Agraharams

[Nara]

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Hello SwamiTaBra and Saidevo,

.... an agraharam for brahmin converts somewhere near the Periya Kadai veedi, set up exclusively for neo-brahmin converts in late 19th century. Except that for a perumal temple they had a chapel. Other restrictions lsuch of barring entry of people from pallar/pariah were observed.

So, these brahmins wouldn't abandon their brahmnical ways even after embracing Christianity? Perhaps these brahmins converted only to get free education. Whatever the case may be, these instances only bolster the case against brahminism, not mitigate it a bit.

.... I have even seen one or two ordinary construction workers walk through the street carrying their sandals on hand out of respect, though this was not insisted.

It is an irony that mudaliar community from which quite a few leading lights of DMK like Nedunchezhian, Anbazhagan would not speak of exclusivity by their own community.

Some people would dub it as rivalry between two elite groups of Madras -- one with Mylapore (brahmins) as its bastion and other with Egmore (mudaliars).

These two comments are quite interesting. First, from the way Saidevo describes the gated agraharam at Double Mal street, I wonder how he knows that "this was not insisted". But, taking his words at face value, we can assume that the NBs willingly humbled themselves in order to show respect. Yet, it seems Egmore mudaliyars were bitter rivals to Mylapore Brahmins.

Perhaps the rivalry was only between upper caste NB and B, but the lower caste NB, like the construction workers Saidevo witnessed, held Brahmins highly respectable. But this does not add up either, how come these upper caste NBs were able to mobilize all NBs against Bs in such a short time, within a matter of 25 to 30 years. DMK dislodged Congress by mid 60s.

I know what the response would be for this, it is hateful propaganda against the Bs by these DMK types that turned everybody against the Bs. This is really lame.

First, why can't a similar argument be made to show that the respect the construction workers voluntarily showed is because of Brahmin propaganda of birth-based inferiority. Second, the ease with which DMK found resonance among the general public shows that the respect Brahmins enjoyed was only on the surface. Dig a little deeper, there was dislike and resentment to be exploited.

Finally, the upper caste NB embraced Tamil culture and tradition, open to all, but the Brahmins in their hubris held on to their exclusivity, in language, culture, tradition, and made it easy for the upper caste mudaliyars to paint them as the "other". The "mudaliyars" with their kottai and all, were able to make this into B vs. NB because the Brahmins gave them all the ammunition they needed. The TBs couldn't make this into a Mudaliyar vs. non-mudaliyar, could they?

At least now, having been completely marginalized in Tamil nadu, at least now, the Brahmins could stop and think, and try to jettison all the things that made it way too easy to be scapegoated. But that feeling of superiority, we are better than the rest, that feeling is hard to give up, so it seems

Cheers!

 

[saidevo]

namaste Nara.

I said in post no.76:
"Why, there was this 'ReTTai mAl teru'--'Double Mal Street', diagonally opposite the RockFort temple entrance, which was a brahmins only private street with gates at its two entrances, shut to public traffic, except for the pedestrians. I have even seen one or two ordinary construction workers walk through the street carrying their sandals on hand out of respect, though this was not insisted."

Your reply in post no.77:
"First, from the way Saidevo describes the gated agraharam at Double Mal street, I wonder how he knows that "this was not insisted". But, taking his words at face value, we can assume that the NBs willingly humbled themselves in order to show respect. Yet, it seems Egmore mudaliyars were bitter rivals to Mylapore Brahmins."

I reported what I saw in a matter-of-fact way, and you, as usual, have your opinionated extrapolation of it. The phrase 'even seen' in my statement is to emphasize that it was not the norm but was on very rare occasions observed by rustic people. In fact, I saw it only once or twice.

I knew 'this was not insisted upon' because we lived there and I had brought non-brahmin friends to my house who traversed the street with their sandals on. So, I would think that what I saw on those one or two occasions was what those people did more out of ignorance than out of respect, because the Double Mal street was more a laukika brahmin colony and everyone in the area new it. Have you ever walked through that street?

Yes, the street with gates, was a private colony of brahmins, with a sign to the effect, "This is a private avenue, not a public thoroughfare". Private colonies of whatever nature, are not thoroughfares, and usually a watchman at the gates checks the entrants, allowing only visitors. There is nothing wrong or objectionable with such a practise, whether it is done by brahmins or others.

SwamiTaBra's post no.74 asked you an implied question, which you ignored, taking only what was convenient to you in our posts: Why the DMK, which takes such an aggressive exception to the brahmins for practising their jAti and dharma, is silent about the exclusivity practised in some other castes? The plain fact is that they have been doing it with brahmins and Hinduism all along because they could sell it, but not any longer. Today, the people are very much aware that the brahmins in TamizhnADu, even where they organize themselves exclusively in agraharams to practice of their dharma, are not discriminative about other castes.

