Rudra_Maha
Active member
Namaskaram to all.
A couple of days back, I was helping one of my friends who was about to get married. The observations I made were quite startling, at least to myself. I know, this topic has been discussed umpteen number of times in this community, but still a few doubts/ questions arose in me:
1. Most marriages, arranged ones, are nothing but business deals. I thought a Brahmin was someone who was supposed to eke out his living in a humble mannerwith high ideals. But what I saw on the ground was materialism gone wild. Too much of Artha and Kama at work. I’m not saying one must go back to the days of poverty, but how much is enough for a mans monthly salary. Men getting rejected for salaries less than 1 lakh a month. How many make the cut at a young age. Where did we go wrong or lose our way.
2. There was once a time when Brahmins would not even sing, take part in cutcheries, never travel abroad, it was the isai vellalars who mastered and preserved this art. But suddenly, in a 100 years time, Carnatic music has become like the identity of Brahmins, America looks better than India. Nothing wrong there, one can say, times change we have to change, but a religious tenet is not something I can change at will according to my own convenience. Anybody who moves out of this land of Bharat automatically loses his varna is what we were practising, did a few dollars change us?.
3. Reformation in a religion will have to come down to the normals from a learned master. Any other opinions coming from other directions will be taken not as an advice but as an assault. When us Brahmins who are supposed to lead the way have gone behind material pursuits, what’s the point in lamenting of children going astray in life. Met many people at a crowd. All old people with kids abroad, but none of them are happy with their children’s choices of their spouses, life etc. What’s stopping such people to voice out their opinions loudly rather than being hypocritical to their own kids.
4. Too much of emphasis on degrees and the aura around it. I have nothing against building brands or marketing oneself, but there’s a lot of ego and cutthroat competition within the community. Unless one is an IITian or a CA or an MS from US, there is no value addition.In what way is a priest lesser than any of these fellows. One of my own family member addressed the vaidikas as beggars in a condescending manner. Now ,the same fellow takes pride when his grandson chants mantras. A glorified NRI beggar growing up is what I felt.
To sum up, considering there is no support framework for a Brahmin both within and outside the community, what are the options left for anyone who wishes to lead a normal dharmic life:
a. If answer is: it’s changing times and we have to move on by getting rid of these rituals, well then fine, at least we can push the new gen towards materialism. That would make them physically rich at least and not worry about subscribing to Dharma.
b. Or if answer is in striking a balance, how does one go about it. What’s the balancing rope and how to manoeuvre it.
Elders who have gone through such experiences can kindly share your insights.
A couple of days back, I was helping one of my friends who was about to get married. The observations I made were quite startling, at least to myself. I know, this topic has been discussed umpteen number of times in this community, but still a few doubts/ questions arose in me:
1. Most marriages, arranged ones, are nothing but business deals. I thought a Brahmin was someone who was supposed to eke out his living in a humble mannerwith high ideals. But what I saw on the ground was materialism gone wild. Too much of Artha and Kama at work. I’m not saying one must go back to the days of poverty, but how much is enough for a mans monthly salary. Men getting rejected for salaries less than 1 lakh a month. How many make the cut at a young age. Where did we go wrong or lose our way.
2. There was once a time when Brahmins would not even sing, take part in cutcheries, never travel abroad, it was the isai vellalars who mastered and preserved this art. But suddenly, in a 100 years time, Carnatic music has become like the identity of Brahmins, America looks better than India. Nothing wrong there, one can say, times change we have to change, but a religious tenet is not something I can change at will according to my own convenience. Anybody who moves out of this land of Bharat automatically loses his varna is what we were practising, did a few dollars change us?.
3. Reformation in a religion will have to come down to the normals from a learned master. Any other opinions coming from other directions will be taken not as an advice but as an assault. When us Brahmins who are supposed to lead the way have gone behind material pursuits, what’s the point in lamenting of children going astray in life. Met many people at a crowd. All old people with kids abroad, but none of them are happy with their children’s choices of their spouses, life etc. What’s stopping such people to voice out their opinions loudly rather than being hypocritical to their own kids.
4. Too much of emphasis on degrees and the aura around it. I have nothing against building brands or marketing oneself, but there’s a lot of ego and cutthroat competition within the community. Unless one is an IITian or a CA or an MS from US, there is no value addition.In what way is a priest lesser than any of these fellows. One of my own family member addressed the vaidikas as beggars in a condescending manner. Now ,the same fellow takes pride when his grandson chants mantras. A glorified NRI beggar growing up is what I felt.
To sum up, considering there is no support framework for a Brahmin both within and outside the community, what are the options left for anyone who wishes to lead a normal dharmic life:
a. If answer is: it’s changing times and we have to move on by getting rid of these rituals, well then fine, at least we can push the new gen towards materialism. That would make them physically rich at least and not worry about subscribing to Dharma.
b. Or if answer is in striking a balance, how does one go about it. What’s the balancing rope and how to manoeuvre it.
Elders who have gone through such experiences can kindly share your insights.