Thinking in English- Its been 60 years post Independence!

[C RAVI]

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Please pardon me for responding to my own post!

I urge all the members of this forum to read this article.

I myself am very close to both my children, one boy and one girl. They both are very attached to me as well. Yet, it is our daughter, who seemingly fights with both parents with much more vigor and frequency than our son, who shows affection more readily and freely.

Cheers!

Sri Nara,

Your above quote reminds me of another thread where Sri Kunjupu was finding girls to be better care taker of her parents (after marriage).


Sri Kunjupupu,

I am not of the mind set that your opinion is meaningless. Fortunately you may be having loving and caring daughter(s) and son(s).

I just want to highlight that in human relationships we can never generalize as who is ideal and who is not in taking care.


Sri Nara,

In most of the cases it is found that, females show love and care towards their parents only if they have some kind of motives to fulfill what they want.

"I don't claim the validity of this finding. I am just sharing, what I got to know"


IMHO, they can show true love and care and give a healthy form to a relationship. As well they can ignore and boycott with full determination, if they want to..

Majority of girls are highly determined, focused and ambitious than guys and that’s how we could find many girls excelling in studies, much better in comparison to boys. Where as most of the guys are lacking all the said three qualities or any one of them..

Both these exclusive qualities of girls and boys are always welcomed and appreciable. However, too much of these qualities can not be always constructive some way for the girls and the people around her; and lacking in all or any one, can not be always beneficial for the guys and the people associated with him.

 

[C RAVI]

Why should the society accept the "validity of the changes"? Are these women so pious that they can not stop going to temple even on "those days"? Even if the answer is "yes", can't they see God at home, after all God is everywhere? Can we say that those women who by their own choice decide not to go to temple on "those days" are wanting in devotion to God? Let us remember that the issue of "those days" is not shashtra or ritual but physical and for hygenic reasons. Just because women deal with "it" in a more sophisticated ways these days does not mean that they are not impure on "those days". It is bad blood and is infectious. Even science supports it.

The other issue of "why a woman can not do abhivadaye?" or "why a woman can not be called chiranjeevi" all appear childish. If a woman wants to do abhivadaye, let her do it. So what? Heavens would not fall. Nobody stops her from doing it.

Women were confined to homes but they chose to come out to learn and earn.
People lived in villages but they chose to come out to cities
People lived in independent houses but they chose to live in flats
It is all not because they religion or their rituals wanted it but because it was convenient for them to do so.
A politician does what is good for his/her politics
A businessperson does what is good for his/her business
A common man does what is convenient for him/her.

It is as simple as that. It is **** to blame Hinduism or its rituals for someone's frustration. It is unfortunate that such people are regarded as "revolutionary". Many women elsewhere are silently practising many of the issues raised in this thread. And here in this forum, people make a hue and cry.

Sri Haridasa Siva,

I respect your values/ideas/opinions and on many of your points above, I agree with you.

The present world is going through finding the solutions for the cases that were found/considered obstructive, harmful, oppressed, hostile et..etc and zeroed-in on leaving no one affected.

This universal agenda has no exception to India and Hinduism. Humans are the same across the Globe.

Though your points are valid, I feel that our women find certain restrictions as against justice and their liberty & wish.

In today’s fast moving world, we could not even realize sometimes that we have offended some one whom we love and care. We even have failed to realize that we have failed to follow our own family culture/tradition, rules and policies. In such a scenario, what we are going to achieve by continuing with old practices and give a sense of injustice to our women/making them feel offended?

I think, we should wake up and stand by the revolting person (Male/Female) for anything that can be reasonably justified, without losing our tradition/culture/values. Since this particular issue of restricting women during their menses is not leading to the destruction of our women folks, the outcome of the revolution though happens to be unfavorable, would not be a serious issue to be considered as absolute injustice, leading to spoiling women's progress and success. And if it happens to be in favor, it would be the joy of we all.

In either way, we all can be happy together, IMO.

