Hindu religious leaders to eradicate untouchability

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Hindu religious leaders to eradicate untouchability

 

 

For the first time, seers from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are

planning to launch a drive against untouchability.

 

Seers and sadhus will join hands cutting across community lines to

spread the message of equality. They will campaign to allow people

from weaker sections to perform pujas in village temples. As a

result, all the 32,000 small temples that are going to be freed from

government control in accordance with chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar

Reddy's decision, will have nitya pujas performed by local devotees.

A convention of seers and saints, with participation of about 1,000

spiritual heads at Guntur on July 12, is expected to come up with a

new slogan against untouchability.

 

Seers of different peethams, who assembled in Hyderabad on June 21,

reportedly discussed the problems caused by the practice of

untouchability. According to sources, there were two basic

realisations among the seers. One, the menace of untouchability is

leading to conversions and the spread of other religious campaigns in

villages, and two, the temples are lacking in care due to

untouchability. When contacted by this correspondent, Hampi

Viroopaksha Vidyaranya Mahapeetham Seer Vidyaranya Bharati

said, "Untouchability was not a part of ancient Hindu dharma.

 

It is a practice adopted later for the benefit of certain sections.

So, as heads of various cults, we need to campaign against

it.After all, temples are places that are intended to establish

and strengthen social relations in villages. They are places of peace

and we want that holy feeling revived," he added. The convenor of the

newly formed Dharmacharyula Mandali Swaroopanandendra Saraswathi

blamed untouchability on the British. "The practice of untouchability

was strategically introduced during the British period, may be for

their administrative convenience. What purpose does it serve to the

Hindu dharma?" he asked.

 

More interestingly, the seers realised that Arundhati (wife of

Vasishta), who belonged to a lower caste, plays a crucial role in a

Hindu marriage. "A marriage is not complete without the couple

watching the Arundhati star. Such is the importance of Arundhati in

the dharma," the seers explain. They also cite the example of the

respect for the Ramayana, which was penned by Valmiki, who belonged

to a backward caste.

 

Sri Ramachandra Gopalakrishna Mutt's (Adilabad) 10th seer Yogananda

Saraswathi said, "It is high time we take interest in the protection

and promotion of Hindu dharma." The seers denied that the realisation

of the need for unity among seers and sadhus is warranted by the

attack on the Kanchi Mutt.

 

http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/114067/1/

 

My Comments

Number of Comments: 4

Page: 1

It is long overdue. It is good that the sadhus and seers at last

recognised the impact caste and untouchability has on our religion.

The existence of Hinduism (or for that matter any religion) is

dependent on adapting changes to reflect the needs of people and

their ways of living. Only religions which can do this will survive

the test of time. Our religion (being the oldest in world) is an

outstanding example for this over thousands of years. We not only

have to eradicate untouchability, but also the artificial divisions

on the basis of caste which have been a scourge to our religion.

These changes if adapted successfully, will provide answers to lot of

problems our society is facing at present.

Posted by: sunil Birmingham-UK 7th Jul 2005

I am really exited to know that more efforts are being put on most

warranted activity, that is strengthening our religion. Unity will

definitely bring success.

Posted by: Nitin Pandya Toronto-Canada 7th Jul 2005

It is not enough if only seers and sadhus alone join in this mamoth

endevour. Every person who calls himself Hindu and every organisation

which say they represent the Hinduism should join this noble cause

leaving aside their in fights and personal ego of their leaders. Only

then this noble objecative can be achieved. Not only the examples

given in the article there are any number of such examples to show

that the Brahmanism is not by birth but is one achieved Lord Rama And

Lord Krishna are examples to show that birth is not the criterian but

the "Guna" and "Karma" are the criterion for clasification

into "Chaturvarnam" and this is demonstrated well by the above exmple

and also by the example of Ravana Brahma who though born as "Brahmin"

was treated as demon or Rakshasa and not prayed or worshipped any

where.

Posted by: N.Siva Prasad Chennai-India 4th Jul 2005

The first step towards eradication of untouchability is the

eradication of the reservation on cast, religion or any other basis.

In fact, reservation on caste basis is a Certification that the

particular person belongs to so and so Lower cast. What a joke in our

country that a student getting 90% does not get a seat but another

guy scoring 40% or 50% gets a seat!

Posted by: NAYEEM NEWYORK-U.S.A. 2nd Jul 2005