Cho's Enge Brahmanan serial - Does it project the brahmins cause?

[saroja ram]

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Finally, ..... an abrupt ending

Dear all

I am not sure how many of you were following the serial Enge Brahmanan regularly. It has ended abruptly on 1st July with Ashok being informed that he is none other than Vasishtar. Cho tried to project brahminical rituals, but, in my opinion, has failed. TB and KBs (kerala brahmins) have evolved and come along long way from doing pujais into all other forms of business activity. This applies to all the four segments prevalent in the earlier years. Given this, why are we trying to bring in a demarcation in society? We have faced enough flak and criticism for our ancestors following untouchability? Do we need to start all over again? If the serial had attempted to show the present trend of living in harmony, it would have been more realistic and acceptable.

 

[kunjuppu]

tbs,

cho should not be projecting manu, who is one of the most racist and sexist law givers. it does not apply to the current world.

saroja, you are 100% correct in your sentiments.

cho missed the bus and the train and the plane. He coould have used the serial to form a reformist opinion for the TBs who are still caught up in the superiority of brahmin caste frame of mind.

 

[sangom]

Cho's "engE brAmaNan" serial (Part-2) is over. Like the first part, this also ended abruptly with Ashok (Maharshi Vyasa as a human being in the 21st. century A.D.) suddenly ascending to his heavenly abode.

In this context I am reminded of a story which my cousin wrote in a children's hand-written magazine many years ago. The story was about a princess kidnapped by a demon and held captive. She could be freed only by killing the demon; but the "life" of the demon was kept in the form of a worm inside the stomach of a parrot in a cage in the demon's room, and the demon could be killed by destroying the worm, and that too without killing or harming the parrot!

The story of the adventurous prince venturing to free the princess (and marry her) ran nicely for a few issues of the magazine. Then came the critical stage - the prince was to accomplish the task of killing the demon. Things looked next to impossible. Luckily the three or four youngsters who were behind the magazine effort went to different places and schools at that stage and there was no further issue of the magazine. The poor prince was saved of an ordeal which would have been really difficult except by administering laxative to the paarot etc!!

In the same way, Vasishta going to Kailasam saved the day for Cho. Otherwise an ardent brahmin would have been either labelled as a mad man or would have been punished for murder!

I am, however, curious to know what happened to the poor girl who married Ashok in the hope of inheriting all the assets. Therefore, let our TB girls beware of any TB boy doing sandhyavandanam diligently, learning vedam, etc.; it could be some divine Maharshi in human form and he may simply leave her in the lurch when faced with a dilemma!!

 

[suraju06]

Sarojaram, Kunjuppu and Sangom,
Sarcasm, self-criticism and reformist enthusiasm apart, I would request you to think about these few lines.

I was travelling in the 2nd class compartment of a Mumbai Suburban train
during the peak hours on a working day. The crowd was so much that I could not move a millimeter any part of my body other than my hands which were firmly holding the handle hanging from a crossbar above. I was travelling from Santacruz to Churchgate and every stop on the way was a miserable experience as i was caught between crowd that was trying to get in and the crow that was trying to get down. I am sure there were many brahmins in that compartment just like me.

Again this time I was travelling by a train. That was in London through the Tube. The crowd was not as dense as it was in Mumbai. At the time of getting down there was some jostling.An European gentlemen was not able to put up even with that temporary inconvenience of close proximity of other human beings and was loudly cursing his fellow travellers to their annoyance.

Now tell me what is untouchability? If it is intolerance of close proximiity for whatever reason, is it not universal?

Being born a brahmin, I have been handed down a value system which is not only unique but is also the quintessence of centuries of experience and knowledge in living in hormony with nature and living a good and clean life. If I have inherited it why should I give it up? and why should I feel ashamed of it or why should I be apologetic about it? Rather I am proud of my heritage. This fervour for reform is all the result of ignorance and years of shrill indoctrination. If you think you have not been handed down any such value system, please search for it you will certainly get it. It may the mistake of your parents or your circumstances or your peculiar situation. Cheers.

 

[sangom]

Sarojaram, Kunjuppu and Sangom,
Sarcasm, self-criticism and reformist enthusiasm apart, I would request you to think about these few lines.

