Dear renu,
If the public considers our chat an argument, then you win, for i would any day rather lose to my dear friend than anyone else.
But.
But, let me unravel some backgrounds of ethnic Indians over the centuries and how terms, are connotated differently in their culture. this is what i know now, and as i know more, i will change my views. so this is not for arguement with the public.
Starting early 1800s when indentured Indian labourers replaced enslaved Africans, they came of the poorer strata, from south and bihar mostly. They had no priests in them, but admirably they clung to the Hinduism that they were familiar with. And passed it on the generations. We should remember, once you left Indian shores, there was no communication further, and hardly any one returned.
From what I know, the knowledge of the poosari, of the temples of s.africa, Mauritius, or French west Indian islands (yes there are tamils there), passed on to who ever was available or interested. The accents and knowledge dwindled, but the commitment was there. so instead of a poosari caste in tamil Hinduism, we have the role taken, and many a time an elderly lady. As was the case with the grand mother of one of my s.african tamil friends, from Durban.
In Guyana, Trinidad, the same thing. The priest role came to be called Brahmin or pandit. Again, there were no caste Brahmins, and like Mauritius or south Africa, these people freely intermarried, and had large families. Those who could mumble a few words, and felt comfortable swinging the lamp in front of pictures of deities, became the Brahmin or the priest.
So, the term priest Brahmin etc., afaik, was more someone who was not of the caste but of the role, and hence, Brahmin is a changeable attainable status, with poonal if warranted. I have noticed, even in the hindu Punjabi prayer houses, the role of the pundit, need not necessarily be of the Brahmin caste. It all depends on the group, and usually the older man takes the role to perform the dooh daahs.
To stretch it further, with my children, and their view of non caste Hinduism, and who knows, two generations from now, just as xtians or jewish or muslims, these too might take interest in theology, and based on their knowledge, and interest, assume responsibility of running a temple functions, something for which we import vathiars from india, whose calibre, is just as good or bad, as the average in india, and whose appointment here is not based on qualifications, but contacts.
Because, my descendents will be coming armed with knowledge, and their approach will be more theological than birth right, and I do think, that in the light of so much ignorance among tamil Brahmins, and because of the prestige paid to interest from north America, these, irrespective of what caste the parents or grand parents be, will adorn the poonal, with all the due respects and goodness that goes with not. Not the lavish status indicating hypocritical show of wealth display of a standard tambram poonal function of today, with the said poonal adorning a nail on the wall, even before the sun is set.
our boston sankara, may just be a few decades ahead of his time, and probably a pioneer, in the concept of qualified vedic brahmins, and our reach back to ancient vedic custom of transformable varnas.
On a slightly deflective topic: my health care needs are met by doctors at mt Sinai hospital in Toronto, a jewish managed one. increasingly few, but in the 80s through 20s, I used to share the waiting room with holocaust survivors. The minute, one is recognized such, you should see the light of respect that come in the eyes of the hospital staff.
The reverence and awe, is something I used to watch and admire. I would consider the Indians of south Africa, similar in their experience. Except, now, post apartheid, some may be unsettled and unsure of their future. It is a beautiful country, cape town is heaven on earth, and I sincerely hope the country does good.
Thank you.
