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Ithihāsam/ Purānam: keeping alive: I need your advice and guidance

kaundinyan

Active member
Namaskaram,

I am posting for the first time in Tamizh Brahmin forum. Kindly seek your blessings, support, advice and guidance.

I endeavor to find a possible way to ensure the Tamizh Brahmin community and Children re-engage meaningfully with the songs, itihāsams and purānas, but not only simply through watching TV channels or youtube (passive engagement). Theatre was a very poprular medium to do this for a long time in our tradition, before TV: for .e.g Kathākālakshebam during Sri Rama Navami, Villu-p-pāttu, bhajans etc. However these days there is not much interest from the general public.

How can we rekindle the interest first in the parents so they send their children to such activities? If you are in a city in Tamizhnadu, will you send your child to a place like this: a drama/ theatre class two to three times a week and pay for it? Will you consider if the place is run in a clean way: no slapstick but strictly working with vedic and derived works?

I highly esteem your advices, guidance and contribution.

Thank you
Kaundinyan
 
If there are no financial worries, these things can be indulged in a carefree manner. In the past, our forefathers lived a simple life, had very less of materialistic expectations (as a community), and more often than not had their necessities met except in rare circumstances. At present the situation is vastly different, hence we aren't able to find the time or the motivation to focus our creative skills in depth in these areas.
 
Namaskaram,

I am posting for the first time in Tamizh Brahmin forum. Kindly seek your blessings, support, advice and guidance.

I endeavor to find a possible way to ensure the Tamizh Brahmin community and Children re-engage meaningfully with the songs, itihāsams and purānas, but not only simply through watching TV channels or youtube (passive engagement). Theatre was a very poprular medium to do this for a long time in our tradition, before TV: for .e.g Kathākālakshebam during Sri Rama Navami, Villu-p-pāttu, bhajans etc. However these days there is not much interest from the general public.

How can we rekindle the interest first in the parents so they send their children to such activities? If you are in a city in Tamizhnadu, will you send your child to a place like this: a drama/ theatre class two to three times a week and pay for it? Will you consider if the place is run in a clean way: no slapstick but strictly working with vedic and derived works?

I highly esteem your advices, guidance and contribution.

Thank you
Kaundinyan
Laudable thought. Many of us have this desire - that of not losing our traditional values and practices and having our future gen get exposed to our tradition, ithihas and puranas.

May be this should happen at two or three planes - schools, local communities (gated colonies, Residents Associations etc), private temples. We stay in Mylapore which offers a number of opportunities by virtue of its long history and traditions. Many other areas may have to get started.
 
If there are no financial worries, these things can be indulged in a carefree manner. In the past, our forefathers lived a simple life, had very less of materialistic expectations (as a community), and more often than not had their necessities met except in rare circumstances. At present the situation is vastly different, hence we aren't able to find the time or the motivation to focus our creative skills in depth in these areas.
Critical question could be : do we see value in our children not losing out on the great lessons that the sanatan dharma tradition offers. Where do we place this aspect in the 'developmental' requirements for the children, to meet which we do spend a lot of time, energy and money. do we as parents and grand parents first appreciate the value - it is, in the first place, highly worthwhile for the parents and grand parents to endeavour to understand the deeper values..
 
Namaskaram,

Thanks Sri. KRN and Sri. Surianns.

It can be axiomatically accepted that it is important to inculcate the great treasures of upanishads, puranas and ithihasas. Coincidentally I have started reading Vyasar Virundhu by Rajaji and my knowledge that it is important for the future generation to engage in our tradition only strengthens.

Turning to how: even in localities like Mylapore I find very little organised activities (say after school drama classes) but activities that are loose and mostly organised around dance and musical forms. (Please correct me if I am wrong). My worry as Sri. Surianns says is not so much the children - they will love it, as we can see from the popularity of shows like Vinayakar, but how can we convince the parents to send the children to an activity like Purana Drama once or twice a week in the evening and pay for it.

Well, finance is a concern, in the sense that, I pray to be able to begin and sustainably conduct such activities in Tamizhnadu. What will make the parents (who make the decision to send the children) realise that this is important? Approaching schools and communities are also great ideas and I am grateful for your generosity in sharing.
 
Our generations learnt family practices and traditions from our Granny's or other elders. Now as the Joint family system crumbled, and each engaged in individual pursuit, my suggestion would to have an repository of our traditions in a website acessable for all. Our children dont learn Tamil or Sanskrit. Hence we need to communicate in English.
 
you nailed it sir. We had financial problems , then. With one man earning 9 mouths were to be fed, And take home pay was in two digits. Just imagine, for deepavali two sets of school uniforms were given to us , but we did enjoy it, now dozen pant shirt are in the wardrobe.
 
May be this should happen at two or three planes - schools, local communities (gated colonies, Residents Associations etc), private temples. We stay in Mylapore which offers a number of opportunities by virtue of its long history and traditions. Many other areas may have to get started.

