Patimanram on Sraaddham

[vikrama]

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Pattimanram is a Tamil speciality and Sraaddham is a Brahmin speciality. So it is in the fitness of things that the Tamil Brahmin Forum have a pattimanram on Sraaddham. Here is one started.
The topic is- Are Sraaddhams beneficial or troublesome?

Wait.

Don’t rush with your arguments right now. There are some regulations to be followed before entering into the arena.

1 First register your names, mentioning the team you are aligned with. Once you choose a team, no crossover is allowed.
2 Tamil language goes well with the pattimanram spirit, but English is not taboo.
3 Enliven your arguments with jokes to bring a true pattimanram spirit.
4 Actual debate starts on 1st May.
5 Those who claim that Sraddhams are beneficial should post only on odd dates. (1, 3, 5 etc.)
6 Those on the other team should post only on even dates.(2, 4, 6 etc.) By this everyone will be able to reply to the opponents.
7 I request veterans Sri Sangom, Sri Kunjuppu and Sri Nara to act as judges and not take sides.
8 Judgements may be independent of each other.
9 When there is no post for four consecutive days the debate will be deemed to have finished and judgement delivered.
10 Suggestions for improving on the above regulations are welcome up to 29th April.
11 Updated regulations and list of participants will be published on 30th April and the debate starts on 1st May.
12 Hope the administrators and the moderators approve this scheme.
Let us have a good time.

 

[sangom]

Dear Shri Vikrama,

I suggest only one change; remove conditions 5 & 6. These appear too formal and may make the natural expression of views difficult. Let us allow the posts as usual.

 

[kunjuppu]

thank you vikrama.

a great idea re pattimanram. during my teens, i used to attend these sessions regularly at srinivasa sastri hall in luz, mylapore.

in order to keep the process simple, i would just let sangom & nara be the judges, if they would be kind enough to accept.

we are communicating through writing, and separated by time and distance. even with the most conducive atmosphere, idea exchange sometimes becomes a challenge. the reality of forum means that this factor is multiplied several folds.

also, in this case, re shraddham, and anything that goes into the realm of our tradition or scriptures, while my thinking is very close to that of sangom's, my knowledge base re depth or erudition is zero. nara's erudition i think is equally strong, and his life faith or absence of it, is defined by it. so, there is a natural balance between these two. i think.

hope you or sangom,or nara, don't mind.

thank you.

ps. i will only be too happy to participate and give my mite to make this a success.

 

[B.Krishnamurthy]

There are a number of knowledgeable lady members in this forum.After all no religious ceremony is performed without the active participation of
DHARMAPATNI. One lady member can volunteer to take the role of a judge and others can take active part in the discussions.Their opinion will be valuable.

 

[nachi naga]

i second bk's response.i am stunned that ladies are hardly participating with their posts and shrardham without ladies for a grihastha has limited value or phalam from pithru devathas,imho.

 

[vikrama]

Dear All,
Although there were 4 replies by way of suggestions, no member has so far come forward to participate in the pattimanram. Perhaps most people think that Sraaddhams are too sacrosanct to be dragged into a pattimanram. There have been many discussions on this topic and the present attempt is only to give the same in a different format and in a lighter vein.

As announced earlier, if none comes forward to participate till 29th, the thread will be closed.

 

[Iyyarooraan]

Well one reason could be the choice of judges who are well known and open. In my opinion, I have the idea that human race did not kill the dinosaurs. The world keeps changing whether you will it or wish it. Nobody can claim to preside over the changes. We have come a long way from wearing poonal only as a symbol of dhoti, angavastram and 'kaippidithuni'. Many 'surya' type (I am not able to recollect the medical term for this class baldies) would crave for sporting at least a tuft, the area through which the intelligence is supposed to pass into your head!

 

[vikrama]

Dear Sri Iyyarooraan,
I proposed three judges based on their erudition, as revealed in their posts. Sri Kunjuppu has recused himself. Though a self-proclaimed agnostic, Sri Sangom's knowledge of the scriptures is better than most of us. The third man has neither accepted nor declined so far. Sri Bk and Sri Nachi naga suggested a woman judge to be included. All are welcome. Come forward yourself to be a participant or judge. The judges are expected to deliver verdict based on the arguments of the members and they are not expected to take sides. I conceived it only as an interesting pastime and not as a collective decision to be made binding on all the members. Anyway, my earlier announcement stands. 29th is the last day for enrolling yourself as participant. Anybody wishing to don the robe of a judge is also welcome.

 

[sangom]

Dear Sri Iyyarooraan,
I proposed three judges based on their erudition, as revealed in their posts. Sri Kunjuppu has recused himself. Though a self-proclaimed agnostic, Sri Sangom's knowledge of the scriptures is better than most of us. The third man has neither accepted nor declined so far. Sri Bk and Sri Nachi naga suggested a woman judge to be included. All are welcome. Come forward yourself to be a participant or judge. The judges are expected to deliver verdict based on the arguments of the members and they are not expected to take sides. I conceived it only as an interesting pastime and not as a collective decision to be made binding on all the members. Anyway, my earlier announcement stands. 29th is the last day for enrolling yourself as participant. Anybody wishing to don the robe of a judge is also welcome.

Shri Vikrama,

May I suggest that we do not insist on enrolment in advance? Let people post their views as per their convenience and let a final summing up be made; will that not be sufficient?

 

[saarangam]

So far we have not seen any approval by the moderators for this novel activity.IMHO Sri Vikrama should have got the proposal approved by the moderators before framing the rules, choice of judges etc.

 

[Nara]

... The third man has neither accepted nor declined so far.

Very sorry Shri vikrama, I usually don't have much to say about Pitru Sraaddams and therefore did not read this thread at all. I now see that I am being nominated to be a judge, which is a great honor. But I see two problems here, (i) I have not come to a stage at which I have to decide whether I should perform or not perform these rituals, and (ii) my views are so well known that it may not be palatable for many members to see a self-declared nAstikan to sit in judgment of the benefits of a vaidika karyam considered very important by everyone.

May I suggest one of the literary sisters, either will make excellent judge, I think.

Please don't think I am playing hard to get, I will do it if you don't find anybody else.

Cheers!

 

[vikrama]

Dear Sri Sangom,
There have been discussions on sraaddham earlier in this forum. I do not want a repetition. So I proposed a change in format. The spirit, comraderie and liveliness of pattimanram will be available only if the battle lines are clearly drawn. Instead of rambling at will, each one will stick to his/her own side and bring out newer and newer points.

Dear Sri Saarangam,
No thread is started with the approval of the moderators. They usually allow us full freedom and interfere only when it goes against the rules of the forum. So, as long as they have not objected , it is taken for granted that they approve of this.

Dear Sri Nara,
I should have sent you a PM. Sorry.
Thank you for your cooperation. I know your views. I also know that, as a judge, you will not allow your judgement to be coloured by your views but will be solely guided by the validity of arguments on both sides. That trust I have on all the judges proposed.

 

[vikrama]

With no participant having come forward, I bow out of this venture, leaving to others the future of the thread.
Vikrama

 

[Iyyarooraan]

I am sorry my net was down till this day. Anyway thank you for the invitation. I would like to be in the audience listening to the arguments. Pattimanrams are entertaining, and expand knowledge on things. But it is a fact that they are not conclusive and leave everyone including the audience, more confused than ever before. Changes are taking place and let us adapt without trying to preside over them at least in these matters. I am neither orthodox nor a non-Hindu. Thank you once again,