 

[meghavarshini]

NOT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!
This thread is not about rejecting temples for being too orthodox, Womens' Rights in a social setting or female ability. I asked, for instance why women have to change their gotram(well, unfortunately since Sri Kaushika and Sri Bharadwaja were considered Gurus and not their wives, I can't change the pattern, however, atleast I should be able to retain the my lineage for now!), and are treated as nothing more than carriers of genetic info during almost every religious ceremony(letting women give alms during the sacred thread ceremony is not good enough) ! This thread IS NOT about how irrelevent ancient practices and how necesary it is to abolish them in totality but about the need for change as opposed to blind, faith the lack of critical engagement, and refusal to question! We cannot stop going to temples or getting registered marriages, period. So, how about telling me why I'm not allowed to recite the Vedas(not study, recite), give an introduction when seeking blessings and not formally be accepted into the Brahmin community? Don't tell me that my seeking thse things is silly or irrelevant, or that I should 'rise above' all this and just be spiritual. Answer my questions.

 

[meghavarshini]

Acha does anyone here watch Neeya Nana? Please tell me how to request my topic.

 

[C RAVI]

Acha does anyone here watch Neeya Nana? Please tell me how to request my topic.

Ms. Meghavarshini,

I have no info too as how to formally request your topic. But I think, if you contact Vijay TV in Chennai (in person or over phone), you may be able to propose them the topic of discussion.


Since, the topic is related to women, I would like to suggest you that, your proposal to Vijay TV would be more welcomming and honoring and most probably would be taken up, if you personally approach them.

 

[C RAVI]

Ms.Meghavarshini,

You may try this way too - [email protected]

To have some idea about the craze and success of this program and Mr.Gopinath, you may go through the below link too.

indya.com Chat - Chat Transcripts

Wish you all the best. Many of us would be thankful to you for your initiatives...

 

[kunjuppu]

NOT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!

This thread is not about rejecting temples for being too orthodox, Womens' Rights in a social setting or female ability.

I asked, for instance why women have to change their gotram(well, unfortunately since Sri Kaushika and Sri Bharadwaja were considered Gurus and not their wives,

I can't change the pattern, however, atleast I should be able to retain the my lineage for now!), and are treated as nothing more than carriers of genetic info during almost every religious ceremony(letting women give alms during the sacred thread ceremony is not good enough) !

This thread IS NOT about how irrelevent ancient practices and how necesary it is to abolish them in totality but about the need for change as opposed to blind, faith the lack of critical engagement, and refusal to question! We cannot stop going to temples or getting registered marriages, period.

So, how about telling me why I'm not allowed to recite the Vedas(not study, recite), give an introduction when seeking blessings and not formally be accepted into the Brahmin community?

Don't tell me that my seeking thse things is silly or irrelevant, or that I should 'rise above' all this and just be spiritual.

Answer my questions.

megh,

was this note addressing someone particular. it might be a good idea to refer that person in your note, so that all of us know which post you have in mind.

also i have parsed your reply, for easier reading (for old fogies like me.). i hope you dont mind. thanks.

also, your last statement might invoke more response if a 'please' is added. no one loses anything by practising good manners. no?

i think 'Answer my questions please' sounds better.

 

[renuka]

Why should the society accept the "validity of the changes"? Are these women so pious that they can not stop going to temple even on "those days"? Even if the answer is "yes", can't they see God at home, after all God is everywhere? Can we say that those women who by their own choice decide not to go to temple on "those days" are wanting in devotion to God? Let us remember that the issue of "those days" is not shashtra or ritual but physical and for hygenic reasons. Just because women deal with "it" in a more sophisticated ways these days does not mean that they are not impure on "those days". It is bad blood and is infectious. Even science supports it.

The other issue of "why a woman can not do abhivadaye?" or "why a woman can not be called chiranjeevi" all appear childish. If a woman wants to do abhivadaye, let her do it. So what? Heavens would not fall. Nobody stops her from doing it.