 

[SwamiTaBra]

namaste shrI SwamiTaBra.

I studied in the St.Joseph's college during 1968-1971. During our time, the college was infested with so many brahmin boys who carried forward its name by their meriorious scores, that the collge used to declare a holiday for the 'AvaNi AviTTam' ritual, marking it as such in their Notice Board.

Yes, as you said, "John Mahadevan, Rev. Lawrence Sundaram, (a Jesuit) Aloysius Mani were brahmins." However, Fr.Sundaram lived inside the college campus in the quarters provided for them. In St.Britto Colony, other senior college professors and lecturers lived. I think this was somewhere in the West Bouleward road opposite Tamizh Sangham. I had on one or two occasions called on a brahmin English lecturer there. I have also visited Fr.Sundaram's quarter.

I think the AnDAr Street was an agrahaharam during my college days, complete with a compartmental type living called 'the stores', wherein a close friend of mine was living. Why, there was this 'ReTTai mAl teru'--'Double Mal Street', diagonally opposite the RockFort temple entrance, which was a brahmins only private street with gates at its two entrances, shut to public traffic, except for the pedestrians. I have even seen one or two ordinary construction workers walk through the street carrying their sandals on hand out of respect, though this was not insisted.

I think even today in Mylapore, such brahmin-exclusive streets are there: I think, one in the MunDagakkaNNi Amman Street, for example. Around the KapAli Kovil tank and the Chitrakulam of the PerumAL temples, there are still brahmin-exclusive agraharams though they are dwindling gradually.

And then there was the Gujili street, opposite Ibrahim park in the WB Road, established originally by the Jains--seits as they were known. Similarly, usually the colonies of Christians and Muslims are exclusive to them in many places. It is alleged that the so called 'samaththuvapurams' established by the DMK were sold to their own party members. The only 'samaththuvapurams', as I heard some celebrity saying sometime back (I don't remember who or when), were the multi-storied aparments which house people of every caste, color and creed.

Living in exclusive groups and places may be a deliberate act, but need not be a hurtful one that sends wrong signals about the people who do it, nor are they are such in the perspective of the 'outsiders'.

Dear Sri Saidevo

I have stayed at Double Mall street during my first year at college as a sort of paying guest.
Then, though it was a private street, for all practical purposes it was open to all. Some remnants of landed gentry still were there during that period. The entrance to the street from Teppakulam side served as a open public urinal as there was sufficient darkness after dusk. Now most of the houses have been sold off and it now literally a bazaar.

The Andar street "store house" you were referring were indeed ghettos with dry common lavatories.

Coming to the issue under discussion, the missionaries during the early period were targeting brahmins. The underlying assumption was that if brahmins could be lured, others could fall into the lap. But this strategy has changed sometime in last century. So they did everything possible to address the sensibilities of the newly converted brahmins like providing an virtual agraharam, separate mass and separate graveyards. Some of the priveleges were extended to converted saiva pillais as well. Also as a part of the strategy, they kept the influential high caste hindus in good humour. This I got corroborated when about 12 years whilst speaking to one of the iyengars of a highly respectable family of Srirangam.

In fact many of the early non-europeon Jesuits were brahmins and latter pillai -- bulk were from Mangalore. Jerome D'Souza was one of the most popular priest with Manglorean roots.

Though my intention is not to offend you, may I ask how now you ask brahmins to preserve their "svadharma", when you couldn't practice that (i presume you had taken secular employment), when all avenues to make a livelihood by old methods prescribed for brahmins have fallen into disuse?

With regards,
Swami

 

[SwamiTaBra]

Hello SwamiTaBra and Saidevo,

So, these brahmins wouldn't abandon their brahmnical ways even after embracing Christianity? Perhaps these brahmins converted only to get free education. Whatever the case may be, these instances only bolster the case against brahminism, not mitigate it a bit.





These two comments are quite interesting. First, from the way Saidevo describes the gated agraharam at Double Mal street, I wonder how he knows that "this was not insisted". But, taking his words at face value, we can assume that the NBs willingly humbled themselves in order to show respect. Yet, it seems Egmore mudaliyars were bitter rivals to Mylapore Brahmins.

Perhaps the rivalry was only between upper caste NB and B, but the lower caste NB, like the construction workers Saidevo witnessed, held Brahmins highly respectable. But this does not add up either, how come these upper caste NBs were able to mobilize all NBs against Bs in such a short time, within a matter of 25 to 30 years. DMK dislodged Congress by mid 60s.

I know what the response would be for this, it is hateful propaganda against the Bs by these DMK types that turned everybody against the Bs. This is really lame.

First, why can't a similar argument be made to show that the respect the construction workers voluntarily showed is because of Brahmin propaganda of birth-based inferiority. Second, the ease with which DMK found resonance among the general public shows that the respect Brahmins enjoyed was only on the surface. Dig a little deeper, there was dislike and resentment to be exploited.