In schools, a lot of time of our children is wasted in learning useless information. With the introduction of RTE act, there is no escaping this. Now they are part of the rat race and there is the additional burdenIn the past, our childrens' school education (as it was focused on the essentials, and as a result, they had ample free time to spend on learning the Puranas
Critical question could be : do we see value in our children not losing out on the great lessons that the sanatan dharma tradition offers. Where do we place this aspect in the 'developmental' requirements for the children, to meet which we do spend a lot of time, energy and money. do we as parents and grand parents first appreciate the value - it is, in the first place, highly worthwhile for the parents and grand parents to endeavour to understand the deeper values..

People do spend a lot of time, energy and money in pursuing the developmental requirements of their children, but as I see it, their pursuits are limited to modern fads. To some, even Sanatana dharma classes are enticing, if taught by a
Critical question could be : do we see value in our children not losing out on the great lessons that the sanatan dharma tradition offers. Where do we place this aspect in the 'developmental' requirements for the children, to meet which we do spend a lot of time, energy and money. do we as parents and grand parents first appreciate the value - it is, in the first place, highly worthwhile for the parents and grand parents to endeavour to understand the deeper values..

People do spend a lot of time, energy and money in pursuing the developmental requirements of their children, but in my observation, their pursuits are limited to modern fads. The big picture is often lost on them. In some places, even activities related to Sanatana dharma are well attended, if perhaps taught by a foreign instructor, or with a lot of hype but very less substance. Regarding classes, on the one side, I see genuine scholars who offer classes "for free" purely out of their love of the subject, getting ignored, probably because they are "too ordinary" or "unfashionable", and on the other side there is all this rush towards someone who is so obviously sharing superficial knowledge but "very well packaged and priced". I can only accept this fact by thinking that each one is entitled to enjoy his past karma.
 
Namaskaram,

Thanks Sri. KRN and Sri. Surianns.

It can be axiomatically accepted that it is important to inculcate the great treasures of upanishads, puranas and ithihasas. Coincidentally I have started reading Vyasar Virundhu by Rajaji and my knowledge that it is important for the future generation to engage in our tradition only strengthens.

In Chennai, even now there is no dearth of Kathākālakshebam, bhajans, and related activities. And there are so many genuine scholars too. One just needs to approach them at their convenience and respect their schedule. ie respect the learning the one can gain from them.
 
Thank you sirs for your valuable inputs so far. The following themes have emerged thus far:

1. yes, there is a need for the children of next generation to be passed on the gift of Ithihaasams and puraanams.
2. How? Sri. ashoktwinn suggests web repository in English. I had suggested face to face, participatory classes (like drama classes)
3. Packaging and pricing seem to be equally important as content.
4. Schools system is feeding largely irrelevant, unnecessary content to children in an assembly line fashion.

Please pardon my boldness, but if I were to ask: if someone offers puranams/ itihaasams/ sanathana dharma stories and values (good quality and content), as a class three times a week (2 evenings of 1.5 hours each and 1 during weekend of 3 hours) will you send your child for it? How much do you think will be the right fees you will pay for the same monthly?

With much regards
K
 
Also, a parent should be able to see beyond what his friend or neighbour is doing to foster the developmental needs of his child. Its as simple as that.
 
In Chennai, even now there is no dearth of Kathākālakshebam, bhajans, and related activities. And there are so many genuine scholars too. One just needs to approach them at their convenience and respect their schedule. ie respect the learning the one can gain from them.

Sir, can you please tell me the names and details of a few so I can get in touch with them? Especially interested in Kathakalkshebams. thank you, K
 
hank you sirs for your valuable inputs so far. The following themes have emerged thus far:

1. yes, there is a need for the children of next generation to be passed on the gift of Ithihaasams and puraanams.
2. How? Sri. ashoktwinn suggests web repository in English. I had suggested face to face, participatory classes (like drama classes)
3. Packaging and pricing seem to be equally important as content.
4. Schools system is feeding largely irrelevant, unnecessary content to children in an assembly line fashion.

I think the whole concept of pricing is western model. We don't sell knowledge but embrace it and pass on to others for maximum benefit of humanity. Hence sustaining the programme must be based only upon voluntary contributions.
 
I think the whole concept of pricing is western model. We don't sell knowledge but embrace it and pass on to others for maximum benefit of humanity. Hence sustaining the programme must be based only upon voluntary contributions.

This is a fair comment, however there is a contradiction I want to highlight. We say that there are sub-standard proponents of who through gloss charge and hence command (perhaps misplaced) respect. On the other hand people who offer to transmit the knowledge for the passion of it are not valued or respected.

This apart from the fact that a practitioner of a craft has the need to make a living. I have seen artists in Kerala supported by the temple economy which doesn't exist any more. I appreciate the comment and at the same time I also want to highlight all these nuances.

