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Showing posts from July, 2014

Manabharana Is Not Malay (Manabharana Bukan Melayu)

In recent times, an alarming narrative has emerged within the Malaysian blogosphere, suggesting a historical event that appears to be a misinterpretation or perhaps a deliberate misinformation campaign. The claim revolves around a so called Malay prince named Manabharana from Srivijaya, purportedly attacking and conquering the Chola kingdom. This misleading story has gained traction and is spreading like wildfire across various social media platforms. The need to address and rectify such inaccuracies is crucial not only for the sake of historical accuracy but also for fostering a responsible and informed online community. To delve into the matter, it is essential to clarify that historical records reveal the existence of multiple individuals named Manabharana throughout history. However, a nuanced understanding reveals that all these figures were Tamils (Damila) hailing from the Pandya kingdom, with references to their exploits documented in Tamil inscriptions and Sri Lankan chronicles

Woman On Period & Hindu Rituals

This image is now being circulated in social media. I think the person who created this image has an unexplainable hatred towards religion. His/Her view on Hinduism is a misguided one.  I remember one joker from Utusan once wrote an article on Manusmriti and tried to make fun of the Hindus. Looks like Utusan is not alone. Manusmriti is a Smriti, meaning written by man. Therefore, it has no authority over modern Hindus. Vedas are Sruti, meaning non-human and divine origin. It is based on revelation received by Sages through their spiritual experience.  Manusmriti was actually written by Manu, a king who ruled during ancient times. It was actually the constitution of his kingdom. As we all know, man made law can always contain flaws. Manusmriti has alot of good things in it and also loads of crap.  It is not necessary for modern Hindus to follow Manusmriti. It was written for people of a different era. Hindus have the free will to use their own intelligence. Women actually

Indian Malaysian Gangsters - A Historical View

I usually don't talk about gangs in my blog or Facebook page. I see too many people talking about it but I guess one article with a different perspective will be needed. Gangsterism is a menace in this country. There are gangsters from every race.  But we will look into the involvement of Indian gangsters in the Peninsular.  To understand how it started, we need to look at the history of the community. When the Indians migrated from India to then Malaya, the triads of India moved in with them. Back then, Indians had their own triad network just like the Chinese. The underworld of the triads has been in existence for many centuries. It is not something which was created overnight. It is also not something which was born out of poverty. It is all about power. The Indian triads are still around but they are very secretive. Some of these Indian triads could be older than the Mafias of Sicily. Their main source of income comes from smuggling, contract killing, protection mone

Boycott Israel? Start with Facebook

I noticed that some of Facebook users have recently circulated pictures like the above in Facebook. They have been suggesting that the Malaysian Muslims boycott those companies.  So no more buka puasa (break fast) in places like McD. No more Nestle products. Forget about Huggies diapers for your babies.  The list of things to avoid goes on. Well I respect your choice to criticize Israel but t he call for a boycott of Israel/Jewish linked products in Malaysia is just a waste of time because there is no benefit in it. To make it worse, some Muslims even asked if I am supporting Israel's action in Gaza because I eat McD. I mean like what the...... It is nothing but an emotional outburst with no outcome for our community in Malaysia. Why do I say this? Because those who are calling for a boycott are still using Facebook. They are still uploading selfies and enjoying the free service provided by Facebook. They are still giving Facebook the income it needs. The cre

My HINDRAF Experience

To know more about HINDRAF check out  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HINDRAF  . All pictures taken from Google. The rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) on 25 November 2007, created a political tsunami that affected the Indian votes in the 12th Malaysian General Election in 2008. However, it was not the first of its kind. We did have the Klang Indian Riots of the 1940s and Thondar Padai movement of Kedah in the past. There was also strong trade union movement among Indians during colonial times. I will write about it on another day. HINDRAF was the first of its kind in the new century. Although I disagree with HINDRAF with their ideology, I decided to join the rally back then because at that time, it was crucial for the Indians in this country to be part of it. The Indians needed something like this to knock some sense into them. I got up early on 25 November 2007 and told my parents that I am meeting up with some friends. They actually believed me. W

Popular posts from this blog

The Indian confusion - Race, Caste, Clan & Surnames

Before you read, keep in mind that this was not written with the intention to divide the people. It was written with the intention to explain the meaning of each group. The write up on my journey in Bali is still in progress. I have to transfer some image files in order to upload them. So I thought of writing about the biggest confusion in the Indian Malaysian community. It is a sensitive one too. But clarification should be given. Else, when are we going to understand it? To my friends of other races who happened to read my blog, this will probably be enlightening as many may not be aware of our demographics. First of all, there are two main classification for us in Malaysia. Indian & Ceylonese. Many assume it to be a homogenous race like Chinese, but it isn't. The Chinese have many languages but they have a common language called Mandarin. They also have one writing script. This is what makes the over 1 billion Chinese worldwide as a homogenous race. Ancient Chinese

Dogs of Tamil Nadu

Pictures taken from Google. Credit goes to the various people who uploaded them. I apologise for not being able to identify the original owner of the pics. Whenever we speak of dogs, we tend to focus on the European breeds.  This is due to their popularity and demand. Unknown to many, India has about 88 native dog breeds. Six of these breeds are from the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Most of these dogs from Tamil Nadu evolved naturally. That makes them more suitable to the hot climate in the south. Furthermore, these dogs require less medical attention as their immune system is stronger, making them less prone to disease which are common among the European breeds. In Tamil Nadu, we can find breeds like the famous Rajapalayam, Kombai, Alangu Mastiff, Chippiparai, Kanni and Malayeri. Both the Alangu Mastiff and Malayeri are now extinct. Malayeri The Malayeri (hill climber) was a shepherd dog used by the tribals to herd sheeps. It was commonly found in the hills of Tamil Nadu-K

How To Find Your Kula Deivam?

*DISCLAIMER-Article written from a believer's perspective.  One of the most common questions I get from my readers is  "How do I find my Kula Deivam?" Kula Deivam is the patron deity of your lineage. Some families have more than 1 deity.  The easiest way to know your Kula Deivam is of course by knowing the ancestral village of your patrilineal lineage (father's side).  Usually the Kula Deivam shrines will be in the ancestral village. If the family has migrated to several villages, then the shrine will usually be in the main village where the family originated from. Knowing your caste or clan background is also helpful in finding out more about your Kula Deivam. For females, they have an advantage. They also inherit the Kula Deivam from their matrilineal lineage (mother's side). So if you are a woman, your mother's Kula Deivam (from her mother) will continue to be present throughout your life. If you are married, your husband's Kula Deivam (from