Finally, the upper caste NB embraced Tamil culture and tradition, open to all, but the Brahmins in their hubris held on to their exclusivity, in language, culture, tradition, and made it easy for the upper caste mudaliyars to paint them as the "other". The "mudaliyars" with their kottai and all, were able to make this into B vs. NB because the Brahmins gave them all the ammunition they needed. The TBs couldn't make this into a Mudaliyar vs. non-mudaliyar, could they?

At least now, having been completely marginalized in Tamil nadu, at least now, the Brahmins could stop and think, and try to jettison all the things that made it way too easy to be scapegoated. But that feeling of superiority, we are better than the rest, that feeling is hard to give up, so it seems

Cheers!

I broadly agree with your analysis on the growth of DK/DMK, the conditions that made it quite fertile.
But you seem to miss a point. The brahmins in 18th century and even in better parts of 19th century did not willingly take up secular employment. With the onset of British rule there was a steep fall in overall food production caused frequent famines (the British themselves have documented sufficiently), Brahmins dependent on other communities were left in lurch. They perforce had to look to the British for their survival and only government could engage them. In fact the whole of the Indian populace suffered.
Dadabhai Naoroji seminal work on impact of British rule throws sufficient light. Recent researches of Sri Dharampal corroborates Naoroji's findings.

Coming to exclusivity, though it sound unfashionable these days, at least vegetarians deserve exclusive housing. Though we live a independent house the strong odour emanating from the neighbours' kitchen while they cook meat/fish becomes unbearable at times. Think of that in the row houses.

In Bombay there are housing societies where people consuming non-vegetarian food are barred from residing. The courts too could do nothing to overturn that practice.

With regards,
Swami

 

[saidevo]

namaste SwamiTaBra.

Though my intention is not to offend you, may I ask how now you ask brahmins to preserve their "svadharma", when you couldn't practice that (i presume you had taken secular employment), when all avenues to make a livelihood by old methods prescribed for brahmins have fallen into disuse?

Who are we "to ask" brahmins to preserve/persist with their svadharma or abandon it? At best we can only echo the shAstras and mahAns or speak our own opinion as the case may be.

I do agree that the old methods of living and occupation for brahmins have 'fallen into disuse' in today's circumstances. Yes, I am a retired bank official, a secular job, and I find it very difficult to take up my svadharma at this age, after having been indifferent to it all along these years, so I try to do it at least in the subtle level of the mind. At the same time, compared to our childhood days, our own children are not adequately exposed to our Hindu Dharma, so, as brahmin parents, we can try out best to inculcate it in them.

What I try to take exception here is that since most of us cannot practise the Hindu/brAhmaNa dharma, we are abundantly opinionated to reform it, even remove it, and thereby seek to denounce our shruti and smRti for their dharma content, in total disregard of the opinions of our guru parampara.

 

[Nara]

.....The brahmins in 18th century and even in better parts of 19th century did not willingly take up secular employment.

[...]

Dadabhai Naoroji seminal work on impact of British rule throws sufficient light. Recent researches of Sri Dharampal corroborates Naoroji's findings.

Dear Sir, Just a couple of months back we had a long thread "Brtis are to blame" in which Dharampal was discussed. From what I have seen, his "research" is not validated by academics.

It is merely a speculation to say that Brahmins didn't voluntarily take up secular employment. They were not living via non-secular means, which they had to abandon against their will and take up employment in government offices. In the most part, they were small to big land owners living from the labor of others.

Further, even if there are some justifications that can be drummed up to explain why they took up government employment in droves, it is clear they maintained their exclusivity and the superior otherness, which was exploited to the fullest extent by the Dravidian parties.

Coming to exclusivity, though it sound unfashionable these days, at least vegetarians deserve exclusive housing. Though we live a independent house the strong odour emanating from the neighbours' kitchen while they cook meat/fish becomes unbearable at times. Think of that in the row houses.

Restrictive covenants of the type you are suggesting are not entirely odious, one can argue about it. But, Brahmin exclusivity like agraharam is harmful, particularly to Brahmins, for it strengthens delusions of superiority.

Cheers!

 

[Nara]

....I reported what I saw in a matter-of-fact way, and you, as usual, have your opinionated extrapolation of it.

Come on Saidevo, do I always exptrapolate in an opinionated way, or do I bestow that honor only to you, in other words, I seem that way only to you and like minded few?

First Saidevo, you are the one to bring the matter about footwear, and you are the one who made a casual claim that it was not insisted. All I did was ask some questions, I even conceded and agreed to take this at face value. What was my opinion that I then extrapolated?

Have you ever walked through that street?

I may have, I used to frequent the general area, but that was more than 30 years ago, and my memory is not all that it used to be, and, and, and ..... what was I saying?

