03-12-2008, 08:40 PM
Tamil Nadu is fast becoming Talib-Nadu.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Dikshitars relent; permit devotees to recite Tamil hymns
Chennai-Chidambaram (PTI): 'Dikshithars', the custodians of Nataraja temple at Chidambaram, on Wednesday allowed devotees to recite Tamil hymns near the sanctum sanctorum, following which the government ordered release of those arrested in a related scuffle recently.
Dikshitars took the decision, a day after the state government warned them of stringent legal action if they prevented anyone from reciting the devotional hymns -- 'Dhevaram' and 'Thiruvasagam'.
The devotees who came to recite the Tamil hymns today were welcomed by the Dikshitars who also garlanded them. In the presence of police personnel, the devotees recited the hymns near the idol of the deity.
The Shiva temple, located about 140 km south of Chennai, had witnessed unruly incidents on Sunday last when the Dikshitars, a particular clan of Saivite priests, clashed with police while attempting to prevent one Arumugasamy, from reciting the hymns.
Armed with an order of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department and supported by activists of a human rights group, Arumugasamy had attempted to recite the hymns at the main shrine of the temple. However, his move was resisted by the Dikshitars on the ground that the pujas should be performed only in Sanskrit.
As many as 10 Dikshitars and 34 activists were arrested on the charges of assaulting the police and triggering "unnecessary violence" on the temple premises.
Following Wednesday's decision by the priests, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi asked the authorities to take steps to release the arrested. He had earlier reviewed the issue with the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary in Chennai.
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Note the involvment of the Govt here:
Some questions to think about:
(i) Can anyone and everyone go about singing hymns in any temple.? Even as a Hindu I don't think I can go to a temple of my choice (say Tirupati or Siddhi Vinayak etc) and assert my right to sing there - irrespective of the language I might use.
So why the preferential treatement to this no name poet unless he was invited by the temple authorities?
(ii) how come this poet thinks that his hymns will reach the good Lord only in Tamil? As a Tamil poet, has one investigated his financial angle?
(iii) Silly question: If he loves Tamil so much, sing hymns in Tamil at his private residence would not reach Lord Nataraja?
(iv) How come none of these people in Talib Nadu who wear language on their sleeve go to a mosque start reciting Koran in Tamil?
(v) Would Karunanidhi have come to my aid if I had gone to the temple and insisted in chanting hyms in Bengali or Bhojpuri?
(vi) Would Karunanidhi and his gestapo goons have spared a local Abdul if he created a ruckus in mosque premises insisting on reading a Tamil Koran?
(vii) Sania Mirza was hauled up by law for violating the rules set up by the mosque (i.e., no filming in mosque - even if it's the parking lot of the mosque). So why aren't some basic rules (which doesn't impinge on anyone's right to pray or seek spiritual enlightment) set up by temple authorities and those followed for past hundreds of years are being taken for granted by local government.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Dikshitars relent; permit devotees to recite Tamil hymns
Chennai-Chidambaram (PTI): 'Dikshithars', the custodians of Nataraja temple at Chidambaram, on Wednesday allowed devotees to recite Tamil hymns near the sanctum sanctorum, following which the government ordered release of those arrested in a related scuffle recently.
Dikshitars took the decision, a day after the state government warned them of stringent legal action if they prevented anyone from reciting the devotional hymns -- 'Dhevaram' and 'Thiruvasagam'.
The devotees who came to recite the Tamil hymns today were welcomed by the Dikshitars who also garlanded them. In the presence of police personnel, the devotees recited the hymns near the idol of the deity.
The Shiva temple, located about 140 km south of Chennai, had witnessed unruly incidents on Sunday last when the Dikshitars, a particular clan of Saivite priests, clashed with police while attempting to prevent one Arumugasamy, from reciting the hymns.
Armed with an order of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department and supported by activists of a human rights group, Arumugasamy had attempted to recite the hymns at the main shrine of the temple. However, his move was resisted by the Dikshitars on the ground that the pujas should be performed only in Sanskrit.
As many as 10 Dikshitars and 34 activists were arrested on the charges of assaulting the police and triggering "unnecessary violence" on the temple premises.
Following Wednesday's decision by the priests, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi asked the authorities to take steps to release the arrested. He had earlier reviewed the issue with the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary in Chennai.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Note the involvment of the Govt here:
Some questions to think about:
(i) Can anyone and everyone go about singing hymns in any temple.? Even as a Hindu I don't think I can go to a temple of my choice (say Tirupati or Siddhi Vinayak etc) and assert my right to sing there - irrespective of the language I might use.
So why the preferential treatement to this no name poet unless he was invited by the temple authorities?
(ii) how come this poet thinks that his hymns will reach the good Lord only in Tamil? As a Tamil poet, has one investigated his financial angle?
(iii) Silly question: If he loves Tamil so much, sing hymns in Tamil at his private residence would not reach Lord Nataraja?
(iv) How come none of these people in Talib Nadu who wear language on their sleeve go to a mosque start reciting Koran in Tamil?
(v) Would Karunanidhi have come to my aid if I had gone to the temple and insisted in chanting hyms in Bengali or Bhojpuri?
(vi) Would Karunanidhi and his gestapo goons have spared a local Abdul if he created a ruckus in mosque premises insisting on reading a Tamil Koran?
(vii) Sania Mirza was hauled up by law for violating the rules set up by the mosque (i.e., no filming in mosque - even if it's the parking lot of the mosque). So why aren't some basic rules (which doesn't impinge on anyone's right to pray or seek spiritual enlightment) set up by temple authorities and those followed for past hundreds of years are being taken for granted by local government.