The two Vaishnavite Sects came
to knocks again on Friday during the Brahmotsavam reminding one of the remarks of the
Muslim Judge in 1967
It is Friday (May 24) afternoon and the 7th day of the Vaikasi Brahmotsavam at the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Kanchipuram. This writer, who was just back after experiencing a set of issues on the final evening of the Vasantha Utsavam at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/05/srirangam-vasantha-utsavam-2024.html), receives a video from a Kainkaryapaka at the Varadar temple that is highly disturbing. In the video, one of this writer’s favourite Prabhandham members at Thiruvallikeni is seen using foul words obviously at a Vadakalai who is likely to have instigated him into losing his temper and making a gesture to kick him before he was calmed down by his team members. Irrespective of the right and wrong of the two sides, it was saddening to see a Prabhandham member who recites with great devotion at the highest tone at the street processions at Thiruvallikeni use such language to take on the other side.
An hour later, another video from Kanchipuram shows a Vadakalai member grabbing the mobile phone from a Thenkalai who was recording the sacred recital of the Vadakalai group and throwing it down on the ground.
Muslim
Judge makes an important observation
These two incidents took one back to the judgement in September 1967, interestingly of a Muslim judge Kamaluddin on the Mantra Pushpam issue that was the subject matter of the hearing that year.
While he gave a specific order relating to that issue, he ended his order raising a very important matter that bears resonance to the above two incidents on Friday. The Judge in his final remark said “Before I conclude, I observe that it is sad and strange that in these days when great philosophers think and talk of one world community and one world religion, these two sects of a great religion should continue to fight over small differences in rituals over such a long time. Such disputes can and should be easily resolved by amicable settlement between the parties.”
Don't fight physically on the ground - MAV
Leader of the Prabhandham team for several decades at Thiruvallikeni and former HOD - Vaishnavism, Madras University MA Venkatakrishnan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/05/ma-venkatakrishnan-thiruvallikeni-divya_16.html) told this writer on Friday evening that he does not endorse on the ground physical fights and abuses on this issue. “One should go the legal route to resolve this issue and not make a public scene on the ground allowing videos to go viral all over the world”, he said.
He reiterated the point he made to this writer earlier this month that instead of a legal recourse, the heads of the Thenkalai and Vadakalai Mutts should discuss and resolve this issue. The Mutt Chief should also restrain their disciples from abusive conduct on the ground in full public view.
MAV reminded this writer of the 1967 judgement and said nothing had changed in over 55 years and ‘we are still fighting over the same issues’.
Mantra
Pushpam Issue at Kanchipuram in the 1960s
Way back in the 1960s, the issue that came up before the Judge was about the duration and the tone of the Mantra Pushpam recital. The issue was brought to the attention of the court that when the Prabhandham recital was going on, the mantra pushpam kattiyam was being presented in a high tone and without a time restriction in a way to disturb the Thenkalai Adyapakas.
In that order in 1967, Judge Kamaluddin directed that the mantra pushpam service by its very nature should be restricted to a maximum of 15 minutes and the recital should take place in a low tone and pitch.
The current Brahmotsavam at the Varadaraja Perumal temple has seen another year without the presentation of the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham. But the fight between the two sects has continued on the ground like it did in the 1960s with each sect trying to showcase the wrongs of the other with the assistance of the modern gadgets by capturing the acts on the video (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/01/pazhaya-seevaram-battle-for-vaishnavite.html).
MAV concluded his conversation with this writer fearing that the impact of such public acts was likely to impact the two sects adversely in the long run.