Women were confined to homes but they chose to come out to learn and earn.
People lived in villages but they chose to come out to cities
People lived in independent houses but they chose to live in flats
It is all not because they religion or their rituals wanted it but because it was convenient for them to do so.
A politician does what is good for his/her politics
A businessperson does what is good for his/her business
A common man does what is convenient for him/her.

It is as simple as that. It is **** to blame Hinduism or its rituals for someone's frustration. It is unfortunate that such people are regarded as "revolutionary". Many women elsewhere are silently practising many of the issues raised in this thread. And here in this forum, people make a hue and cry.

Dear Sir,

I agree with your post but only one correction from the medical point of view.
Menstruation is desloughing of endometrial cells and its not infective in nature.
Its not "bad blood" as commonly thought.


P.S. 1 more thing...I am cracking my head here wondering if the **** you used starts with a C or an F or an S? F somehow doesn't go with the flow of grammar in that sentence. I have no idea ???
Hopefully next time you give us a clue.hehehheehee(just joking)

 

[kunjuppu]

Dear renu,

Not being a woman, I cannot ever understand or experience processes, physical, secular or religious, re our womanhood. Particularly Brahmin womanhood.

Even though I was brought up in a nominally Brahmin household, there was an imagined line of separation, me/dad vs the women of the household. Perhaps, the separation of genders, is far more, than what we ever realize.

I think, not only tambrams, but all hindus, over time, regardless of where they live, have been abandoning rituals, regimens and philosophies, that do not agree with their comfort or convenience of living. Or from sheer irrelevance. I think, this ‘walking away’ from faith, is done, not out of any anger or antagonism, but more due to ‘cant be bothered’.

I personally am in sympathy with megh’s anguish, re gothra switch at the time of wedding, the overall secondary status to women and above all ‘banishment’ during menses days.

But do I see a grounds up swell to change any of the above? NO.

Most people cannot be bothered with the energy that needs to be spend to change the attitudes of the mutts or orthodoxy. But then who cares. We do what we want, and get on with life.

The legal changes may come after the issue is a non-issue.

For example, today, the concept of women’s education is taken for granted. Not so50 years ago. today, she is gainfully employed. Not so 40 years ago.

In my household, I think, I am closer to my ladyfolk, because we do not observe any discrimination, whether it be monthly periods or role of females in religious functions, and these things are taken in a stride by all the menfolk. There is no ‘us’ vs ‘them’, which was prevalent in my dad’s household.

I am of the view, that equality should be absolute. There can never be a ‘separate but equal’. The latter is only a figment of imagination.

Mindset change. It will come. For some too soon. For others, not soon enough.

Btw, south African tamil temples, during apartheid times and prior, did not have any iyer priests. In many places, the elder women took over the priestly role in places like Durban and joburg. There was no fuss.

Now, with increased contacts, not sure about the status of those temples.

 

[Haridasa Siva]

Dear Sir,

I agree with your post but only one correction from the medical point of view.
Menstruation is desloughing of endometrial cells and its not infective in nature.
Its not "bad blood" as commonly thought.


P.S. 1 more thing...I am cracking my head here wondering if the **** you used starts with a C or an F or an S? F somehow doesn't go with the flow of grammar in that sentence. I have no idea ???
Hopefully next time you give us a clue.hehehheehee(just joking)

Thank you, Renu. It helps to have a doctor in the forum!

I leave **** (in my earlier post) to your intrepretation.

P.S.: You can address me as Siva. No need to say "Sir".

 

[Haridasa Siva]

Dear renu,


Btw, south African tamil temples, during apartheid times and prior, did not have any iyer priests. In many places, the elder women took over the priestly role in places like Durban and joburg. There was no fuss.

Now, with increased contacts, not sure about the status of those temples.

Now, most temples (at least in Joburg) have Indian or Sri Lankan (not necessarily brahmin) priests. Some of them are "proudly south african". The temple near our house does not have a full time priest. I do that job for our weekly prayers and for special prayers, we get a local priest (not a brahmin).

 

[Haridasa Siva]

Dear renu,

I personally am in sympathy with megh’s anguish, re gothra switch at the time of wedding, the overall secondary status to women and above all ‘banishment’ during menses days.

