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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...
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Faithful Inquiry: The Art of Choosing Religion with Purpose

Image Copyright: Virtos Media In the tapestry of human existence, our beliefs play a crucial role in shaping our identity and guiding our actions. Often, we find ourselves born into a religious order, influenced by familial and communal ties that mold our cultural perspectives. Conformity to these norms can be a powerful force, as deviating from them may mark us as outsiders. However, it is essential for individuals to scrutinize their beliefs, as blindly adhering to or choosing a religion without introspection can hinder personal growth and understanding. Faith has accompanied humanity since its earliest days, evolving as a response to the mysteries of existence that eluded scientific comprehension. Across diverse cultures, similar deities emerged to explain natural phenomena, such as sky deities, rain deities, mountain deities, and creators often referred to as Gods. Questions about life beyond death led to the formulation of afterlife concepts like reincarnation, judgment, hell, and...
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The Deepavali Dilemma: To Padayal or Not to Padayal?

For illustration purpose only. Credit: Ravindran John Smith. Deepavali, a significant Hindu festival, is swiftly approaching, with preparations underway. As the festivities draw near, I extend my warm wishes to all my readers for a joyous Deepavali celebration with their loved ones. In the Malaysian Hindu community, predominantly consisting of Tamils, a time-honored custom referred to as "paṭaiyal" (also spelled as padayal) is observed on the eve of Deepavali. This traditional ceremony involves presenting food as a gesture of reverence and remembrance for departed ancestors. It is possible that this ritual's origins trace back to early societies visiting the graves of deceased family members. Nevertheless, given that the majority of Hindus opt for cremation rather than burial for their departed loved ones, the practice may have initially revolved around the veneration of the "kulateyvam" (family deity) and the "kāvalteyvam" (guardian deity), rather tha...
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Groupism : The Social Cluster Phenomenon Overlooked by Periyar Followers

In each cluster, a majority expresses a desire to maintain its cohesive identity, while a minority seeks to disassociate and form new clusters. This process of separation and integration leads to the emergence of additional clusters over successive centuries, ultimately contributing to an increase in overall cluster diversity. Humans are naturally social animals, and our preference for living in groups or clusters can be attributed to evolutionary advantages, emotional needs, cognitive benefits, and the development of complex social structures. Throughout human evolution, living in groups provided survival advantages, safety, and support during difficult times. Social interactions fulfill our emotional and psychological needs, fostering a sense of belonging.  Group living enhances cognitive development through shared learning and problem-solving. Ultimately, our social nature has been instrumental in shaping human progress and achievements throughout history. Within the context of ...
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Using Surnames - A Reality Check For Periyar Supporters

In recent times, a thought-provoking public post on Facebook caught my attention. The post's author, whose identity remains protected for privacy reasons, expressed discontent with the growing trend among Tamil people, particularly the youth, of embracing their traditional surnames. This article delves into the complexities of the issue, shedding light on the historical and cultural context of Tamil surnames, as well as examining the merits of the objections raised by certain groups. Respecting Individual Autonomy : It is essential to uphold the principle of individual autonomy in matters concerning personal identity. While the Facebook user is within her rights to choose not to use a surname, it is crucial to recognize that she lacks the authority to dictate others' choices in this regard. Personal preferences and naming conventions vary widely across cultures and societies, and it is imperative to respect the right of individuals to decide how they wish to be identified. Clar...
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Anti-Caste Motion In Toronto and Its Challenges

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has recently requested the Ontario Human Rights Commission for assistance in developing a plan to address allegations of caste prejudice in its school. A motion to that effect was made by board trustee Yalini Rajakulasingam, and the TDSB voted in support of it. The motion received votes from 16 trustees, while 5 trustees abstained. It happens just after Seattle, Washington, became the first American city to forbid caste discrimination following a city council vote. While TDSB's initiative is seen as a progressive move by some, the motive of the move is questionable especially when the Ontario Human Rights Commission already have ancestry covered under its existing list of Protected Categories as given in the Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19. However, TDSB stresses upon the need to address caste separately although it may not be necessary.  Caste is a word that originated from Spanish and Portuguese. It was used in reference to lineage...
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What Is Shiva?

Image Source Pinterest Śivarātri, the night of Śivā (shi-vaa) occurs every month. The śivarātri that happens during the month of Māgha or Māsi is the greatest of all śivarātris. Hence, it is called as the Mahāśivarātri. While Brahmā creates and Viṣṇu preserves, Śivā in the form of Rudra, destroys. Although these three are represented as three separate deities, they are actually three activities of the eternal cosmic cycle.  The earliest reference to the word Śivā can be found in the Vēdas especially in the Yajurvēda. There are hymns requesting the blue throated Rudra to show his benevolent form as Śivā. The word Śivā here can mean to represent auspiciousness. It is synonymous with the word maṅgalam. We get the following from Yajurvēda: ōm namō bhagavatē̍ rudrā̠ya nama̍stē rudra ma̠nyava̍ u̠tōta̠ iṣa̍vē̠ nama̍ḥ nama̍stē astu̠ dhanva̍nē bā̠hubhyā̍mu̠ta tē̠ nama̍ḥ yā ta̠ iṣu̍-śi̠vata̍mā śi̠vam ba̠bhūva̍ tē̠ dhanu̍ḥ śi̠vā śa̍ra̠vyā̍ yā tava̠ tayā̍ nō rudra mṛḍaya yā tē̍ rudra śi̠vā ta̠...
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Can Devatas of Grand Temples Also Be Kula Devatas?

  Picture Credit Trip Advisor Can Devatas of grand temples such as Palani Murugan, Kanchi Kamakshi or Tirupati Balaji also be kula devatas of modern day Hindu families? There are two possible scenarios. Scenario 1 Some families migrated from distant lands and settled down in the area around the temple. They become devotees of the devata. After several generations, they lost touch with their original roots and forget their actual kula devata. They adopt the devata of this temple as their kula devata and continue this worship for many generations up to present. Scenario 2 Many grand temples are large and were built as per the rules of Tantra (Agama) shastra. However, there is a possibility that some of these temples were once humble shrines that existed under sacred trees. The name of the place and even the name of the devata may have changed over time. The surrounding area would have once been a forest before agriculture and urbanization happened. Only few families would have wor...
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Some Basics of Deity Worship in Hinduism

Bagalamukhi Devi Deity worship is an important aspect of Dharmic religions. It exist in Jainism, Buddhism and Hindu sects such as Vaishnavam, Shaktam, Shaivam, Ganapatyam, Kaumaram and Sauram. Many folk deities such as Isakki Amman, Karuppar, Rakayee Amman are from the existing Dharmic pantheon which were localized according to the needs of the people.  In Jainism, a class of supernatural beings known as Yakshi such as Ambika Devi are worshipped as Isakki Amman by the present day Hindus. These Yakshis used to function as the sasana devis  (protector goddess) of Jain Tirthankaras. Ambika Devi was the sasana devi of Nemi Natha. She is presently the kuladevi of many Hindu families. The various deities in this world have been around for many centuries or even millennia under various names. What has changed is just the method of worship. In the future blog post, we will take a look at some of the deities in non-Indian traditions and compare the parallels with our Indian traditions....
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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 ...
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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 Na...
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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...
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