Of minds, media and marriage
R.Swaminathan
A strong case has been presented in the September issue of Brahmin Today to try to show how Brahmins should not go in for inter-caste or inter-religious marriages.. It is sought to be shown that the parents are ultimately responsible for the wayward thinking or behaviour of adolescent girls _ their not being properly indoctrinated at the time of festivals or rituals at home while giving more importance to their studies or career. We want good education, it becomes well nigh impossible to retain them during such occasions.
Love marriages are becoming common place, and the increasing success of such weddings is driving more people to experiment with it. The entertainment media are entirely responsible with all kinds of episodes and feature films justifying and promoting love, elopement and marriage against the wishes of elders.
It may be the misfortune of the present generation that there is tremendous exposure to channels and films. The advent of DVD player gives the children total privacy and immense opportunity to acquire a different mindset and a value system! Mobiles are playing havoc all the 24-hours on them.
The economic decline of parents in their middle age and the fact that their exit salary in most cases happens to be the entry emoluments of the youth diminishes the parents' role and they just wish to buy peace.
One argument that has not been mentioned, may be due to want of space, is the trauma the characters of such inter-caste marriages will be facing in the later part of their life when their own children question them, or show propensities that irritate or worry their parents. Confusion arises over the cultural affinity they should exhibit. Reminiscences of the type we are familiar with become impossible. People need to take a look at the value of our heritage and stand to benefit in the long run.
The protégés of love marriages say “good and bad are solely dependent on personal views. I have seen well- oiled and beautifully working love marriages and terribly shattered arranged ones. It is also true the other way round.. It depends on the person who handles that...boy or girl or the parents.”
A well-educated, mature and lovable person from a lower caste is always superior to the haughty, half-learned and harsh upper caste person or Brahmin, it is argued. Their contention is : “We have to develop the qualities of Brahmins among all, and not breed a race by species choice alone. DNAs are no guarantee for your mental status or maturity. No race is pure for that matter,”
“Satyakama Jabala is revered; so do Ashtavakra, Aswathama was denounced and doomed but not Sanjay, he got the Divya Drishti. We need to build and develop such godly men.”
But it must be emphasized here that Lord Krishna himself highlighted where the Sattva Gunas are extensively present. The virtues He has recommended are more intensely and widely seen in the Brahmin community than in others. Being divine is second nature for a Karma Brahmin.
Another point to note here is that boys and their relatives from other communities are eager to trap and somehow marry the Brahmin girls to boost their profile in society and win greater social acceptance. If the girl is a Brahmin and the boy is from some other caste or community, there is little or no opposition from the boy’s side.
Brahmin girls need to be educated about the high status they enjoy in the traditional society and should exercise their choice very carefully and with a lot of discrimination. They should know that the brilliance and ascribed status they come across elsewhere is available within the community provided they are ready to wait and see.
R.Swaminathan
A strong case has been presented in the September issue of Brahmin Today to try to show how Brahmins should not go in for inter-caste or inter-religious marriages.. It is sought to be shown that the parents are ultimately responsible for the wayward thinking or behaviour of adolescent girls _ their not being properly indoctrinated at the time of festivals or rituals at home while giving more importance to their studies or career. We want good education, it becomes well nigh impossible to retain them during such occasions.
Love marriages are becoming common place, and the increasing success of such weddings is driving more people to experiment with it. The entertainment media are entirely responsible with all kinds of episodes and feature films justifying and promoting love, elopement and marriage against the wishes of elders.
It may be the misfortune of the present generation that there is tremendous exposure to channels and films. The advent of DVD player gives the children total privacy and immense opportunity to acquire a different mindset and a value system! Mobiles are playing havoc all the 24-hours on them.
The economic decline of parents in their middle age and the fact that their exit salary in most cases happens to be the entry emoluments of the youth diminishes the parents' role and they just wish to buy peace.
One argument that has not been mentioned, may be due to want of space, is the trauma the characters of such inter-caste marriages will be facing in the later part of their life when their own children question them, or show propensities that irritate or worry their parents. Confusion arises over the cultural affinity they should exhibit. Reminiscences of the type we are familiar with become impossible. People need to take a look at the value of our heritage and stand to benefit in the long run.
The protégés of love marriages say “good and bad are solely dependent on personal views. I have seen well- oiled and beautifully working love marriages and terribly shattered arranged ones. It is also true the other way round.. It depends on the person who handles that...boy or girl or the parents.”
A well-educated, mature and lovable person from a lower caste is always superior to the haughty, half-learned and harsh upper caste person or Brahmin, it is argued. Their contention is : “We have to develop the qualities of Brahmins among all, and not breed a race by species choice alone. DNAs are no guarantee for your mental status or maturity. No race is pure for that matter,”
“Satyakama Jabala is revered; so do Ashtavakra, Aswathama was denounced and doomed but not Sanjay, he got the Divya Drishti. We need to build and develop such godly men.”
But it must be emphasized here that Lord Krishna himself highlighted where the Sattva Gunas are extensively present. The virtues He has recommended are more intensely and widely seen in the Brahmin community than in others. Being divine is second nature for a Karma Brahmin.
Another point to note here is that boys and their relatives from other communities are eager to trap and somehow marry the Brahmin girls to boost their profile in society and win greater social acceptance. If the girl is a Brahmin and the boy is from some other caste or community, there is little or no opposition from the boy’s side.
Brahmin girls need to be educated about the high status they enjoy in the traditional society and should exercise their choice very carefully and with a lot of discrimination. They should know that the brilliance and ascribed status they come across elsewhere is available within the community provided they are ready to wait and see.
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