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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00163 May 2006

 
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Dear members,

Here is a slightly dissenting view. Some of you may find it un-
palatable. Even at the risk of being understood and pilloried, I, 
even as a SriVaishnavan, would still venture to express the bitter 
but inescapable truth.

The state of our temples in T.Nadu is generally pathetic. Out of the 
100 odd 'divya-desams' hardly 10-15% are well-cared for. The rest 
are all simply going to seed.

One of the main reasons for such a state is the apathy and neglect 
of the brahmin community. Once upon a time, lack of money-power used 
to be blamed for such neglect. Now, even when there is money-power 
to be found amongst the community, there is abject lack of man-power 
to do the job. All the brahmins in the 'agrahArams' have become 
software-engineers in Silicon Valley and chartered-accountants in 
the Middle-East and Africa. Steadily over the past few decades, they 
have simply moved on in life to "better their lot" elsewhere than in 
temples.

So there is a big vacuum in the affairs of temples in T.Nadu. Both 
Nature and Social Order abhor a vacuum. They will see to it the 
vacuum fills up, one way or the other. Therefore, if  Brahmins have 
moved out of temples, it is only natural to expect others in society 
to want to take their place.

Brahmins long ago lost the right to claim hereditary rights 
for 'archaka' positions in the temples. They simply did not measure 
up to the challenge of the times. That is why they all took the easy 
way out, took up other non-traditional vocations to better their 
material living standards in life. It would be hypocritical on our 
part after so many years of dereliction of traditional duty to now 
agitate for 'archaka' rights.

Let us be graceful in accepting our faults and failings. Let us pray 
and hope that in the hands of other non-brahmin 'archakas' in the 
new dispensation in Tamil Nadu the temples will flourish and 
prosper. Let us pray to the ALmighty that at least the 100-
odd 'divya desams' will see better days now that they will be 
in "better hands". Let us pray that religious-mindedness, theism, 
God-fearing attitudes and charitable behaviour ('aram' 
and 'aastikam') will now spread far and wide amongst all sections of 
society than ever before.

Regards,
dAsan,
Sudarshan   



> Thatha Desikan <tsdesigan@...> wrote:
>   Pranams to all people,
> 
> I hope many would have heard that the current DMK
> government of Tamil Nadu, is going to issue a
> government order that "All people, not just brahmins,
> can become priests in hindu temples". He has intended
> for all the temples that are currently under
> government. They also seems a plan to train many
> non-brahmin people for this.
> 
> Our tradition is based on varnashrama darma and not
> caste fights. But, he wont understand this.
> 
> Sorry to bring this news to groups, but any idea on
> what all the temples that might get affected?
> 
> Regards,
> Desigan









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