I was travelling in the 2nd class compartment of a Mumbai Suburban train
during the peak hours on a working day. The crowd was so much that I could not move a millimeter any part of my body other than my hands which were firmly holding the handle hanging from a crossbar above. I was travelling from Santacruz to Churchgate and every stop on the way was a miserable experience as i was caught between crowd that was trying to get in and the crow that was trying to get down. I am sure there were many brahmins in that compartment just like me.

Again this time I was travelling by a train. That was in London through the Tube. The crowd was not as dense as it was in Mumbai. At the time of getting down there was some jostling.An European gentlemen was not able to put up even with that temporary inconvenience of close proximity of other human beings and was loudly cursing his fellow travellers to their annoyance.

Now tell me what is untouchability? If it is intolerance of close proximiity for whatever reason, is it not universal?

Being born a brahmin, I have been handed down a value system which is not only unique but is also the quintessence of centuries of experience and knowledge in living in hormony with nature and living a good and clean life. If I have inherited it why should I give it up? and why should I feel ashamed of it or why should I be apologetic about it? Rather I am proud of my heritage. This fervour for reform is all the result of ignorance and years of shrill indoctrination. If you think you have not been handed down any such value system, please search for it you will certainly get it. It may the mistake of your parents or your circumstances or your peculiar situation. Cheers.

Dear Raju,

Greetings. I can't speak for Kunjuppu or Sarojaram but I can say that you have not understood me. Either it is my faulty language, but I think I made it as clear as possible when this thread was started by me, or, you feel that the serial projects the cause of brahmins in a way beneficial to them. I don't know.

If you find sarcasm in my post, it is not because I am against brahmins and their heritage but because I strongly feel that Cho's serial has painted brahmins in a bad light, especially when TBs in Tamil Nadu face very unenviable conditions. The central character of the serial Ashok does not fit any brahmin boy/young man of our times and if he is the typical example of a true brahmin, we all will appear very discredited creatures in the eyes of the NBs whether we are proud or not of a "value system which is not only unique but is also the quintessence of centuries of experience and knowledge in living in hormony with nature and living a good and clean life". BTW, I hope you have seen how the serial ended.

For your information, I am an old (70) brahmin and have respect for our heritage but am for such changes in our rituals, customs and beliefs, as may be necessary for us to lead a normal life peacefully in this world. Hope I have clarified my position.

If you feel the serial has helped to improve the image of the brahmin community, pl. feel free to let us know what are the reasons which make you feel so.

 

[kunjuppu]

suraju,

let me see if i can explain this more clearly, re the failure of cho's serial and its projections, and its failure to the brahmin community.

i have to give a different example, who is more easily understood.

for me, rajaji epitomizes the a modern brahmin leader, a mixture of the best of the good, and inherited bad.

the good: honesty, humility, good administration, hard work, thrift, simple living, religiosity at its deepest learning shorn of unnecessary and extravagant rituals, absence of pomposity...

the bad: inherent brahministic sense of superiority, evidenced by insensitivity to the other castes and aspirations, feeling that you are different and a cut above other hindus, exclusivity for temple priestdom, belief that caste is god given right...

in today's world, there is no space for manu and his racist, female hating thoughts. nobody is willing to serve under a regimen where there are destined to play the bottom fiddles, for the pleasure of some supposed god giving rights of certain groups of people. this is what i have found in the brahmins and brahminism.

how i think, i can better the future of hinduism? my children have strong hindu identity. but no sense of being a brahmin. just a foreign born hindu. they do not know how to discard a person by his name being rajagopalan or karuppan. on those rare occassions, if they do, it is only because someone has told them such. racism is learned. it is never divined. manu was wrong on this instance. cho was wrong to propagate manu. thus his serials do a great disservice to the brahmin community. it is only us who watch his show. my gut feeling.

 

[RVR]

I was not watching this serial but occasionally see it during my visit to other houses where I was forced to watch to avoid disturbing the hosts.

I just talked to some people about the end result. Probably Cho wanted to convey the message that even Rishi Vashishta if he come to the earth now, cannot live like a true brahmin as per varnasrama dharma in the present age. According to them the delivery of the message was not proper and abrupt end was just unbelievable.

Even in the political analysis, Cho was always confusing and it will be difficult to understand what he is conveying.

One thing which is clear `Cho is very much capable of confusing everybody'

All the best

 

[nachi naga]

cho is very articulate and able to quote from wide variety of source.i think brahmins only exist in mathams is the answere for enge brahmanan.as for the serial discontinuation,i am so sad,becoz i was enjoying it well.wish he continues owing to popular demand.cho is a awesome guy,extremely talented human being.i think brahmins ie by birth or otherwise who live a brahmana vaishanava like iskcon is a living reality.the guru for iskcon has done well ,but it actually the lord krshna is making such a lifestyle to continue as the adi-parampara guru.