Private colonies of whatever nature, are not thoroughfares, and usually a watchman at the gates checks the entrants, allowing only visitors.

Yes, that is true, as long as the private colony does not discriminate based on caste, race, gender, and such things. However, we also need to see who owns the street passing through the colony. If it is public property, then there may be some legal issues.

SwamiTaBra's post no.74 asked you an implied question, which you ignored, taking only what was convenient to you in our posts: Why the DMK, which takes such an aggressive exception to the brahmins for practising their jAti and dharma, is silent about the exclusivity practised in some other castes?

Saidevo, in fact it is this part of SwamiTaBra's post I spent most of my reply on, and he also has acknowledged that, and in general, he says he agrees with my view.

But, I see no reason for defending or answering for DMK. If you think they are hypocrites you need to take it up with them. As an erstwhile Brahmin, that too an extremely observant one, in my poorashrama, I would like to talk to Brahmins about the freedom and joy that awaits them when they cast aside this albatross called caste around their neck.

Cheers!

 

[SwamiTaBra]

Dear Sir, Just a couple of months back we had a long thread "Brtis are to blame" in which Dharampal was discussed. From what I have seen, his "research" is not validated by academics.

It is merely a speculation to say that Brahmins didn't voluntarily take up secular employment. They were not living via non-secular means, which they had to abandon against their will and take up employment in government offices. In the most part, they were small to big land owners living from the labor of others.

Further, even if there are some justifications that can be drummed up to explain why they took up government employment in droves, it is clear they maintained their exclusivity and the superior otherness, which was exploited to the fullest extent by the Dravidian parties.

Restrictive covenants of the type you are suggesting are not entirely odious, one can argue about it. But, Brahmin exclusivity like agraharam is harmful, particularly to Brahmins, for it strengthens delusions of superiority.

Cheers!

Dear Sri. Nara,

My post is in two parts

Part – I

You are against caste based superiority as well as class based segregations. Caste based segregations are castigated enough over the last one century. But it seems everyone is comfortable with class-based segregations. I who earn intermittently and a meager sum cannot imagine to be a next door neighbour of Mukesh Ambani,. Mukesh Ambani certainly cannot be called a self-made entrepreneur. He and his brother have built on the birth-based entitlements. (There are numerous such instances) Had he not been the son of Dhirubai Ambani, may be he would have just been an employee somewhere looking to the first date of each month for his pay-cheque.

Whilst caste based segregations are frowned upon, nowadays class (wealth ) based ones are indeed glorified. My view is that at least in caste-based segregations there is a modicum of what I term as intra-egalitarianism, in class based ones there is nothing – today’s idol may remain uncared for if his/her wealth is seen to be diminishing. Segregation needn’t have to be only about physical proximity, but also in social and economic sense. While in many other castes, intra-egalitarianism is also watched for, it has all but disappeared from the Brahmin community as manifested in the marriage alliances.

I agree with you on the point that the unjustifiable overweening pride of many Brahmins in 18th and 19th century created a resentment, that was exploited to the hilt by the Justice Party/ DK/DMK to the hilt. The reason why I say unjustifiable is that many have started moving away from the traditional calling to secular jobs and yet retained the same exclusiveness on which you are indignant. Accumulation of landed property that you have cited also created the resentment.

Though pride of any sort is not welcome, some of them accompanying with achievements are tolerated as justified privilege in any society. That is what other communities accorded to the British uptill some 300 years back. Just as people tolerate or sometimes admire what all Narayanamurthy and his cohorts utter these days.


What was originally given as “enams” or “manyam” for conduct of vedic rituals gradually became a property of few individuals. The resentment is thus not about not sharing the agricultural labour, but due to huge landownership by a few. But a majority of Brahmins were left with meagre landholdings with which they could barely subsist and perforce had to look for employment. My grandfather had small landholding and he struggled for better part of his life economically despite having a small family. He was determined not to take up employment – neither secular nor religious in nature. The kist would take roughly about 50% of produce and British raj showed no leniency if crops failed. A district collector (an odious terminology which is still perpetuated), the symbol of British power was provided with more than 40 servants. The scale of economic impoverishment of India witnessed during the 150 years of British rule was unprecedented – nothing of that scale happened even during the Muslim rule. So kindly do not overlook the baneful impact of the British rule in this context. Niall Ferguson, a celebrity British historian, may chose to underplay all these, but we as Indians at least should not swallow all that someone of his ilk may have to say.


Part – II

In line with your arguments* on the obstinacy of Brahmins in not sharing their intellectual, cultural wealth with rest of the society, Sri Aurobindo was to say in the essay “Imperfections of Past Aggregates”:

“Therefore, the perfect counsel for a dominant minority is always to recognize in good time the right hour for its abdication and for imparting its ideals, qualities, culture, experience to the rest of the aggregate or as mush of it as is prepared for that progress.

