tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136411212011-04-22T05:27:45.801+08:00...making sense by cutting thru' the clutter and seeking out the essence எப்பொருள் யார்யார்வாய்க் கேட்பினும் அப்பொருள் மெய்ப்பொருள் காண்பதறிவுARULnoreply@blogger.comBlogger281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-88028934886050235962007-02-22T10:30:00.001+08:002007-02-23T01:06:38.669+08:00

(adaptation of original post in akandabaratam egroup on 27 Jan 2007)A well-practised knack for missing the point: this is what the columnist Balbir Punj demonstrates in his report in The Pioneer (26 Jan 2007). By so doing, such writers hope to keep up the illusion that Hindutva is holding its ground. Unfortunately, the reality is that knowledge and society are moving on, leaving the Hindutva

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1148817058485328192006-05-28T19:30:00.000+08:002006-05-28T21:12:48.393+08:00

துக்ளக் (31.5.2006) :ஆகம விதிமுறை“ .... அனைத்து ஜாதியினரும் அர்ச்சகர்கள் ஆகலாம் என்பது ஆகம விதிகளுக்குப் புறம்பானது என்பது நிச்சயம். ஆகம விதிமுறைப்படி பிரதிஷ்டை நடந்து, அதன்படி வழிபாடுகளும், பூஜைகளும் நடக்கிற கோவில்களில், அனைத்து ஜாதியினரும் அர்ச்சகர் ஆகலாம் என்று தீர்மானிக்கப்பட்டால் - அது ஆகம விரோதமே.ஆனால், ஆகம விதிமுறைகளின்படி அல்லாமல், பிரதிஷ்டை நடந்து, பூஜைகளும் நடக்கிற கோவில்கள் பல உண்டு.

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1148355418962562892006-05-23T11:04:00.000+08:002006-05-23T13:54:43.446+08:00

As someone who marshals the right combination of words, thoughts and biases (pre-dispositions) to easily pass for a Hindutva ideologue, Dr Gautam Sen laments the non-intellectualism of Hindu activists like the RSS.In his latest online essay titled ‘The uncertain future of Hindus ’ (click here), Dr Sen is calling out to Hindus to transcend “parochial consciousness” and adopt a larger “national

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1148192873716192212006-05-21T13:54:00.000+08:002006-05-23T14:40:14.160+08:00

Just as foreign aid and international financial institutions (IFIs), like the IMF, have made a mess of many economies of developing countries with weak governments without a mind and will of their own, the international community – in its role as a third-party mediator - is about to drive Sri Lanka, once again, over the brink into a deep political abyss.The decision of the European Union (EU) to

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1143829217378824892006-04-01T01:53:00.000+08:002006-04-01T02:20:18.736+08:00

The Six Great Traditions of Hinduism(by Pathmarajah Nagalingam, owner of www.siddha.com.my)1. Two Literary TraditionsThere are two Literary Traditions in Hinduism in which original Hindu teachings have been recorded: the Sanskrit Tradition and the Tamil Tradition. (There is a third Pali Tradition but it focuses on Buddhism only). Of these three traditions, only Tamil is still a living tradition

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1143393897537803692006-03-27T01:20:00.000+08:002006-03-27T08:55:47.320+08:00

An old essay by Prof Koenraad Elst (Hinduism Today, Sep 1994) re-surfaced recently in some e-mail groups. The essay (click here) had been presented as the “verdict from Belgium” on the Hindu caste system: that “for the most part” Hinduism has been “helped rather than hurt”.More than justifying the above “verdict”, the essay actually shows up the Professor as confused and confusing. It was

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1142254957184233692006-03-13T20:46:00.000+08:002006-03-28T16:55:28.426+08:00

I have always had a big mental tussle over what goes by the label 'Dharma' ever since I first came to understand the real scriptural (Vedic) meaning of the word (in Sanskrit). Till then, I had mistakenly believed that it was merely the Sanskrit equivalent of the Tamil word 'tharmam' (or, more correctly, 'tharumam' - 'தருமம்') and bearing the same meaning.Most of my generation would have first

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1142053088758447272006-03-11T12:42:00.000+08:002006-03-11T17:01:35.356+08:00

One cannot resist comparing what many European scholars and Christian missionaries (Note 1) have done for the Tamil language with the damage the home-based Sanskritists have inflicted upon the Tamil language over many centuries before the Europeans arrived, and even thereafter.In order to salvage Tamil from its Sanskritic corruption (manipravaalam) (Note 2), Maraimalai Adigal launched the Thani