 

[suraju06]

Dear Sangom Sir and Mr. Kunjuppu,
Pranams. I have made my views about Cho's serial clear earlier.My view is that this serial is a mediocre one.Period.Now what I have posted is about the general tendency I see among the TBs. They are always defensive, self critical and apologetic. I saw this trend in the following words posted here. I have given my views also:

1. Sarojaram--//Given this, why are we trying to bring in a demarcation in society? We have faced enough flak and criticism for our ancestors following untouchability? Do we need to start all over again? If the serial had attempted to show the present trend of living in harmony, it would have been more realistic and acceptable.//

My point is no body is forcing any demarcation on the society. Society by its very nature is heterogeneous. The homogeneity which the enthusiastic reformers are trying to bring in is extraneous to the nature of the society. Harmony can be achieved in a heterogeneous society also. It has nothing to do with being homogeneous. Rather a homogenous one will be a breeding ground for all sorts of problems. Our ancestors did not commit any crime. Interested quarters have created such an impression for political reasons. So we dont have to be apologetic.

Kunjuppu: //He coould have used the serial to form a reformist opinion for the TBs who are still caught up in the superiority of brahmin caste frame of mind.//
There is no superiority complex or frame of mind because of being brahmins. The superiority Complex or the frame of mind , if it is there, is because of real achievements and real superior quality of life lived. This kind of complex or frame of mind is common to all human beings. Brahmins are no exception. In our anxiety to be self-critical, real pride cannot be labelled as retrograde.
//the bad: inherent brahministic sense of superiority, evidenced by insensitivity to the other castes and aspirations, feeling that you are different and a cut above other hindus, exclusivity for temple priestdom, belief that caste is god given right...//
"inherent brahministic sense of superiority"--you have prejudged him and your views suffer from the infirmity of that prejudice.The pride if it was there could have been a genuine one like that of Klose thrusting his fist in the air after scoring the goal in the Argentina Vs Germany Quarter final world cup foot ball match today.
"insensitivity to other castes and aspirations" there was no such insensitivity in his mind.if you read his life history carefully you will come to this conclusion.
"a cut above other hindus"--if it were so his daughter would not have been the daughter in law of a bania(other hindu)
"caste is god given right"--He never thought that way. May be he could have thought that caste is a "given condition" in this world.
I am sorry I have to close because of power outaage here. I will continue and complete this later. Cheers.

 

[Nara]

......Probably Cho wanted to convey the message that even Rishi Vashishta if he come to the earth now, cannot live like a true brahmin as per varnasrama dharma in the present age.....

Folks,

Of the many pernicious things Cho says, as his sidekick asks some silly leading questions, the worst is this artificial dichotomy between "Varna Brahmin" and "Jati Brahmin". No lesser an authority than the previous Kanchi Shankarachariyar Sri Chandrasekara Swami says this in Kamakoti.org Hindu Dharma pages.

In common parlance jati is used for varna. I am also using the two as interchangeable terms.
​

According to him Jati and Varna are not the same, they are different. The difference is Jati is a subdivision of Varna, like Iyer, Iyengar are Jatis under the Varna Brahmana.

There is only one set of texts that tell how each varna is supposed to live and that is Dharma Shashthras. If the life of a "true" Bramana is not possible these days, that is matter to rejoice, not lament.

As I keep repeating here, more than 1000 years ago a few Azhvars recognized the scourge that the Jati based exclusivity really is. Concerted efforts were made to downplay caste identity. Here is a powerful statement by அழகிய மணவாளப் பெருமாள் நாயனார் in ஆசார்ய ஹ்ருதயம் verse #86, under Chapter 1, section 10.

அஜ்ஞர் ப்ரமிக்கிற வர்ண ஆச்ரம வித்யா வ்ருத்தங்களை கர்தப ஜன்மம், ச்வபசாதமம், சில்ப நைபுணம், பஸ்ம ஆஹுதி, சவ விதவாலங்காரம், என்று கழிப்பர்
​

Even our own greats from 1000 years ago felt divisions on the basis varna or jati is not a good thing, they are not god given identity, but a man made one as beneficial as Ahuti offered to ash.

