religious intolerance - time US set its house in order - Idaho incident !!

Is USA a neutral or a religious Nation ?  - Over the years, numerous scholars, historians, lawyers, and judges have debunked the “Christian nation” myth. Yet it persists. Does it have any basis in American history? Why is the myth so powerful? What psychological need does it fill?  The Text of the Constitution does Not Say the United States Is a Christian Nation. 

George Washington is the author of one of the great classics of religious liberty—the letter to Touro Synagogue (1790). In this letter, Washington assures America’s Jews that they would enjoy complete religious liberty—not mere toleration—in the new nation. He outlines a vision not of a Christian nation but of a multi-faith society where all are free to practice as they will !

Immediately after returning from India, where President Barack Obama was the Chief guest in Republic Day parade,  said religious intolerance in India would have shocked Mahatma Gandhi. In his National Prayer Breakfast address in Washington, Mr. Obama said that India was “full of magnificent diversity – but a place where, in past years, religious faiths of all types have, on occasion, been targeted by other peoples of faith, simply due to their heritage and their beliefs.”

Before delivering sermons to India, it would appropriate to keep their house in order – there have been attacks in Hindu places of worship – now here is some more news from Idaho.   Here is a report that appeared in The Hindu today :  For the first time the opening prayer for the Idaho state senate was said on Tuesday by a Hindu cleric amid protests by some senators who claimed the United States was a Christian nation and denounced Hinduism, local media reported. Universal Society of Hinduism president Rajan Zed, who said the prayer in Sanskrit and English, made a call for the legislators to “act selflessly without any thought of personal profit” because “selfish action imprisons the world.”

He was invited by Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill to be a guest chaplain and deliver the invocation which is usually made by a Christian chaplain at the start of the day’s legislative session in Boise. According to The Idaho Statesman, when protests were made before the session, Mr. Hill said: “I reviewed the prayer. It did not seem offensive in any way.” He added: “It refers to ‘deity supreme’.” Senator Steve Vick, who walked out of the Senate chamber before Mr. Zed’s invocation said that Hindu prayers should not be allowed because the U.S. was “built on the Judeo-Christian, not only religion, but work ethic, and I don’t want to see that undermined”, the Statesman reported. Hindus “have a caste system,” he added. “They worship cows.”

He was one of the three Republican senators to boycott the prayer. Senator Sheryl Nuxoll said she boycotted Mr. Zed’s prayer because she believed the United States is a Christian nation and “Hindu is a false faith with false gods,” according to the newspaper. But Mr. Hill, who is also a Republican, told the Statesman, “In my mind, you either believe in religious freedom or you don’t... We have had Jewish prayers, many denominations of Christian prayers.”

The Statesman quoted Mr. Zed as saying of the protests: “We don’t mind. Hinduism is more embracing.” KTVB-TV said that Mr. Zed noted “that most of the legislators welcomed him warmly” and said, “We all have different viewpoints, and that is wonderful, that is what makes our country great.” He added: “We are all looking for the truth. If we can join our resources together, we can reach there faster.” Senators from both the Republican Party, which controls the Senate, and the Democratic Party shook the saffron-clad Mr. Zed’s hand and thanked him for coming, the Statesman said.

The U.S. does not have an official religion and the secular constitution prescribes strict separation of religion and state. However, federal and state legislatures open their sessions with prayers, even though prayers are prohibited in government schools because of the constitutional injunction. In 2000, Venkatachalapathi Samuldrala of Shiva Hindu Temple in Parma, Ohio, made the opening invocation in the House of Representatives in Washington. Mr. Zed said the opening prayers at the federal Senate in 2007 when it was disrupted by protesters from the public gallery.