Even here in SA, I see women taking their husband's surname after mariage. They were Miss. Van der Merwe and after marriage, they are Mrs. De Klerk (both names are for example). I believe it is common in other countries too. They don't have any "anguish" for that. Like they change their surname, Brahmins change their gotras. What do I (as a man) gain by retaining my gotra or what has my wife lost by changing to my gotra? Why such a big fuss on gothra? The paternal gothra people do not abandon the girl after marriage. A person (read woman) is not known by the gothra but by the individual characteristics. Gothra is just academic. Now when I do abhivadaye, I say, "Haridasa gothrodbavasya....". I would still convey my pranams even if I have to say, "Aathreya gothrodbavasya...". It is the intent that matters and not the cover. As Shakespeare put it, a rose is a rose is a rose by whatever name we call it.

 

[Nara]

.... Let us remember that the issue of "those days" is not shashtra or ritual but physical and for hygenic reasons. Just because women deal with "it" in a more sophisticated ways these days does not mean that they are not impure on "those days". .

Siva, impure? I don't think so.

If hygiene is the reasons then this rule needs to be repealed as it is no longer issue. But the old fears rooted in ignorance and cultivated by religious superstitions, are difficult to uproot.

Also, this is not about women. It is not about seeing god everywhere, or the level of bhakti of women making different choices, their view on gothra change, and what not. It is about the temple that puts an obnoxious notice board outside, it is about the system that says women get a new birth on the wedding day to become part of the husband's family, it is about telling women what her place is.

As you rightly observe, this kind of male-oriented thinking is not unique only to India, it is true in the West in its own flavor. It is just as wrong when it happens in the West as it is in India.

Cheers!

 

[kunjuppu]

Hi siva,

Good to hear that you live in joburg.

Was in soweto a few years back. did not believe it was a slum. They should come to madras to see real slums.

Though was very surprised by the shanty immigrant illegal town outside capetown airport. I guess the fight against black illegals is now intensifying, judging from the news reports.

Back to the topic:

I think as men, we can never understand the strictures imposed on the women, starting from manu onwards. Granted that these are being discarded by the day, and today’s tambram average household does not in any way resemble one 100 years ago – starting from diet onwards.

So, I would hesitate before proclaiming ‘what is the big deal about gothram transfer’. We need to develop an empathy, especially because the wail of injustice, comes from those who are near and dear to us – our womenfolks. Not many of them would be articulate enough like megh here to put it in words, and solicit answers. But that does not mean, that our mothers, wives or sisters, do not ever feel the opporession of a second class citizenship. At some point in their lives.

Changing names is another tradition. Increasingly I have seen both happening in my family – girls retaining their birth surnames, and some switching it. Is it not great to have the choice.

So far I know of only two men changing their surnames – swaminathan anklesaria-iyer and a white guy locally, who married a chinese woman. Maybe this too would become a norm. soon. Who knows!

Re tamil temples: there is a process, which many may not be aware – the increasing sanskritization of tamil nadu temple. Madasami, sudalai madan and ammans – are being gradually, as when they are taken over by HRCE, given siva/parvathi names and (yes) brahmin priests. I have heard of this happening, though I don’t know how far this is true.

My local friend here, his grand mother used to be a priestess in one of the tamil temples in durban. That is how I know about the existence of NB female priestesses.

 

[Raghy]

Respectable members, Greetings.

I am following this extended discussion about women retaiing Gotram after marriage.

Only minorities follow Gothram. I dare say it may be less than 10 percent of the population?

The rest of the Indian population do not have any Gothra lineage. Most non-brahmins in Tamil Nadu either follow 'Siva Gothram' or 'Vishnu Gothram'. Gothram either doesn't change after marriage; or change from Siva to Vishnu or the vice-versa.

I am wearing my non-brahmin shoes and following this brahmin discussion with interest.

Cheers!

