India, Dec. 29 -- In the thundering storm of ignorance and fear, Rose a voice, fierce and clear-Periyar, the seer. A flame against the darkness, a sword against the lie, He challenged the shadows that veiled the sky.

His words, like lightning, tore through the night, Shattering the chains of caste's blinding sight. With reason as his armour, and truth as his guide, He fought the tide of oppression with unyielding pride.

He stood on the battleground of the mind, Unmasking the falsehoods that kept mankind confined. A pioneer of rational thought, a rebel of the soul, He sought to make every human whole.

In the temple of tradition, he threw open the gates, Questioning the idols, breaking the fateful fates. No longer bowed to the relics of ...