I recently recieved a whatsapp message about how Vathiyar are in demand , ( Though well intended) the speaker spoke about how it is easy to get an electrician or plumber but not an Vathiyar to do any homam or ritual.
It made me ponder how the " Vathiyar" itself has now become a profession & felt it is a disgrace that to be compared to services of Electrician or Plumber.
Who is a " Vathiyar" & how much have we degraded the role.
In my house we had a " Family" Vathiyar who commanded a huge respect & was consulted on all family maters whether it was searching for a groom or bride or wedding or building house or buying a new vehicle.
He even acted as an arbitrate once between my uncles over property issues and amicably settled things.
I do remember he acted as a solid support during tough times like handling death of a member, an addiction problem for one of my uncles .Infact he would forewarn all in matters like starting of bad dasa or bhukti ,My mother refused to allow me to buy a bike since he had said wait for a year his "Graha" isn't favourable and maybe prone to accident.
He was a guiding star to our family and to many families in our town.
Why was this concept of training "Vathiyars" at veda patashala established? It was to ensure that Nitya Karma ,Anushtana Karma etc are followed without any dilution. The father may teach the "Gayathri Mantra" but the Sandhiyavandanam is taught by the "Vathiyar" so that the students learn directly from an Expert the proper way.
From such a noble status to reducing them to the status of an electrician or plumber makes me sad.
It made me ponder how the " Vathiyar" itself has now become a profession & felt it is a disgrace that to be compared to services of Electrician or Plumber.
Who is a " Vathiyar" & how much have we degraded the role.
In my house we had a " Family" Vathiyar who commanded a huge respect & was consulted on all family maters whether it was searching for a groom or bride or wedding or building house or buying a new vehicle.
He even acted as an arbitrate once between my uncles over property issues and amicably settled things.
I do remember he acted as a solid support during tough times like handling death of a member, an addiction problem for one of my uncles .Infact he would forewarn all in matters like starting of bad dasa or bhukti ,My mother refused to allow me to buy a bike since he had said wait for a year his "Graha" isn't favourable and maybe prone to accident.
He was a guiding star to our family and to many families in our town.
Why was this concept of training "Vathiyars" at veda patashala established? It was to ensure that Nitya Karma ,Anushtana Karma etc are followed without any dilution. The father may teach the "Gayathri Mantra" but the Sandhiyavandanam is taught by the "Vathiyar" so that the students learn directly from an Expert the proper way.
From such a noble status to reducing them to the status of an electrician or plumber makes me sad.