When this is done,the social aggregates advance normally and without disruption or serious wound or malady; otherwise a disordered progress is imposed upon it, for Nature will not suffer human egoism to baffle for her fixed intention and necessity. When the dominant classes successfully avoid her demand upon them, the worst of destinies is likely to overtake the social aggregate, -- as in India when the final refusal of the Brahmin and other privileged classes to call up the bulk of the nation as far as possible to their level, their fixing of an unbridgeable gulf of superiority between themselves and rest of the society, has been the main cause of eventual decline and degeneracy….”

When is good time and the right hour? Has it already gone? If to be done now how should it happen?

What are your comments?


With regards,
Swami

* from other threads too.

 

[Nara]

Dear Shri SwamiTaBra, Greetings!

....Whilst caste based segregations are frowned upon, nowadays class (wealth ) based ones are indeed glorified. My view is that at least in caste-based segregations there is a modicum of what I term as intra-egalitarianism, in class based ones there is nothing – today’s idol may remain uncared for if his/her wealth is seen to be diminishing.

You raise some interesting issues. While each of the two bases of division, caste and class, give rise to injustice, a mix of the two, the cocktail of caste and class that we have, is potently unjust, and prevents any backlash against the rich and powerful by splintering the poor and the powerless into many small groups, all collectively weary of each other.

There is no modicum of equality within a caste, not at all. There is no way families from clearly different classes of the same caste mixing. The caste system, superimposed upon the class system, makes a poor member of one caste show allegiance to his own rich oppressor just because he is from the same caste. Further, it makes him view someone who could be his natural ally sans caste system, a poor from another caste, with suspicion. In this matrix of caste and class, individuals are splintered into ever so small groups, it is near impossible to mount a challenge to the established system.

So, IMO, caste system aggravates and perpetuates class exploitation. Caste serves to protect upper class and robs the lower classes of any chance of uniting.

I don't know whether a classless society is even possible, but casteless societies are all around us. So, it would be nice if we can take away caste system that benefits only those belonging to the upper classes.

Offspring of rich having an advantage is unavoidable. Even if 100% estate taxe is instituted, the kids will still get to enjoy a privileged upbringing. Further, 100% estate tax will have many unintended negative consequences.

So kindly do not overlook the baneful impact of the British rule in this context.

Not at all, I have no sympathy for the British rule. But, blaming the British for our social evil is not wise.

Part – II
When is good time and the right hour? Has it already gone? If to be done now how should it happen?

Thanks for the citation from Sri Aurobindo, quite powerfully stated.

Brahmins are already marginalized, they have no political power, and other sources of power are fast eroding. Brahmins now have an opportunity to give up on caste superiority that is already being taken away and claim some credit for it, or just end up fading away with nobody left to lament. Either way, the days of Brahmin caste superiority is already past.

Cheers!

 

[SwamiTaBra]

Dear Shri SwamiTaBra, Greetings!

You raise some interesting issues. While each of the two bases of division, caste and class, give rise to injustice, a mix of the two, the cocktail of caste and class that we have, is potently unjust, and prevents any backlash against the rich and powerful by splintering the poor and the powerless into many small groups, all collectively weary of each other.

There is no modicum of equality within a caste, not at all. There is no way families from clearly different classes of the same caste mixing. The caste system, superimposed upon the class system, makes a poor member of one caste show allegiance to his own rich oppressor just because he is from the same caste. Further, it makes him view someone who could be his natural ally sans caste system, a poor from another caste, with suspicion. In this matrix of caste and class, individuals are splintered into ever so small groups, it is near impossible to mount a challenge to the established system.

So, IMO, caste system aggravates and perpetuates class exploitation. Caste serves to protect upper class and robs the lower classes of any chance of uniting.

I don't know whether a classless society is even possible, but casteless societies are all around us. So, it would be nice if we can take away caste system that benefits only those belonging to the upper classes.

Offspring of rich having an advantage is unavoidable. Even if 100% estate taxe is instituted, the kids will still get to enjoy a privileged upbringing. Further, 100% estate tax will have many unintended negative consequences.


Not at all, I have no sympathy for the British rule. But, blaming the British for our social evil is not wise.


Thanks for the citation from Sri Aurobindo, quite powerfully stated.

Brahmins are already marginalized, they have no political power, and other sources of power are fast eroding. Brahmins now have an opportunity to give up on caste superiority that is already being taken away and claim some credit for it, or just end up fading away with nobody left to lament. Either way, the days of Brahmin caste superiority is already past.

Cheers!

Dear Sri Nara,

We are passing through the high-noon of vaishyahood. Everything that has to do with wealth-creation command prestige. All human endeavours seem to be revolve around wealth.

