82 SOCIAL SCIENTIST C.S. Lakshmi: 1984: 19. 5. A profile of Subbalakshmi Ammal based on a personal interview by P. Sri is to be found in his book, Nan Arinda Tamizhmanigal: 1971: 329-331. 6. Anandi in her article (1991: 19: 24-41) provides a brief but effective biographical sketch of this remarkable woman and her political career. Although both Ramamritham Ammaiyar and Muthulakshmi Reddi opposed the Devadasi system they were motivated very differently. Muthulakshmi Reddi who was inspired by Gandhi and the Congress still functioned within the patriarchal register while Moovalur Ramamritham Ammaiyar in some ways challenged the very premise of patriarchy. 7. Author's interview with Nartaki Ammal - Ramanashramam, Tiruvannamalai, 27th February, 1994. 8. Published in 1990 by the Saiva Siddhanta Noolpadippu Kazhagam, Tirunelveli as Neelambikai Ammaiyarin Samuga Chintanaigal (in Tamil). 9. See M.S.S. Pandian' s article on 'Notes on the Transformation of Dravidian Ideology', op.cit., pp.89-90. 10. Two studies bring this out very well - XS. Thani Nayagam' s Tamil Culture and Civilization Readings: The Classical Period, Asia Publishing House, Bombay, 1970 and George Hart's The Poems of Ancient Tamils, University of California, Berkeley, 1975. 11. The Alii legends have been discussed briefly in my article 'Women and the Domestic in Tamil Folk Songs', Man in India, 1994: 74 (1) : 21-37. The Alii myth has been explored at length in my paper titled: 'Tamil Women and a Mahabharata Myth' presented at the International seminar on 'The Imaging of Women in Myth and History', Gargi College, Delhi University, Nov. 20-22, 1996. 12. This phrase has been used by G.N. Devy and it also forms a part of the title of his book, After Amnesia: Tradition and Change in Indian Literary Criticism, Orient Longman Ltd., Hyderabad, 1992. REFERENCES Devy, G.N., After Amnesia: Tradition and Change in Indian Literary Criticism,Onent Longman, Hyderabad, 19192. Dharmambal, Dr. S., Nutrandu Vizha Malar (Tamil) 1890-1990, Published by M.Karunanidhi, Madras, 1990. Krishnaveni Ammal, S., Kavi Malar Malai (Tamil), Madras, 1939 (Publishers not known) Lakshmi, C.S., The Face Behind the Mask: Women in Tamil Literature in Women in Society series, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., Delhi, 1984. 'Mother, Mother-Community and Mother-Politics in Tamil Nadu' Economic and Political Weekly, Oct. 20-29, 1990. Nambiyarooran, Sarada, Neelambikai Ammaiyarin Padaippugalil Samuga Chintanaigal (Tamil) Saiva Siddhanta Kazhagam, Tirunelveli, 1990. Neelambikai Ammaiyar, Tani Tamizh Katturaigal, (Tamil), Saiva Siddhanta Kazhagam, Tirunelveli, 1925. Neelambikai Ammaiyar, Six Hundred Parallel Proverbs in Tamil and English, T.M. Publications, Pallavaram, Madras, 1931. Neelambikai Ammaiyar, Muppenmanigal Varalaru, (Tamil), Saiva Siddhanta Kazhagam, Tirunelveli, 1940. Pandian, M.S.S., 'Notes on the Transformation of 'Dravidian' Ideology: Tamilnadu,