By S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole –

Prof S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole

Few Sri Lankan Tamils have reached their international pinnacle as artistes. M.I.A. (Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam) is one. She had her status as one of the best with nominations for both Academy and Grammy Awards. All modern Tamil artistes have mixed their music with social activism and often are minorities within minorities (e.g., Navz 47 aka Naveeni Athanasious Philip, Elsz a.k.a. Natasha Nathanielsz). Priya Ragu is an exception whose parents considered western music obscene and forbade her from engaging in it, and Dhee whose parents also were into carnatic Music.  They overcame these barriers.

Some of these artistes have divorced-and-remarried parents from Hindu families who have already weakened their links to tradition. These seem to be able to bring new perspectives – mainstream performers tending to be unable to break from set forms like classical music and dance. Rolex Rasathi also has her roots in Tamil classical music.

With the exception of early lyrics in hymnals from the Ashram Movement, many young Protestant Christians tend to compose with beat music in English while others claiming Dalit inspiration in their Christian lyrics use ungrammatical Tamil.

Tamil today because of the war has a weak grammatical foundation so the equivalent of “Everyone are here” in English finds its way into Tamil sermons from the pulpit, newscasts, Tami editorials etc. Because of more brains at work, English has worked around it by pluralizing the sentence to “All are here,” but Tamils with the intellectual prowess who can do it have fled.

Hirandas Murali [Vedan] and Dog named Vettaikaran (Hunter) or Buddhan (kept private) And Hirandas Murali [Vedan] Performing

A new entrant to the Tamil music scene as a widely recognized Tamil-Malayali artiste is Hirandas Murali, known professionally as Vedan [Hunter, Vedda]. He was born on 25  Oct.1994 making him 30 years old. Vedan’s creations have received attention for their socio-political depth. His place at the top was sealed when he performed at the Kochi Music Foundation’s Para Hip Hop Festival in 2020, where his 15-minute set was a highlight, blending youthful energy with activist gravitas. He is often described as an “Indian rapper and songwriter” from Jaffna.

Little is known of his or his mother’s Sri Lankan antecedents. He is commonly referred to as from Kerala but his mother is really from Jaffna and his father from Kerala. Vedan himself was born in Thrissur, Kerala.  His mother was pushed out of Sri Lanka by state violence, moved to Ooty in Tamil Nadu and met and married Hirandas Murali, a Malayali. There is little evidence to rumours that she was married previously. India granted her political asylum and Indian citizenship subsequently. There is unverifiable reference in Facebook to Vedan coming to Sri Lanka in a travel group. Otherwise he has not visited Sri Lanka.

It is said that Vedan’s mother’s Sri Lankan Tamil origin, specifically from Jaffna, has strongly influenced his music and sparked discussions about his background and connections to Sri Lanka.

However, in Sri Lanka Vedan is hardly known and no claims are made over him, not even after Vedan gained prominence in 2020 with his debut music video “Voice of the Voiceless,” which “resonated widely for its bold commentary on systemic oppression.” That video on YouTube got him his initial prominence there. It addressed “castism,” and “colorism”  and saw over 600,000 views and widespread acclaim for its “raw and unapologetic lyrics, establishing Vedan as a voice for the oppressed.”

Classic lines from that lyric are used to misrepresent Vedan as being against the high  caste – these lines go “Njan paanan alla, parayan alla pulayan alla; Nee thamburanumalla aanel oru myrum alla. [I am not a bard, not a paraiya, not an adivaasi [sometimes those who bury the dead], you are not King/God; you are as low as the lowliest hair [a vulgar word]]. Saying he is not god,  presumably upset the Brahmin establishment which expects the rest of us to bow in worship. The profanity Vedan used for the word in Malayalam for “couldn’t give a damn“, is said to have left the crowd in goosebumps. The version of the word mayir (hair) may also be rendered pubic hair.

Vedan’s music blends Malayalam and Tamil rap, drawing inspiration from his personal experiences and the socio-political landscape of Kerala. This may be because Vedan is not from any exalted caste. He is identified with the Pulayan caste.  And his themes run down those social divisions that Jaffna celebrates quietly, even proudly. The name “Pulayan” is said to be derived from the Tamil word “pula” which translates to “pollution”. This has historically led to their exclusion and low social status. The Pulayans are classified as a Scheduled Caste in India.

Historically, say sociologists, Pulayans have faced considerable social and economic hardship, often being landless agricultural laborers. They have been denied access to public facilities and have been subject to social discrimination. However, they have a strong cultural identity and are known for their traditional music, dance, and crafts.  […] They are known to be talented craftsmen and basket makers.

Vedan’s activism has landed him in much trouble. He has supported the Soviet revolution, and Yasir Arafat.  The Hindu mentions Vedan defended his work and political stance saying, “I believe in the politics of B.R. Ambedkar, which upholds equality for all living beings.” He focused on Dalit politics and critiques of oppression.