Though it may be unfashionable to talk about Marx, -- and many would take the collapse of Soviet Union as the death-knell to his theory,--the rule of proletariat could ultimately come about in not-too-distant future. When that age will begin to appear all institutions, the thoughts and all endeavours could be centred around labour.

Nearly a week back I started a new thread “Neglect of Humanities” under the forum General Discussions. What I thought was an interesting and relevant subject, it seems does not appeal to most people viewing this website.

I request you look into that thread and give your valuable thoughts.


With regards,
Swami

 

[msmani]

Today I happened to read an article in The Crest Edition of times of India bu Ms.Shalini Umachandran.
I got a copy of the article also from the web. I am posting the same below for the benefit of forum readers.

As the 11-year-old boys hastily grab their makeshift stumps to make way for his car, KS Raman says, "Cricket was never a craze when I was a boy. My brothers and I used to play a game without a name." The former general manager of India Cements explains that the game he and his brothers - sons of S N N Sankaralinga Iyer, patriarch of the Sanmar group family - played outside their childhood home in Kallidaikurichi was a simple one. "We'd stand in the four corners of a square with one person in the middle, who was like a catcher. He had to grab a corner while we ran and changed places."

Today, the street outside his childhood home in Tirunelveli district is quiet - most of its famous sons now live in Chennai. A small town on the banks of the river Tamirabarani, Kallidaikurichi is the hometown of the founders or promoters of some of south India's biggest industrial houses - Eswaran Iyer of the Easun Group, S N N Sankaralinga Iyer of India Cements and the Sanmar Group, K R Sundaram Iyer of Royal Enfield and K S Vaidyanathan of Paterson & Co. The descendants of these enterprising businessmen, who started out as traders and indigenous bankers, have gone on to build industries that are among the best in the world - yet their roots are firmly in Kallidaikurichi, the sleepy, rustic little hamlet tucked away at the end of the Western Ghats. They return - at least once a year - to perform religious ceremonies, to inaugurate school buildings they've funded, to distribute the school prizes, and for uncles' birthdays.

Ramalingam, the caretaker of Royal Enfield founder K R Sundaram Iyer's house, says with pride, "This village has so many famous people. All the big industrialists of Madras are from here. I've seen them all."

"As a child, I used to go to Kallidaikurichi every year during the summer holidays. We'd be cut off from the city for two months: no phones, nothing, we used to sleep on the terrace , bathe in the canal behind the house," says N Sankar, chairman of the Sanmar Group, who lives in Chennai and visits Kallidaikurichi occasionally.

In Kallidaikurichi, the view of the distant forested hills is everywhere, the streets fall silent by 6 pm and everyone's tucked into bed by 9. "Today, it's the ideal place for retired people like me: slow, calm, quiet, rich with history and religious activities, and a river in the backyard. But in the middle of the last century, this village was at the centre of business activity," says T Kameshwaran, a retired IIM-A professor, who moved back to Kallidaikurichi in 1998 and is documenting the town's history. He lives in Ramachandrapuram , a few doors down from the house in which K S Narayanan, chairman emeritus of the Sanmar Group and S N N Sankaralinga Iyer's son, was born.

Raman, who is K S Narayanan's younger brother, says their father S N N Sankaralinga Iyer was an indigenous banker who started the Indo-Commercial Bank in 1934. But the moment he realised the area was rich in limestone, essential for manufacturing cement, he travelled around the district in a bullock cart identifying quarries and buying up land in the 1940s. "He was interested in different things, always learning something new. He saw an opportunity in a completely unrelated field and seized it. Today , companies from as far as Rajasthan have set up quarries around Tirunelveli," he says.

It's this entrepreneurial, inquiring spirit that made people from this area successful, says Easun Group chairman Hari Eswaran, whose father K Eswaran Iyer started trading in bicycles and went on to set up Easun Engineering , now a Rs 1000-crore group with concerns across the world. Sitting beneath large, framed photographs of his maternal grandparents in his family home, Hari Eswaran says that when his father left Kallidaikurichi, he didn't know the first thing about cycles. "But in a few years he was thinking of branding and selling them. They all had good informal education, were hardworking and passionate about what they did, and had the capacity to assimilate and learn as they went along."

Kameshwaran says the women were equally industrious and enterprising: they converted extra milk into ghee or butter, curd into buttermilk, made appalams - an industry that still exists in the town. At one point in the 1980s, Kallidaikurichi was world-famous for its fine, tasty appalams. "Keeping busy and making money was looked upon favourably, and it didn't matter whether the women were from rich or poor families," he says.

Small businesses clustered in the area slowly grew into industries and as demand for their goods and services grew, the families moved out - to Tirunelveli, to Coimbatore, across the border to Kerala, further north to Chennai, out into Europe and then to the rest of the world. "But at the end of the day, this is my village," says Eswaran, whose group has holdings in Canada. "I may not live in Kallidaikurichi any more, but this is where it all started."