So, don't take my words, SV acharyas have put down the gauntlet, the ideology of exclusivity of a varna Brahmin is just as undesirable as one of Jati Brahmin, even if you think Jati and Varna are more different than what Mahaswamigal has said.

Cheers!

 

[nachi naga]

dear nara

Even our own greats from 1000 years ago felt divisions on the basis varna or jati is not a good thing, they are not god given identity, but a man made one as beneficial as Ahuti offered to ash.

in sanathana dharma,all that we perceive is god.all that is god.identity or identyless atheist or agnostics are also god,whom we call charavakhans.therefore they too have an identity.just as you have a moniker 'called' nara as an identity,which we term as god,its deivam manushya rupenam.charles dawkins has an identity in his name,which we term as god.my dog is god.my donkey is god.my monkey is god.my krishna is god my shiva is god my brahma is god.my hitler is god my butler is god.everything is god.as we are contained inside god as well as god is contained within us.the traits are classified brahmana kshatria vaishya shudra,assigning chores for such personality traits.those who are born with display a certain traits based on their gunam.which is acquired thru numerous births owing to karma.therefore you get a status like,president vice-president speaker...etc so on.

 

[suraju06]

Hi,
I am here to complete what I started yesterday.
//today's world, there is no space for manu and his racist, female hating thoughts. nobody is willing to serve under a regimen where there are destined to play the bottom fiddles, for the pleasure of some supposed god giving rights of certain groups of people. this is what i have found in the brahmins and brahminism.//

MCPs are there not only in the Brahmin community but in every community and every society. So your finding them in Brahmins is no wonder. But brahminism is something else. As a first step could you please define what is brahminism? My point is that every thing that is bad in the society and in the casteistic hierarchical system has been attributed to brahmins and people have a tendency to call it by the name brahminism. This is something akin to what Capra says about inflation. Cho's views about women is well known from the days of his dramas in the 70s. He was the one who said obliquely in a drama that Indira Gandhi, being a widow, was unfit to be the PM of the country.If you looked for anything better from Cho it would only mean that you are a die-hard optimist.
There is a school of thought which says Manu was a Kshatriya. I agree with you that there is no place for manu's outdated and unfair laws. I am also not for those who prescribe to throw the baby with the bathwater.
//they do not know how to discard a person by his name being rajagopalan or karuppan. on those rare occassions, if they do, it is only because someone has told them such//
Rajagopalan and Karuppan are only one of the tags among many other to identify a man. You never discard or accept someone by looking at just one tag. Hinduism never teaches you to do that.Brahmins never say that either.
Sangom//For your information, I am an old (70) brahmin and have respect for our heritage but am for such changes in our rituals, customs and beliefs, as may be necessary for us to lead a normal life peacefully in this world. Hope I have clarified my position//
Sangom sir, I respect your views.Rituals, customs and beliefs are undergoing changes with time. My point differs only when someone says we have to change our ways because some one wants it that way. That too when that some one demands here and now that too on his terms only, I try to engage him in a dialogue to make him aware of the opposite views. Changes are accepted only when they are convenient and comfortable to a person. But to imagine that it should be the same across the board for the community as a whole is a different cup of tea. Cheers.

 

[kunjuppu]

suraju,

please read my note on rajaji again. i am a brahmin and am proud of our community for the stuff mentioned - hard work, good work ethics, simplicity, ambition, drive et al.

nobody needs to be ashamed of the above and those factos akin to above. in fact, the other communities emulate us and want to be like us in these respects.

next to the christians, we were the first to liberate and educate our women. we should not be proud of this. becuase it was a wrong that is righted. long overdue. this is not an achievement, but as a correction of millenium years of mistake.

so too is the caste feeling of superiority. let us not mince words there, as even the poonul ceremony is full of caste connotatations. you can be a good hindu without propating manu's varna theories. it is best manu is thrown in to the garbage heap of history asap.

that is all i am saying. let us differentiate the good and the bad. acknowledge the bad and get rid of it. simple as that eh!

 

[sangom]

suraju,

please read my note on rajaji again. i am a brahmin and am proud of our community for the stuff mentioned - hard work, good work ethics, simplicity, ambition, drive et al.

nobody needs to be ashamed of the above and those factos akin to above. in fact, the other communities emulate us and want to be like us in these respects.

Dear Kunjuppu,

I may be excused for this interjection. As all of us are aware, the brahmins kept the sole monopoly of religion and scriptures to themselves. The other three castes were not allowed the freedom to interpret the scriptures. (There are one or two exceptions to this of course.) This zealously coveted monopoly is what we now regard as our tradition and inheritance.

It is because of the hard work, good work ethics, simplicity, et al, of the other three castes, and most importantly their naivete in believing that the brahmin has a superiority by birth itself, plus their helplessness (till modern times) to revolt against the perceived superiority of brahmins (in my view this is the most appropriate meaning of the term "brahminism") that sustained our society. (Nandanar may be a solitary exception). If the farmers (many of which class was demoted from the vaisya to sudra category over the centuries) had been less hardworking even under below-subsistence levels, less simple, and had a fraction of the ambition and drive which you refer to, the brahmins would have faced acute starvation and decimation long ago. If there had been a level playing field for all perhaps the other castes would have excelled in the brahminic specialisation also. We have the example of one of the backward castes in Kerala some of whom have been traditionally sanskrit scholars, ayurvedic physicians, astrologers etc. Their grasp of Sanskrit was much superior to that of many of the barhmins who could only parrot mantras without understanding their meaning.

I therefore feel that we should not view the above qualities of good work ethics, hard work, and simplicity as something unique to brahmins. Incidentally drive and ambition usually do not go hand-in-hand with simplicity, I think.

 

[Nara]

.... My point differs only when someone says we have to change our ways because some one wants it that way.

Folks,

It seems Shri Raju has forgotten some of the previous exchanges we have had on this subject. Let me refresh the fading memories.

Here is one from me on a different thread:

In the meantime, let me give you a taste of Swami Periyavachchan Pillai's interpretation of தொழுமின் நீர்.

உங்களுடைய வித்யாவ்ருத்தங்களும், ஜன்ம உத்கர்ஷங்களும் மத ஹேதுவாகையன்றியே தம ஹேதுவென்றிருக்கும் நீங்கள் அவர்கள் காலிலே விழுங்கோள்.... நீங்கள் அவர்களை ஆராதியுங்கோள்...ஸ்வரூப ப்ராப்தமான நீச பாவமானது அவர்களுக்கு ஸ்வரூப ஸித்தம். உங்களுக்கு துர்மாநத்தாலே துஷ்கரம். அவர்களை தொழவே உங்கள் ஸம்ஸார பீஜமான துர்மானம் போம்.
​

மதம் = அடக்கமின்மை
தமம் = அடக்கம்
ஹேது = காரணம்
துர்மானம் = அஹங்கரம்
துஷ்கரம் = அரிது
​

And in a different thread, in response to Shri Raju's self congratulatory post about Brahmin greats, I asked a couple of questions, one of those two was:

How come the present day orthodox brahmin Sri Vasihnavas and Acharyas refuse to adopt even the narrow way in which commentators like Swami Sri Periyavachchan Pillai have interpreted Azhvar's revolutionary words? For more details of this look at this post.
​

Sri Raju's reply at that time February 14, 2010, was:

We will come to this latter.
​

Almost five months have gone by and I am still waiting. Yes, I am saying we have to change our ways, and nobody need to pay any attention to me. But is it not rank hypocrisy that SVs say they revere Azhvars as nothing but Nithyasoori avatharas and Acharyas as even more than Iswara (see கண்ணிணுண் சிறுத்தாம்பு), and yet don't care to change their ways to what the Azhvars and the Acharya's interpretation, not my misinterpretation but Acharya's interpretation?

For Sri Raju to talk about caste without the charge of hypocrisy he must answer this question to which he promised he will come "later".

Cheers!

 

[Nara]

.....I therefore feel that we should not view the above qualities of good work ethics, hard work, and simplicity as something unique to brahmins. Incidentally drive and ambition usually do not go hand-in-hand with simplicity, I think.

Dear Shri sangom,

I am in full agreement with the above. I would even go further. Good work ethic, simplicity and hard work are qualities found more among the working NBs, like the carpenters, agricultural workers, blacksmiths, laundry workers, barbers, etc., where as, ambition and drive, gaming the system to their advantage are more common among the upper castes, particularly Brahmins.

Cheers!

 

[RKB]

Cho's serial is innovative in narrative. It is wrong to say that only Brahmins viewed the serial with interest. Almost all my clients discussed with me about the serial and appreciated the mission contained in that serial - 'about finding the root'. I personally felt that the serial has helped Brahmins to regain their self esteem that they lost it after Sankaracharya was arrested. But how is it from Jaya TV?