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1141694350007790072006-03-07T09:08:00.000+08:002006-03-07T10:23:14.820+08:00

Sandhya Jain in her latest column titled "Sunset in Sacramento" in The Pioneer (7 March 2006) is taking Hindutva’s penchant for history revisionism to new heights.What can beat the following sentence that is embedded towards the end of her report:“Most dishonest is the politically motivated attempt to project social evils like untouchability and rigid caste divisions upon India's ancient

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1141366325236526322006-03-03T13:55:00.000+08:002006-03-13T07:31:49.906+08:00

It appears that Mr JG Arora in his essay "Revive Sanskrit" (in the Central Chronicle, Madhya Pradesh, 3 March 2006) is assigning an overly exaggerated role to Sanskrit in the practice and survival of Hinduism by claiming as follows:“..... But death of Sanskrit means death of Hindu religion, Hindu Sanskriti (culture), Hindu heritage and Hindu identity……..Sanskrit must be revived and taught in

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1141113784294410492006-02-28T15:54:00.000+08:002006-02-28T20:43:24.910+08:00

The oft-cited definition of Sanskritisation (Note 1) by the late Dr M N Srinivas, an eminent sociologist, appears to be clearly contrived to obscure a far more insidious process. In fact, Sanskritisation is no less than the (cultural) ’colonization’ of society that entails the imposition of a set of beliefs, social structures and practices (Brahmanism) upon the society, allowing it to take root

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1140520024562647212006-02-21T18:23:00.000+08:002006-03-03T18:30:37.326+08:00

Dr S Kalyanaraman, an indefatigable Hindutva online campaigner, appears to have now stepped into a new role: that of a modern Kautilya seeking to advise the IMF (International Monetary Fund) about what should be borne in mind when dealing with India.Specifically, Dr Kalyan - in an online message (dtd 20 Feb 2006) distributed to various e-mail groups - advises IMF’s youngest ever Chief Economist

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1140237509214949172006-02-18T12:25:00.000+08:002006-02-21T23:19:02.300+08:00

In the discussion about socio-economic inequalities prevailing in countries around the world, what continues to be overlooked is the underlying fundamental difference between the varnashrama-ordained inequalities (in India) and the social inequalities seen in (non-varnashramic) societies around the world.A cobbler, say, in France or Russia would tend to understand his station or condition in life

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1140068428206342052006-02-16T13:37:00.000+08:002006-02-19T12:52:30.453+08:00

The sad fact may be that people are NOT really in control. That may already have been the case for some time now.People can be persuaded into compliance by stirring or playing up threats (Note 1). They can be cowed into trading freedom / liberty for security.Much happens with the people sedated (or overwhelmed) into a state of obliviousness (or incomprehension).The world started to run on fiat

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1140058045308183932006-02-16T10:24:00.000+08:002006-02-19T05:48:39.786+08:00

It has been a long tradition and well-ingrained habit of Sanskritists to (re-)cast non-Sanskrit texts and themes in the Sanskritic / Brahmanist mould. This appears to be part of a much broader game played out throughout history: "eliminate by embrace" and “obliterate by obfuscation”.Thiruvalluvar (திருவள்ளுவர்) seems to be targeted for such treatment in a website maintained by the Divine Life

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1139851006686712352006-02-14T01:00:00.000+08:002006-02-21T21:15:12.210+08:00

Hindutva front organizations are trying to convince education authorities in faraway California to downplay – fadeout - the Hindu caste system in school textbooks.In an essay titled “Academic Hinduphobia”, OUTLOOK India (10 Feb 2006), Rajiv Malhotra and Vidhi Jhunjhunwala are clearly phobic about the truth finding a place in the textbooks. They seek to protect innocent children from the facts and

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1134003822178138132005-12-08T08:22:00.000+08:002005-12-12T06:49:48.836+08:00

Actress Khushboo’s remarks that no educated man would expect his bride to be a virgin have sparked off passionate protests across Tamil Nadu. Her offensive remarks appeared in the Tamil edition of India Today weekly magazine (September 28, 2005 issue) which devoted a full page to her interview as part of a cover story on Sex & Single Women."காலாவதியாகும் கற்பு" என்ற தலைப்பில் இந்தியா டுடே (

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1131802650541614892005-11-12T20:55:00.000+08:002005-11-20T21:23:49.656+08:00

Dr P P Narayanan Nambudiri, Retired Professor of History, St. Peter’s College, Kolencherry, Ernakulam writes:"The origin of Malayalam as a separate language distinct from Tamil and the development of a literature may be assessed as one of the major contributions of the Nambudiris. After introducing the Aryan culture and institutions into Kerala, the Nambudiris refrained from imposing their