Narrow town houses, with tiles on the roof, whitewashed walls and slim rods in the windows , line the streets of the agraharam, the 18 streets where the town's Brahmins traditionally lived. The architecture and layout of all the houses is similar - concrete and wood, cool and dark, simple and functional. Once in through the front door, the house seems to stretch in an endless line, one narrow room leading into the other. "Many houses are even narrower now because brothers dividing up the property put a wall through the house. So an 18-ft wide room becomes just 8 ft," says a professor who lives opposite Sundaram Iyer's house on Sri Varahapuram Street.

Every house has a covered thinnai or verandah , which leads into the living room, then the family room, on to the kitchen, an open or sometimes covered courtyard, and then out into the backyard with a garden, a well and a cowshed. "When we were children - and there were nine of us - we'd sleep in a line in this room," says K S Raman. "Even when we grew up and moved away, we'd come back for the summer holidays with our families , so the room would be even more crowded with beds and sheets."

The larger, older houses have two kitchens - one old-fashioned with an adupu, the traditional stove stoked by firewood, and another kitchen with "modern gas," as it is still called in Kallidaikurichi though they hardly use wood stoves anymore. Every kitchen has a huge swing where the women chat or rest.

About 70 years ago though, entertainment here involved jumping into the Kannadiyan canal, which carries water for irrigation from the Tamirabarani, and swimming across to the opposite bank. K S Kasiviswanathan, another of K S Narayanan's brothers, says he and his brothers used to float down the canal in a boat. Their family house opens onto the canal at the back. "There is water nine months in a year," he says standing on the steps that lead into the water. "It was such fun - swimming, playing, daring each other to go further into the water."

Weddings were grandiose affairs with the entire village turning out to eat, drink and make merry. K S Raman says his sister Gomathi's wedding in 1956 was the last time they had a huge family wedding in Kallidaikurichi . "It was a week-long affair with actress and dancer Padmini performing at the wedding and guests from across the world. The whole village got involved - the guests stayed in some houses, food was served in another , people played cards all night, and the mandapam was set up in the street."

Now the families get together only about once a year to organise the annual function at the Sri Lakshmi Varaha temple in the Tamil month of Purattasi (mid-September to mid-October ). The deity is placed on "the largest bronze Garuda in the south," as one of the local businessmen describes the deity's mount, and is taken around the town in a procession. Each of these four main families takes turns to conduct the festival. "That's the time emails fly to and fro and the family scattered across the world starts wondering whether to come back to visit our hometown. I don't think we've managed to make it back all at one time," says K S Raman, who is deeply involved in educational and religious activities in Kallidaikurichi , though he lives in Tirunelveli.

But every family house has a caretaker like Ramalingam. "Even though they don't live here, they're very involved with the village," he says, referring to Sundaram Iyer's family. "And they continue to help anyone from this village who goes to Chennai. A number of people also leave letters and applications for scholarships with me, which I forward to the family in Chennai," he says.

Hari Eswaran agrees with this observation. "I think it's also that you see one family's success and want to emulate it. If he can do well, so can I - and from that passion to do well, to do better, to improve upon your last achievement, comes success."

People from the area have vision and are resourceful, says N Sankar of the Sanmar Group. "Or maybe there's something in the waters of the Tamirabarani that makes the townsfolk so enterprising."

WHO'S WHO

SNN Sankaralinga Iyer
Started as: Indigenous banker Set up: Indo-Commercial Bank in 1934 Diversified into: Rubber, printing inks, a carbide factory and set up India Cements in 1946, Chemplast and the Sanmar Group followed Core businesses today: PVC/ chlorochemicals , speciality chemicals, shipping, engineering under the Sanmar group Managed by: Grandson N Sankar, with son K S Narayanan as chairman emeritus

K R Sundaram Iyer
Started as: Importer of British motorcycles with nephew Eswaran Iyer Set up: Royal Enfield in 1955 to manufacture motorcycles under license from the British company Managed by: Merged with Eicher group in 1994 Other interests: Grandson Bhargav Sundram runs Callidai Motor Works, manufacturers of integrated mobility aids for the disabled

Eswaran Iyer
Started as: Trader in bicycles Set up: Easun group of companies Core businesses today: Electrical power solutions Managed by: Son Hari Eswaran

OTHER FAMOUS FAMILIES
S Anantharamakrishnan of the Simpson group is from Alwarkurichi, across the Tamirabarani, about 10 km from Kallidaikurichi

T V Sundaram Iyengar, who founded the TVS group, is fromThirukurungudi, about 50 km from Kallidaikurichi