Whether we like it or not we are subsidising 'western' forms by paying for and watching TV and allowing traditional ways of storytelling to die by hesitating to support practically.

There are my humble remarks, not to accuse or provoke. Thank you.

K
 
Sir, can you please tell me the names and details of a few so I can get in touch with them? Especially interested in Kathakalkshebams. thank you, K

I am staying outside of Chennai since the past 2 yrs. As this is a public forum, I need their permission before posting their details here. I will contact them when I visit Chennai next (within a month) and let you know. Meanwhile if you have pm facility, pls see if we can interact over pm.
 
Sri Kaundinyan proposes "a class three times a week (2 evenings of 1.5 hours each and 1 during weekend of 3 hours)" for young (school-going) children to learn about ithihaasams and puraanams so as to keep those alive.

Frankly, this is far too ambitious a scheme, and entirely impractical. Please let me share my experience.

When my children were of school-going age and were attending English-medium Christian missionary schools (the Government-run schools let their pupils run wild) a Vinaayakar temple managed by Sri Lankan Tamils organised thevaaram and Tamil-language classes every Saturday morning during term time. Qualified Tamil-language teachers volunteered their time, as did ordinary Sri Lankan Tamils (men and women) as school staff and assistants.

Fees and text-books (imported from Sri Lanka) were nominal. So were vegetarian snacks and drinks.

The pupils were allowed to develop at their own individual pace, with constant help and encouragement from not only the school but the temple itself. Group singing was an important part of the curriculum, as was taking part in Tamil dramas based on our scriptures. Only Tamil could be spoken at school. Definitely no English or other language. Bus trips to the temple to witness important festivals were a regular feature.

The children soon became as proficient in Tamil as in English. They learnt to balance the constant dinning into their heads of Christian doctrine, ideals, greatness and stories with what they learnt at home and at Saturday thevaaram classes of Hindu thatthvam, ithihaasams, puraanams and practices.

They did not neglect their "extra-curricular" activities such as sports and games, debating, uniformed groups, and so on. They achieved an all-round and balanced education. At home they learnt Sanskrit manthrams and puja practices as befitted brahmachaaris.

S Narayanaswamy Iyer
 
Sri Kaundinyan proposes "a class three times a week (2 evenings of 1.5 hours each and 1 during weekend of 3 hours)" for young (school-going) children to learn about ithihaasams and puraanams so as to keep those alive.
Frankly, this is far too ambitious a scheme, and entirely impractical. Please let me share my experience
S Narayanaswamy Iyer

Sir, this is most generous and helpful. I am grateful for your help in sharing your experience. There are many things that the Thevaram group ad done well i will be blessed to learn from. Thank you very much.
 
Dear Sri Kaundinyan

You are most welcome.

Let us be realistic and practical; and feed our children "bite-sized" Hindu and Tamil culture in easily digestible form. That will stick in their memory even when they grow up and found their own families. Thevaram, and during Maargazhi maasam Thiruppaavai and Thiruvempaavai, will be divine (and healing) aids.

Their growing minds have to cope with the avalanche of Western thought and de-stabilising technological and scientific advances, plus the tsunami of calculated Muslim assaults and seduction (including "l.ove jihad"), and persistent Christian missionary subtle diversion and open poisoning of developing minds.

We parents and elders have to lay in their consciousness firm foundations of faith in our institutions, teachings, scriptures, principles and practices by being living examples for them to follow, by being close to them at all times, come rain or storm, wind or tornado, high tide or flood. We bave to convince them that living a good and contented life as a Hindu Tamil Brahmin is not only possible by essentia, all temptations, seductions, attractions notwithstanding.

S Narayanaswamy Iyer
 
Namaskaram.

I have not read the posts of everyone, but I would like to share my thoughts on this.
When I was a kid, school studying activities were less. No special classes, or other learning centres etc. Hence we had enough time to visit temple, library etc. Attending katha Kalatchaepam was the one we never miss, particularly the one by a sasthrigal from the village Thooppul.
Coming to today's scenario. Due to excessive population, there is very high competition in securing a good seat in school, college, uni or job. Survival is priority nowadays. Hence everything else diminishes.
Solution: We sugar coat a bitter medicine to give it to kids. Similarly we should present our values, ethics and everything through the one that the kids are interested in. ie through internet. Let me explain. We can find numerous materials about hindu and hinduism, speeches by religious leaders on youtube. We should create small groups. It could be group of friends, or schoolmates, relatives groups, group of people from one block of apartments etc., and arrange a time where every one congregate at a place and a selected messages by say Kripananda Wariar or other religious leaders can be presented by say connecting a computer/laptop to a large tv, where everyone can watch and stay in touch.
Hope this makes sense.

Namaskaram by
Ashok Desai
 

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