peeled off and was scarred by the rain. The downpour left strange patterns in its wake and exposed the mud beneath. Over it was written the slogan: “Kaveri, Thenpennai, Palaru; Congress paruppu vegathu.”
It was probably the handiwork of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supporters during the elections against the Indian National Congress. Local cadres took inspiration from one of the DMK leaders – known for peppering his speeches with alliteration – and linked Tamil Nadu’s three rivers – Kaveri, Thenpennai and Palaru – to the electoral fortunes of the Congress party. “Paruppu vegathu” roughly translates to “the dal will not cook”, which means “it will not be successful”.
Published – 17 Apr 2026 01:23 IST