A bit of HISTORY
Kal-idai-kurichi means "village in the midst of hills," says T Kameshwaran, retired IIM-A professor, who is recording the town's history. "It must have been a hunting village for centuries. The Kallidaikurichi-Ambasamudram-Alwarkurichi areas form the upper level of the present day Tamirabarani irrigation system." The Pandyas, the Cheras and the Cholas have ruled this area. Each ruler formed new settlements and cultivated the forest lands. The Brahmin settlements that form today's agraharam probably came up during the Chola period. "Traditionally, the 18 streets in which the Brahmins lived were split into eight gramams (villages), which were collectively known as the agraharam," says Kameshwaran. Representatives of each of the 'villages' took turns to manage temples and organise religious, social and cultural events in the town. Inscriptions in some temples in Kallidaikurichi date back to the 13th century - in fact, the town is preparing for a kumbabhishekam (ritual cleansing of a temple that has been renovated) in the 1000-year-old Manendiappar temple. The 450 years of Venad rule in Kallidaikurichi and parts of Tirunelveli district explain some distinctive features found in the culture and customs of the people and their economic history as indigenous bankers. The Kannadiyan Canal, which starts from the confluence of the Tamirabarani and Manimuthar rivers, was probably built in the second half of the 13th century, by the Pandyas with help from the Hoysala kingdom. Water brought by the canal makes the town fertile for cultivation of the main crop, paddy.

Read more: Root of the MONEY TREE - The Times of India Root of the MONEY TREE - The Times of India​

 

[SwamiTaBra]

Dear Sri. Msmani,

Your citation of the artice from TOI is fine, but the successes of the the business luminaries from the community from that region also corresponds to the decline of the Agraharam life.

With regards,
Swami

 

[msmani]

Dear Sri. Swami
The idea of the post was to cite an article for reasons below:
1.The article was in line with my original post-- contains information on Kallidai kurichy
2.I found the article quite interesting that contained useful and factual information on Kaliidaikurichy agraharams-that I thought will be liked many of our forum readers.
3.I thought of pasting only that portions that are strictly relevant to the mian post , but then I changed my mind as I did not want to tinker with a nicely written article-giving due credit to its original author Ms.Shalini.
4.The decline of Agraharams in general is attributed to the changing times, educational and economic opportunities/avenues available elsewhere.
Since many members of the community left their native village for pursuing greener pastures decline or erosion of agraharam culture started.
For the benefit of those who have not gone through the whole thread, I am posting here one of my previous posts on this thread.....

Quote..........

[FONT=&quot]Dear members,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]First of all I wish to thank the moderator for transferring my suggestion to the forum under general discussion.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I wish to clarify my intention of making this post as below:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]It was not intended to suggest going back to agraharams. I agree times have changed greatly and that the great concept of agraharams where brahmins lived together as a family and where the traditions were maintained and taught for generations is unfortunately no longer relevant. We all had to move as we changed our professions and were forced to leave the agraharams for better living opportunities.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]My point is agraharms though are devoid of their yesteryear inhabitants and glory, can still provide some great insight in to our culture and glorious times.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]My intention was to create a thread where people can post details of their agraharams- villages such as name, district, main temples, nearest river, serene surroundings, temples, presiding deities, major festival or occasion when many old residents return to congregate, present status, any on going improvement activities, status of present left out brahmin population there, there needs etc.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]One of the benefits may be to help some of the members who probably have not visited their native village not even once to get some idea of their roots.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Basically intention was not create a discussion on the agraharms concept but to create a resource thread in to data on our yester agraharams, which are on the way to oblivion, so that it becomes one of the reference tools to our roots.[/FONT]
Unquote------

Thanks
Mani

 

[kahanam]

My thanks to Sri. MSMani for his extremely useful and interesting information on Kallidaikkurichi! This used be the place where Vedas and vedic rites flourished, Both Sringeri and Kamakoti Maths have branches there. It has almost become a bigger town now, yet the village ambience and peace persists ther whenever I visit the place!

 

[kahanam]

namaste SwamiTaBra.



Who are we "to ask" brahmins to preserve/persist with their svadharma or abandon it? At best we can only echo the shAstras and mahAns or speak our own opinion as the case may be.

I do agree that the old methods of living and occupation for brahmins have 'fallen into disuse' in today's circumstances. Yes, I am a retired bank official, a secular job, and I find it very difficult to take up my svadharma at this age, after having been indifferent to it all along these years, so I try to do it at least in the subtle level of the mind. At the same time, compared to our childhood days, our own children are not adequately exposed to our Hindu Dharma, so, as brahmin parents, we can try out best to inculcate it in them.

What I try to take exception here is that since most of us cannot practise the Hindu/brAhmaNa dharma, we are abundantly opinionated to reform it, even remove it, and thereby seek to denounce our shruti and smRti for their dharma content, in total disregard of the opinions of our guru parampara.

Indeed very true! I thank Sri. Saidevo for his expression of true feelings. Chanting the Gayatri Mantra and inculcating values to the children as per the scriptures will help and allow the Brahminical culture and lifepattern to stand! May God bless us all!