 

[H.Krishnamurthy]

Dear all my friends,
Am following this thread carefully for past few days.
First MEGH ( is it alright madam ) started with a bag ful of anger against injustice and discrimination in Genders.
One thing we have to have in our mind. The full respect to woman is given only in our Hinduism and not in any other religion.
Secondly Hinduism is not a religion it is way of living.
Depending upon the nature of work the communities or the Groups were made like Brahmin vysya Kshatiriya and Sudra.
The Gothras were formed not only as followers of a particular Rishi to safe guard the human community.
You know one thing madam a Female is made of 100 % feminine Cromosomes and a male is made of 50 % Feminine and 50 % Masculine cromosomes. This detail is available in Latest AAlayam magazine. Pl read and post your comment. In this the Author explains why a Girl should enter into the Boys Gothram, why not the other way. This answers to so many DNA and other latest discoveries in the Medical Science.
Have you ever discussed with people those who have performed Kashi Yatra and Gaya Srardham. There preference is given only to mother and not to any one else.
You must have read Matha pitha guru and Deivam in Hinduism only and not in any other race. Matha a female at the begining.
Shakthi paadhi sivan paadhi is also in Hinduism only.
The sacred thread Poonal on a bear top Brahmin is only to identify him as Brahmin .
The rituals and other activities, the preference is given to male. Have you ever seen the activity that is carried out in Brahminism at the burriel ground during final rites of a dead person. ( am not telling about that in modern days it is Electric crimitorium) . It was a tough one at burrial ground and our elders must have felt that a female cannot bear this pain.
Have you ever seen in Christianity or in islam that Mrs or mother of Jesus or mrs. Allah is considered for prayers. It is only in our culture that we give equal importance to Mrs Shiva or Mrs. Vishnu and Mrs. Brahma and celebrate fesivals.
Finally the no entry during Certain days for ladies. You just imagine a condition of a House Wife and her Husband , the Bread winner.
The bread winner was having Weekly off on Sundays and Practically no hectic activity on those days and it was a Rest. Where as a House wife will have more work on Sundays and as such no weekly off. She needs a rest for 3 to 4 days in a month and it is by nature she gets her quota of holidays in a month and no physical work on those days. Please donot consider the modern days of both working fast food and pizza at door step on a phone call, bcoz these rules were made in earlier days.
I may be partially correct as I don't know about the real pain experienced by a lady during pregnancy and during the Delivery.
As a Male I was saluting my mother accept the pains of my wife, my Daughter and my Sisters.
Fine any way it is not to just hurt your feeling.

Thanks K.M.

 

[kunjuppu]

I am wearing my non-brahmin shoes.........

Cheers!

?

 

[Nara]

Dear HK sir,

Sir, I have to disagree with so many of your points I don't know where to begin. Yes, you are right about all the Mrs. Shiva, Mrs. Vishnu etc., but all these Mrs. in these stories are made out to be subservient to their masters. In Sri Rangam, Ranganayaki is not allowed to step outside the Thayar sannidhi praharam, she is portrayed as படி தாண்டா பத்தினி, where as, Ranganathar, who is supposed to an old man according to sampradayam, is taken to his சின்னவீடு in Uraiyur. So, the subliminal message is, even if your husband is a philanderer, women must emulate Ranganayaki, stay home and be a chaste wife to him. So much for full-respect for women.

In fact the only religion that tried to give women some independence and say in their own matter is Islam. Some 1400 years ago, Islam was the vanguard of women liberation compared to other societies of the day. Islam allowed women to inherit, divorce, remarry, etc. Yes, Islamic law treated and still treats women as unequal to men, but, at that time and for centuries to come, other religions, Hinduism included, did not even recognize women as independent entities.

In the recent past, with the advent of democracy, women franchise, feminism, etc., women now are almost equal citizens in all other societies. Islamic women are stuck in their 6th century status and suffer barbaric inequities by today's standard. Yet, if we are to stick to the traditional Brahminical Hindu rules, our women will fare far worse than Muslim women under Shariah law.