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1127448490488251502005-09-23T11:21:00.000+08:002005-09-23T15:40:06.430+08:00

The 28th Report in the annual series of World Development Reports produced by the World Bank is titled “Equity and Development”. The Report essentially vindicates the stands of such luminaries from the developing world as Periyar (who joined the cause of social justice in South India – then led by the Justice Party - in the 1920s, and turned it into a mass rationalist & social reform movement),

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1123963724854341822005-08-14T04:06:00.000+08:002005-08-19T08:33:18.846+08:00

There is this observation that commentaries on Hinduism as appear in this blog are based on quoting selectively about Hinduism.This blog does, indeed, assiduously seek out selections of information – facts AND considered opinions (by scholars and others) – which tend to be studiously hidden, glossed over or downplayed in much of the popular discourse about Hinduism and its history. Keeping such

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1122142407025133742005-07-24T01:06:00.000+08:002005-09-26T20:43:20.306+08:00

Ngiam Tong Dow, currently Chairman of HDB Corp (the former Housing and Development Board) of Singapore, had compared China and India when speaking at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on 18 June 2005, more than a week before the historic CECA (Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement) was signed between India and Singapore in New Delhi. His

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1121334532833717872005-07-14T17:26:00.000+08:002006-03-10T06:43:36.460+08:00

This is to answer the question whether Tamilians were ever a casteless society.The ancient Tamilian social order was indeed without the castes associated with the varna system of Brahmanical Hinduism. But ancient Tamilian society had social divisions or classes based on work done (profession or vocation), for work is a natural criterion for individual / social identity anywhere in the world.

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1119006549043800252005-06-18T19:01:00.000+08:002006-03-26T22:49:07.290+08:00

There is this question about the alleged ‘Godlessness’ of DK / DMK and as to why these political parties of Tamil Nadu appear to be more accommodating towards Islam and Christianity than Hinduism.Whilst it is wrong to club together DK & DMK as ‘Godless’ or ‘God denying’ (as DMK isn’t), it is true that there is an unmistakable difference in their approach towards the various religions. It’s my

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1118682106678942002005-06-13T22:58:00.000+08:002005-11-20T21:26:02.840+08:00

A moderator of the MaGo mail group in his comment (9 June 05) referred to Cho Ramaswamy’s appearance on TV to voice his concerns about "Thani Thamizh" spoiling & stalling the growth of Thamizh.Apparently, Cho is seeking to inject greater vitality into Tamil. Instead of merely taking him at his words, it is good to examine his deeds as well. If Cho would offer his manner of writing in Tamil in his

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1118761145658644492005-06-11T22:41:00.000+08:002005-07-11T12:30:39.000+08:00

Two issues were raised in a post in MaGo's mail group. Both pertain to important matters of concern to all Tamilians.1. Is Karunanidhi’s stand on “Godlessness” unprincipled?It’s important to be clear that “Godlessness” or atheism is the standpoint of the DK (Dravidar Kazhagam) founded by EVR Periyar, NOT that of the DMK (founded by Periyar’s lieutenant Anna, and now led by Karunanidhi). DK is DMK

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1118763035331520352005-06-09T02:04:00.000+08:002006-03-19T10:52:14.970+08:00

Jayakanthan, a popular Tamil writer, is known to have made his infamous remarks deriding Tamilian sentiments about their language and their agitation over language corruption when speaking at a function after winning the Jnanpith (Gnanapeeda) Award.I am one of many who appreciate and feel proud about Tamil saints, scholars and others who have fought long battles over the last hundred years and

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1118763462327838142005-06-01T23:34:00.000+08:002006-05-22T10:11:01.673+08:00

A post in MaGo's group made an observation that “nobody bothers in US if you portray its students as drug addicts”, and even when a movie represented Jesus in a bad light “no body in US bothered”. This would seem to suggest that American society is highly tolerant of alternative views. There is indeed a lot of space allowed in public discourse, e.g. in the mass media, for alternative views on a

ARULnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13641121.post-1118683750905029102005-05-23T21:18:00.000+08:002005-06-26T09:37:03.056+08:00

One of the recurrent themes in the mails exchanged in mail groups like that led ably by MaGo relates to the unnecessary or excessive infusion of English words into spoken / written Tamil. The recent Pradhana Vizha, unfortunately, has turned out to be yet another glaring public display of this trend. It is, therefore, gratifying to note that the event has moved several members of the mail group (

ARULnoreply@blogger.com