These lyrics were red flags to the equality-spurning, Muslim-bashing parts of the Hindu establishment. As the RSS tide is reflected in recent Indian elections against the minority-friendly Indian Congress, Vedan has recently faced controversy and criticism for his music, particularly regarding his views on social justice, caste, and political issues concerning Dalits and oppression.  It seems natural that Modi who once sold tea on railway platforms and belongs to the Modh-Ghanchi caste which is listed as an “Other Backward Caste”  in the state of Gujarat. Instead of making common cause with the Backward Caste Vedan, Narendra Modi has been seemingly seeking upward mobility by promoting the caste-prejudiced RSS. Naturally, as if to help Modi’s mobility, his party men as mentioned in several leading Indian newspapers like The Times and The Hindu mention BJP leaders in Kerala filing complaints against Vedan for songs allegedly targeting the Prime Minister and promoting caste divisions. This was as if to say, “The Brahmin-hating Pulayan Vedan attacks Modi, so Modi has to be upper-caste.” The related police complaint is often wrongly written up to suggest it is personally from Narenda Modi.

Like many artistes Vedan did not take laws seriously and tends to be iconoclastic. This was his Achilles’ Heel. In 2021, Vedan was accused of sexual misconduct by a few women via a post that was shared on Facebook. He later responded to the allegations with an apology and put it behind. That however, confirmed the accusations.

Vedan appeared targeted by the Police out to please Modi. On 28 April 2025, Vedan and his 8 other friends were arrested by the Kerala Excise Department for possession of approximately 6 grams of Ganja. Authorities found a tiger’s tooth on his chain during a police search of his flat following the drug possession, which Vedan claimed he had bought in Thailand. As soon as he was bailed out on the Ganja charges and came out, the Kerala Forest and Wildlife. Forest Department officials verified that the teeth are a real tiger’s. Vedan was also arrested and charged by the Forest Department under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 for possessing what appeared to be a leopard tooth. It is a nonbailable offence. Vedan claimed a fan gifted it to him and he was unaware of the legal implications.

The Forest Department booked Vedan for wildlife hunting and illegal possession of wildlife articles. These charges carry potential imprisonment ranging from three to nine years and a fine.

The witch hunt on the face If it seems ridiculous. Vedan was granted bail in the leopard tooth possession case. The Forest Department is investigating whether Vedan was involved in hunting, and they are seeking to contact the individual who allegedly gifted him the leopard tooth. It seems rather late to do that. Additionally, there are past sexual assault allegations against him that are being probed.

Naturally Vedan’s best defence came from Communist Party of India (Marxist)  or CPI (M). Kerala State Secretary M.V. Govindan slammed the RSS as reported in The Hindu (19 May, 2025) and called Vedan’s arrest hasty and that Vedan’s music challenges caste oppression and resonates with the struggles of the marginalised. The lyrics express the frustration and disillusionment with the failure of dominant systems to deliver on their promises of justice, equality, and dignity.

As quoted in the Hindu, Govindan observed, “Mr. Govindan countered such views, asserting that Vedan’s work is rooted in social reality and artistic truth. […] What kind of art do they (RSS) even understand? This is not just music, it is resistance.”

Vedan released the song on B.R. Ambedkar’s birthday (14 April) seemingly as a deliberate act of defiance and resistance against casteism and discrimination.

The line “You never gave us what we seek captures the unmet promises of justice and equality.  […] The land is ruled by false patriots,” critiques the hypocrisy of those in power [like Modi] who exploit the system.

Words of Voice of the Voiceless are available at https://genius.com/Vedan-voice-of-voiceless-lyrics. The pronunciation of me, gnaan for naan, shows the Malayali influence on Vedan’s Tamil. The link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O93AFaoBLv8 takes us to the version as sung by Vedan in Malayalam.

An extract in Tamil is at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zsU7Vqf-ohY.

For myself, I take pride in Vedan as a product of the Ceylon Tamil gene-pool. New excavations from the Keeladi area  in Tamil Nadu show Tamil civilization to be from 5000 BC with a unque civilisation producing and exporting steel now called Damascus Steel and weaponry to the Palestine area.

My good-natured practical partner Nimal Herath at Moratuwa/Katubedde (we both had names beginning H) has written an erudite book on the evolution of the Sinhalese alphabet that claims antecedence over the Tamil alphabet by a group that also makes claims over the Tamil origins of Damascus Steel and is imposing their views in the Sri Lankan school curriculum. These are matters to be investigated by serious scholars. In these controversies over matters Sri Lankan, we need neutral outside judges.

Vedan is my kinsman from that ancient civilisation. Although a child of mine calls his lyrics horrible I am proud of Vedan because art comes as a mixed bag of good and the bad. Art can be considered “good” if it effectively communicates a message, evokes emotion, or demonstrates mastery of technique!

All these Vedan does well. So I am proud of him!