Idaho borders Washington State, where two Hindu temples were vandalised last month. The second attack occurred the same week that an influential Christian fundamentalist preacher, Pat Robertson, said on his TV show that Hindu prayer “sounds like gibberish.” A former candidate for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, he had earlier called Hinduism “demonic.”

sad state of Sri Sundararaja Perumal Kovil at Virugambakkam

Names might differ ~ in olden times, philanthropists did fed the poor and donated their assets for maintenance and continuance of rituals in Temples.

Most Temples possess land and other property ~ sadly, those managed by HR&CE are in no great shape.  In many places, they are unable to collect rent. and are apathetic.

One can see billboards kept in the Temples announcing the defaulters ~ alongside those who failed to pay, those who did nothing to collect mounting dues should also be held accountable.  If measly rents accumulate to lakhs of rupees – who is to blame !!

Here is another sad story -  that of Sri Sundara Raja Perumal at Virugambakkam – according to this report, instead of evicting those who have occupied, the management is contemplating collecting rent … Sad !!

Thaipoosam festival - Kavadi at Malaysia

Thaipusam festival at Malaysia.

Carl Vadivella Belle, 64, joined more than a million Hindus who throng temples throughout Malaysia for the celebration, dancing to music, carrying heavy decorated frames that can weigh up to 220lbs as penance and piercing their bodies. 

Photo credit : www.dailymail.co.uk

Siruvanchoor Thiruvaleeswarar Temple in dilapidation ~ will authorities do something ?

The photo says it all ~ Siruvanchur Thiruvaleeswarar Thirukoil in dire straits …. Will HR&CE do something !!!

சிறுவஞ்சூர்: இந்து சமய அறநிலையத் துறை அதிகாரிகளின் கண்காணிப்பு இல்லாததால், பழமை வாய்ந்த சிறுவஞ்சூர் திருவாலீஸ்வரர் கோவில் சிதிலமடைந்து வருகிறது. இதை சீரமைக்க வேண்டும் என, அப்பகுதிவாசிகள் கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்.

படப்பையிலிருந்து, 8 கி.மீ., தொலைவில் சிறுவஞ்சூர் கிராமத்தில், இந்து சமய அறநிலையத் துறை கட்டுப்பாட்டில், பழமை வாய்ந்த திருவாலீஸ்வரர் கோவில் உள்ளது. இக்கோவிலின் கருவறை முழுவதும் கருங்கற்களால் கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது. இக்கோவிலுக்கு சொந்தமாக, 10 ஏக்கர் நிலங்களும் உள்ளன. அவ்வாறு இருப்பினும் இக்கோவில் கடந்த பத்து ஆண்டுகளுக்கு மேலாக பராமரிப்பு இன்றியும்; பூஜைகளின்றியும் சீரழிந்து காணப்படுகிறது. இதை கண்காணித்து சீரமைக்க வேண்டிய, இந்து சமய அறநிலையத் துறை அதிகாரிகள், எவ்வித நடவடிக்கையும் எடுக்கவில்லை என, அப்பகுதிவாசிகள் தெரிவிக்கின்றனர்.

இதுகுறித்து, அப்பகுதிவாசிகள் கூறுகையில், 'கோவில் நிலத்தில் கிடைக்கும் வருவாய் மூலம் கோவிலை சீரமைத்தால் போதும். இதை எந்த கோவில் நிர்வாக அதிகாரிகளும் கடைபிடிப்பதில்லை' என்றனர்.

நன்றி  தினமலர் நாளிதழ் :  http://www.dinamalar.com/district_detail.asp?id=1170889

Nanganallur Sri Devi Karumari Amman Car festival

In somewhat similar to Nagareshu Kanchi and Temple town of KUmbakonam, where one sees Temple Gopurams wherever one looks at ………. ..the recently developed town of Nanganallur abounds with many temples.

There is a famous temple of Goddess Karumari Amman at Thillai Ganga Nagar. Today 3^rd Oct 2014, the Amman was taken on procession in wooden chariot passing through many streets of Nanganallur

Here are some photos taken this morning      -   - - - - - - - -Bakthan.