...You know one thing madam a Female is made of 100 % feminine Cromosomes and a male is made of 50 % Feminine and 50 % Masculine cromosomes. This detail is available in Latest AAlayam magazine.

You know sir, X and Y chromosomes exist in animal DNA also, to which gothras do these animals belong?

 

[H.Krishnamurthy]

Dear NARA Sir,
Was Surprised see your quote from the procedure followed in Srirangam.
Why you have not considered temples like Brahadambal of Pudhukkottai, Muthu mariamman of Karaikudi and temples like that.
Why even Gurujis like Kanchi Periyaval, Shringeri Periyaval.
You will find in these mutts the main pooja will be for Kamakshi Amman and Bhuvaneshwari Amman only.
Please read the History of Ranganayaki not coming out of Temple at Srirangapatna ( Near Mysore ).
It tells a different story and it goes back to the Tippu sultan era .
Am not sure of the story of Srirangam.
Finally the Vamsavridhi of Animals. Untill and unless both the animals wishes to go for reproduction it will never show interest in this activity. You ask any veternity Doctor that is it possible to make a Cow and an Ox forcibly to have sex. No way sir. Even if they are made to have sex it will not bear any result.
Am sure even the Animals have their own way of rules and regulations for reproduction sir.
Thanks K.M.

Dear HK sir,

Sir, I have to disagree with so many of your points I don't know where to begin. Yes, you are right about all the Mrs. Shiva, Mrs. Vishnu etc., but all these Mrs. in these stories are made out to be subservient to their masters. In Sri Rangam, Ranganayaki is not allowed to step outside the Thayar sannidhi praharam, she is portrayed as படி தாண்டா பத்தினி, where as, Ranganathar, who is supposed to an old man according to sampradayam, is taken to his சின்னவீடு in Uraiyur. So, the subliminal message is, even if your husband is a philanderer, women must emulate Ranganayaki, stay home and be a chaste wife to him. So much for full-respect for women.

In fact the only religion that tried to give women some independence and say in their own matter is Islam. Some 1400 years ago, Islam was the vanguard of women liberation compared to other societies of the day. Islam allowed women to inherit, divorce, remarry, etc. Yes, Islamic law treated and still treats women as unequal to men, but, at that time and for centuries to come, other religions, Hinduism included, did not even recognize women as independent entities.

In the recent past, with the advent of democracy, women franchise, feminism, etc., women now are almost equal citizens in all other societies. Islamic women are stuck in their 6th century status and suffer barbaric inequities by today's standard. Yet, if we are to stick to the traditional Brahminical Hindu rules, our women will fare far worse than Muslim women under Shariah law.

You know sir, X and Y chromosomes exist in animal DNA also, to which gothras do these animals belong?

 

[B.Krishnamurthy]

I have seen beggars in Hindu way of Life,Islam,Christianity.I do not know about Buddhism,Jainism and other religions of the World.I salute 'Sikh religion'.I am yet to come across a beggar from Sikh community.
Shri.Kunjuppu in one of his earlier posts referred to one lady madam Kamala Das.
She had very progressive ideas.She thought some other religion other than Hindu way of Life will give her all the freedom she was aspiring so far.She converted to Islam
and ultimately found that she could not breathe fresh air in Islam.
So everything looks green from a distance.Only when you go near ,one can see the real picture.

I understand that there is festival called "pongala festival" in Kerala where only females can participate.(Shri.Sangom may correct me if I am wrong).
What will be the reaction of madam Megha Varshini.Will she consider this as female chauvanism?
I would like to know the views/comments of Madam Meghavarshini for the concept
being followed in Kerala where children take the names of maternal uncle's family and not that of his father among certain communities.

 

[Nara]

....What will be the reaction of madam Megha Varshini.Will she consider this as female chauvanism?

Dear BK sir, even within our Tamil culture there are many festivals primarily for women. Among them are Navarathri, Sumangali Prarthanai, Kanu, Masi Karadaiyan Nonbu, etc. The funny thing is, even these exclusively female festivals/rituals are male-oriented, like to die a Sumangali or for long life of the husband.

