Resounse to some concerns of Mr. Kaushik

[Guest guest]

Dear Prapatti members:

I like to address some of the issues raised by Mr. Kaushik.

I think he has raised many valid points. I like to share

my thoughts on some of them and share some of my

personal experiences in this regard as well. I request

you all to take my comments as just another way of

looking at those quite valid concerns.

 

Mr. Kaushik said:

@@@@@However, the notion of "essay competitions, the projects, etc" is

something quite alien to our tradition. All the temples in cities do things

like this. Has it really fostered reglion in our youth?@@@@@@

 

I tend to believe that monetary incentives,

parental involvement or commitment,

bribe, peer pressure, societal pressure,

competetion, recognition,

week-end party discussions,

parental competition , no matter how disgusting

some of these may sound, CAN influence POSITIVELY.

After all, these are the very same things that

are making many of our kids to excell in academics.

However, no guarantees!

 

As a 9 year old kid, I committed to memory

the entire 18 chapters of the Bhagavadgita.

The motivators for me to do that were:

 

1. The School I attended conducted annual

Gita recitation contests (one set of 6 Adhyams in

any given year) and gave monitary rewards for

the contstants and winners.

 

2. My dad (who taught in the same school)

made it clear to me that being his child, I

should take part in the contest.

 

3. Of course, my dad did his role of teaching the Gita

and I did my part with a lot of fuss.

 

4. I had a terrible reservation to learn anything

that was out of line with school/friends setting.

School itself organizing the contest, made me to

think that Gita was afterall not such an alien thing

unique only to my house!

 

Mr. Kaushik also said: @@@@@Carnatic musicians are part artists, part

businessmen. Hence, we can negotiate with them in financial matters. This is

not the case with religious scholars. I think it is a big mistake to equate

the two@@@@@@

 

There was a time when artists used

to refuse their art to be traded. They realized the

simple truth, what is not traded will be eroded.

After all both Vishnu Sahasranamam and

Suprabhatams were made popular by

carnatic musicians. Especially, All India Radio

had much do with it as well. Even a Mislim in

Bangalore recognizes M.S.S's V. Suprabhatam.

Recent popularity of Ramayan and Mahabharat

DD productions is another success story of

marketing our past heritage.

 

Many were opposed to public discourses of

Swami Chinmayananda on Gita and

Upanishas in the sixties Fortunately,

we have come a long way and most religious scholars

are also happily willing to offer their services.

I have seen many scholars who openly discuss

the fee for their visit and pravachanams.

There is nothing wrong with it.

It should even be easier with Sri-Vaishnava scholars.

because, most of our

scholars as per our tradition are grihasthas,

and would be more reasonably priced than

a Sanyasi who has accepted a bigger responsibilty

(Eg., uplifting all the adivasis of Bihar or Gujarat).

 

At times, I think, it is our own over-sensitivity

and undue expectations that prevents scholars

from being open.

 

Growing up in a very traditional family, I noticed

that mnay Vydhikas behaved like devatantarams

(made unusual demands and unnecessary fuss)

ONLY in our house. Elswhere, I have seen them

to be so much more human!

 

Any time I have to arrange a religious

discourse with one of the visiting

scholars, I ask the fee and they have

quoted the fee clearly. I have also negotiated

the fee with them often. Some rare individuals, who

resisted to quote a fee, never

refused a sambhavanai. Many times,

I have seen that actor Amitab Bhacchan is more

reasonably priced than someone like

Sri Ramesh Bhai Oja or Sant Morari Bapu.

Mr. