RVR. What keeps most of the members here is the common Brahmin inheritance..............
Many children of Tamil Brahmins who have grown up outside Tamil Nadu do not even know how to read or write Tamil. I see some profiles in the marriage web sites put up the younger generation where they identify themselves as Iyer but give their mother tongue as Kannada or Malayalam.
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My only connections to Tamil Nadu is the Temple the family owns and properties.
True all above is true.
Irrespective of origins, on migration from one place to another ,it is just natural that people (especially younger generations) imbibe the local language and culture and other habits.The original traits may remain for sometime, as far as it is fostered and encouraged at home or in the common community fora, and gatherings.
The christians in Kerala speak Malayalam, Christians in Karnataka speak Kannada, in Tamil Nadu they speak Tamil. But everywhere they follow the same christian customs,with some adaptations from local culture and habits. Similarly , Muslims also. That means , it is not the language which is a broader binding force, but some deep rooted customs and traditions.
That is what as Sri sankara_sharmah wrote.."
What keeps most of the members here is the common Brahmin inheritance....
The Tamil Brahmins in Kerala, migrated many years ago from Tamil Nadu, but still they follow mostly the same customs, celebrate same festivals ,use Tamil at home.But they also follow Kerala customs, celebrate Kerala Festivals, worship local deities, learn and communicate in Malayalam( equally or better than other Malyalees). For all purposes they are Keralites. But for personal traditions they follow the brahmin tradition .
But when it comes to the governmental level dealings, it is same- the reservation against them, the job quota against them. Only, that, in the social arena, they are not as haunted as in Tamil Nadu, but many times taunted in media, and cinema.Politicians generally ignore them,as they do not have any damage value due to the microscopic population they constitute. So that is the difference.
In public, a brahmin, in whichever Statein India he lives, he is just like any other person of that state.but for his personal matters,he follows his own brahminical traditions. Socially also he mingles with all others, his children study in either govt or private schools like any other citizen.( Indian constitution is graceful to allow anybody to practice ---and please note..- preach one's own religion and worship practices).So he has his own community congregations, bhajans, or even prayer halls and temples, (like other communities also have) as it is well allowed by the country,s constitution and law
Brahmins in other states also face similar problems irrespective of how well they are localised .
So Tamil Brahmins have common binding as Brahmins and not
as Tamils, Telugus etc.
Why? even if an Indian talks French,Spanish or Greek like any others of those countries, he will still be considered as Indian only,but he will get the rights and protection as allowed by the country he is resideing and eligible as per that country,s rule and law.
Hence Tamil brahmins need not worry if somebody is not ready to consider them as Tamils.As far as one is living in Tamilnadu, he is Tamil for all purpose. Otherwise even Sri Karunanidhi is not a Tamil.
This forum is started for Tamil Brahmins and definitely Tamil can be discussed and dealt with. But TBs have other things to solve, and that has common factor with all brahmins. (So , Minus Tamil,TB.com is Brahmins.com only).Let discussions continue as such. It is because of this many non-tamil brahmins also participate in the forum. And the forum should get more and more such people, to realise the TB.com goals.
Greetings