Kamala Das would have been better off opting for no-religion, alas she opted for Islam and went from one frying pan to another.

Cheers!

 

[Nara]

Dear HK/KM sir, what they do in Sri Rangam or any other temple, may have mattered a great deal earlier, but in the present day and age, it does not really matter. The present day young girls will never settle to be like Ranganayaki.

However great Tippu Sultan may have been opposing the British, he matters little today. The religious heads do puja to Parmavathi or Lakshmi, but, that has not translated into their sishyas worshiping their wives, why?

Cow and Ox breeding -- are you kidding, in which century do you think we are living? Cross breeding and slective breeding have been part of human ingenuity for much longer than the Vedas. Please don't make statements like the followig and expect to be taken seriously:

...You ask any veternity Doctor that is it possible to make a Cow and an Ox forcibly to have sex. No way sir. Even if they are made to have sex it will not bear any result.

Cheers!

 

[renuka]

You know I see that males dont have it easy at all...

See the word MCP... Male Chauvinist Pig sounds so rude but the female version is polite FCS...Female Chauvinist Sow(Bhagyawati)

 

[happyhindu]

Dear Meghs,

I hope Srimathi Happy Hindu sees your post.She will surely support your views as I see you both tend to think alike.Hopefully she sees this thread.

Renu,

I have no idea what Meghavarshini is talking about. His views are very different from mine.

I sincerely do not think Gandhiji was ahead of his time. I support Ambedkar in caste matters, not Gandhiji.

So Renu please do not conclude on my behalf what i might agree with.

I know nothing about congress members of the 1950s. So far i have bothered to look up politics under the colonial rule until independece. Am not into politics of the post-independence period. Am a history buff. Politics is not my subject.

I do not understand the reason why meghavarshini is discussing marriage across so many threads on the forum.

I do not think inter-caste marriages dilute any barriers or improve social conditions, as Meghavarshini says.

The whole concept of "inter-caste" marriages stems from the idea that there is something called "caste" into which people are born, a concept i do not agree with (i do not think occupations were birth-based all across southern india or that occupations were assigned varnas in south-india...so there really is no question of "inter-caste" in these regions).

It is true that in the present-day social scenario nobody remains in a marriage for the sake of caste. Having said that, i believe marriage is a very private decision between a couple and/or their families and cannot be used for social causes.

Anyways, Renu, its not nice to compare me with Meghavarshini by saying we both "tend to think alike".

 

[renuka]

Renu,

I have no idea what Meghavarshini is talking about. His views are very different from mine.

I sincerely do not think Gandhiji was ahead of his time. I support Ambedkar in caste matters, not Gandhiji.

So Renu please do not conclude on my behalf what i might agree with.

I know nothing about congress members of the 1950s. So far i have bothered to look up politics under the colonial rule until independece. Am not into politics of the post-independence period. Am a history buff. Politics is not my subject.

I do not understand the reason why meghavarshini is discussing marriage across so many threads on the forum.

I do not think inter-caste marriages dilute any barriers or improve social conditions, as Meghavarshini says.

The whole concept of "inter-caste" marriages stems from the idea that there is something called "caste" into which people are born, a concept i do not agree with (i do not think occupations were birth-based all across southern india or that occupations were assigned varnas in south-india...so there really is no question of "inter-caste" in these regions).

It is true that in the present-day social scenario nobody remains in a marriage for the sake of caste. Having said that, i believe marriage is a very private decision between a couple and/or their families and cannot be used for social causes.

Anyways, Renu, its not nice to compare me with Meghavarshini by saying we both "tend to think alike".

To me it looked similar thats all..Just like how some thought I am Brahin.
May be there was some similarity between Brahin's post and mine.
After all even in the Define A Brahmin thread you had mentioned the similarity of Meghs post to another thread in the Forum and similar writing.

Since now you pointed out the differences I get a clearer picture.

I apologize if I had offended you and I thought that Megh also brings up salient points and I mistook that for similarity.