Culture & Brahmins...

[Seshadri Subramaniam]

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Dear all,

I believe that the language, customs and traditions, knowledge and values, and of course the intent, all together comprise a culture. While new knowledge may not impede it in any way, the cessation of usage of one or more of the elements of “culture” may gradually lead to the erosion of culture.

With specific reference to brahmins:

The usage of modern dress, a new language, an inclination to prefer western music… in short a deep desire and passion to embrace the luxuries and laziness (here it is w.r.t. rituals, customs etc) which might be offered by a conventional open thinking, is a trend seen in many…

While there is an element of narrow-mindedness in insulation of a culture, it is a necessary requisite.

Is the alienation of our group in society the reason for the carelessness in preserving our culture? Or, is it that we really have lost it in running after materialistic/other pursuits? Or, is it the shrinking of the world in terms of distance and communication a reason? Or, is it that we have developed a dislike for our culture by looking at the esteem, which the other culture gets? Or is it that we are fed up with our culture that we are content with oblivion or to break free from rules? Or is it that we are unable to balance cultural and commercial issues in this fast paced world for fear of being ostracized by the rest in society?

 

[pannvalan]

1. First, culture starts with one's language. Even within Tamilnadu, how many
children or youth know how to read and write Tamil? (This is a malaise afflicted all
castes/groups here)
2. Since many of the customs are either practised for name's sake by the elders
themselves or they have been rendered seemingly irrelavant in the modern society,
the present generation does not evince interest in following them. For the
aristocrats, all these customs are meaningless and are fit to be thrown into the
dust-bins. ('World is fast changing yaar!'- they claim)
3. Finally, any change must be continuous and in small phases, without overthrowing
the existing systems and edifices. But, in a time-span of, say 500 or 1000
years, everything would have undergone changes and there will be a new social
order altogether! It is a natural phenomenon and nothing wrong in it. Therefore,
never lament the present state of affairs.

4. I personally do not like the western culture, as it is copied here. But, l do not
reject everything that is western, provided there is rhythm, harmony and meaning
in it.

Once upon a time, we used to live in joint family set-up. There were grand old people
in every households who used to imbibe morals and values in the children, by narrating
tales from various 'ithihasas' and from the pages of biography of world leaders. Similarly, there used to be a separate period dedicated to 'moral instructions', for the same purpose, in every school time-table. Hmmm .... gone are those days! We have turned selfish, impatient and very calculative. Who is to be blamed for this?