I think Cho has some political intentions behind this. Portraying Cho as a businessman is rubbish. Also the postings in this domain does not answer as to why this serial is a success with all Tamils?

 

[pannvalan]

I am a great admirer of Cho. Whatever he said has happened and is still happening. But, he is not a fore-teller.

His way of analyzing all subjects and putting forth his views articulately with clarity and conviction has always impressed me.

I differ with him on many of his views, but never fail to appreciate the cogent arguments he advances.

His way of satire is unique and not known to Indian journalism until he started Thuglak in 1971. I have been a regular reader of this magazine ever since it was started.

 

[sangom]

... Also the postings in this domain does not answer as to why this serial is a success with all Tamils?

Shri RKB,

I started this thread because some of my friends (TBs) said it was excellent while some others (TBs and local NBs) had doubts about the way brahmins were ultimately projected in the serial. Of course TBs will be happy to see a serial set completely in TB milieu and with the intermittent explanations by Cho citing various scriptures. But it is the discerning who have doubts.

For example, Cho said, on one occasion, that caste is not based on birth but according to one's nature; in the last but one episode or so, he said every one should do the "kulathozhil" and should not take up another (paradharma). Similar contradictions were there in regard to the status of women in Hindu society and many other points. In sum, the serial does not help in projecting the ordinary TB of today as a real brahmanan.

Our people are generally happy to hear some "kathhaapravachanam" and then go home satisfied that they had spent time in "punyakarma". They don't usually bother to do the three mistakes of "Sravanam, mananam and nididhyasanam". In one bhagavatapravachanam (nowadays, any one can do such pravachanam, it seems) a retired Govt. employee explained the meaning of "aapeena" and "peena" as 'one which is drunk'; therefore "peena vakshaa" in describing the gopis went to "aapeena vakshoruhaam" of Lalita Sahasranamam and he described the meaning by relating the incident of Umadevi giving breast milk to thirujnanasambandar! A beautiful confusion due to Hindi "peenaa"=to drink, I think. No one questioned but some at least appreciated the vast erudition of the 'discourser'!

 

[suraju06]

//Portraying Cho as a businessman is rubbish//

Oh! Yes! I agree. The magazine Tuglak is run for charity and the serial Enge Bramanan was also screened freely. He did not charge any fee for the ads that were aired before and after the serial. He used all the money he earned by his dramas only in charities. He is not a businessman. To say that he is a businessman is just rubbish.

 

[pannvalan]

Extending your argument a little further, why even charitable trusts collect fees and other charges for the institutions (schools/hospitals/old age homes) run by them? Come to think of it, even the governments (State/Central) charge for many of the services rendered by them. Why?

 

[Nara]

... Portraying Cho as a businessman is rubbish.

Dear RKB, I'm with you on this point. How does it matter whether Cho is a businessman or not? This is an example of the Ad Hominem fallacy. Resorting to it is sloppy and lazy.

The question is whether this series is beneficial to the so called Brahmin "community" or not. Whether Cho is a businessman or not is irrelevant, even if he was pandering for business reasons. We need to restrict our arguments to what he says and promotes.

Cheers!

 

[nachi naga]

what is benefit yesterday,today it becomes a loss,what is loss today becomes a benefit tomorrow.so,cho is a smart biz man to use all ancient info,to promote brahmins way of life.if one can learn something,good.otherwise,being a wisecrack is always an option.

 

[kameshratnam]

Cho finally says none of us are brahmins.

 

[RKB]

Business of Politics is ...

Hinduism has space for every point of view. Therefore you are as much correct and as much wrong as Cho. Cho's point of view will not make sense if it is not read with his political intentions. But what his political intention can be is left to your own imagination.

In one of my posting I said that NRI Brahmins can not claim themselves as TBs. This is my point of view for I firmly believe that a TB should learn to live in Tamilnadu and take on people like MK. As a true TB I feel that Cho is working for a political mileage. Those in Obama's comfort will see everything as Business and that is not the way in Tamilnadu.

Shri RKB,

For example, Cho said, on one occasion, that caste is not based on birth but according to one's nature; in the last but one episode or so, he said every one should do the "kulathozhil" and should not take up another (paradharma). Similar contradictions were there in regard to the status of women in Hindu society and many other points. In sum, the serial does not help in projecting the ordinary TB of today as a real brahmanan.