From: partha@mse.ogi.edu (R. Parthasarathy)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil
Subject: Time to go to other topics
Date: 9 Sep 92 18:26:51 GMT
Article-I.D.: ogicse.42563
Distribution: world
Organization: Oregon Graduate Institute, Material Science & Engineering



Guys it is time to bury the hatchet on Vedas. By proving or disproving
anything on them is going to get us nowhere. No one will change his
or her opinion on the Vedas. All this discussion is simply fuming
hatred on the net. Let us try not to alienate each other by heaping
remarks or comments which hurt different sections of our Tamil 
community. We should learn to express our ideas without hurting any
sentiments on sensitive issues. Turning a blind eye to others'
feelings are not what is expected of educated people.

Do not mistake my words as defending the Vedas or the Brahmin community.
I can openly declare that I hardly care about following what is said
in the Vedas. My routine life will not fit me into the definition
of a Brahmin. 

I have gone through some of the transaltions of the Vedas myself
and I have not been impressed by them. However, it is my opinion.
As long as I am not being told that it is the ultimate truth or
it is the only way and that I must follow it to be called a Hindu,
I don't have any problems with someone showing particular interest
in them. 

As for the brahmin community in TN, it is a dead snake. Beating it
further only shows the cowardishness. I'd be surprised if I come
across any town in TN where non-brahmins are prohibited from
entering agraharams and temples. As far the inner sanctums, only
the priests are allowed anyway. Times have changed a lot. I do
feel that they must have some kind of a qualifying exam for becoming
a priest in temples and people from all communities must be allowed
to compete in them if they wish to. As long as they follow the
rules needed for priesthood, no one should have grudges. Though
I don't have any faith in religion or the concept of God at this
time, I don't mind giving my ideas on religious matters for communal
harmony. 

A number of brahmins have contributed to Tamil culture and literature.
U.V. Saminatha Iyer was even called "Tamil Thaaththa". Subramaniya
Bharati exhorted our people with revolutionary ideas. Pillai Perumal
Iyengar wrote poems on Maravar's valor. 

Most of the communities in TN who call themselves Tamilians have the
right to do so, including the brahmins. Their origins definitely
are not within the region of Tamil Naadu. Gownders, Wandaiyars,
Naidus, Nayakkars, Sourashtrans, Marathas, Marwaris, Jains, Chettiars
etc.. are people whose ancestors migrated to the TN region centuries
ago. They are now indistinguishably Tamilians. 

I did like Sundara Pandiyan's postings on Black Yajur Veda. He has
been clear cut in saying that he is interested in looking into
the aspects of Veda, good and bad for his own knowledge. Since he
has made it clear about his intentions, I have nothing against
his articles on the Vedas. At least he is not writing his articles
to vent his frustrations on any community unlike certain others
on this net.

Learning to write without hurting sentiments is an art. Try it once.
You can get your message across in a much better way than through
confrontation.

Partha sarathy

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Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil,soc.culture.indian,soc.culture.indian.telugu