A Long Time devotee of Kanchipuram files affidavit in the High Court praying for Rights in Vedic and Prabhandham Recital
Instead of fighting amongst themselves, Vadakalai and Thenkalai Sects should come together in the fight against the HRCE- TR Ramesh
Matadhipathis and Acharyas have to intervene to stop this infighting- MAV
Exactly a year ago, this section had featured a couple of stories on the battle between Thenkalai and Vadakalai sects at the Varadajaperumal temple in Kanchipuram. This section had predicted then that the delay in an amicable solution could have repercussions for the two sects. And that is what has happened (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/05/kanchi-varadar-brahmotsavam-mav.html).
A share in the Recital Rights
This week, just under a month before the start of the Vaikasi Brahmotsavam, Premnath Singh, a Rajput (he adds ‘Non-Brahmin) and a long time devotee of Varadaraja Perumal has filed an affidavit, a copy of which is available with this writer at the Madras High Court seeking rights in Prabhandham and Vedic recital. He says that he has been present at the Utsavams at the Devarajaswamy temple in Kanchipuram for a long time. Pointing to the fights between the two sects relating to recital of Vedas, Prabhandham and Stothrams, he says in the affidavit that non brahmins should not be prevented from performing these services and that Purana Recitals and Mantra Pushapam services should not be restricted to a select few. He also says that similar to the earlier HC order removing the discrimination in presentation of Theertham and Prasadam only to select people following the conclusion of the Ghoshti, the recital of the Vedas and Prabhandham at the Varadaraja Perumal temple during the Ghosti as well as services relating to Mantra Pushpam and Purana recital should be thrown open to people of all castes and gender.
Temple Activist and President of the Temple Worshippers Society TR Ramesh (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/02/tr-ramesh-temple-activist.html) has been actively involved in campaigns against the HRCE for over a decade and has focused all his attention on sending the HRCE out of TN temples.
Vadakalai and Thenkalai sects should come together to fight against the HRCE
On Thursday morning, he told this writer with a tinge of sadness in the way a conversation unfolded recently at the Madras High Court "Both the Vadakalai and Thenkalai sects were at the court recently and each of them came to me asking for my opinion and seeking solution to the battle between the two sects at Kanchipuram. I told them that instead of coming together in their fight against the HRCE, you are fighting amongst yourselves and that is the biggest disservice you are doing to the protection of temple Kainkaryam.”
Much to Ramesh’s shock, both the sects who came to him on their own seeking his opinion and advice, went away after hearing his views on trying to bring together the two sects for the larger cause. He bemoans the fact that in TN, there are only a couple of them fighting against the HRCEs and Sects like these are fighting amongst themselves and thus causing much long term damage to the traditions and practices.
Don't change historical practices - MAV
On Wednesday evening, former HOD (Vaishnavism), Madras University and long-standing leader of the Prabhandham Ghoshti at Thiruvallikeni, MA Venkatakrishnan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/05/ma-venkatakrishnan-thiruvallikeni-divya_16.html), who has no reservations in calling himself a Thenkalai fanatic, told this writer ahead of the ninth day procession of the Chitrai Brahmotsavam at the Parthasarathy Perumal temple that the historical practices relating to Vedic and Prabhandham recital as per the 1915 judgement which was followed till 2020 without any deviation should be continued as is at the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Kanchpuram and no changes should be brought into this practice.
Requests Matathipathis to intervene
MAV, who created hundreds of prabhandham students at Thiruvallikeni right from the 1970s told this writer that unless Matadhipathis and Acharya purushas intervene and prevent their disciples from quarrelling, he does not see a future for Sri Vaishnavism.
Ramesh is of the view that all temple traditions and practices that were in vogue in 1947 cannot be modified and new innovations cannot be brought it. Given this, he believes that petitions such as these will not stand the test of law.
It would be a step in the positive direction for the Vadakalai (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/05/kanchipuram-brahmotsavam-prabhandham.html) and Thenkalai sects to become united in protecting their services relating to the sacred recitals.
The Pazhaya Seevaram Battle :https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/01/pazhaya-seevaram-battle-for-vaishnavite.html
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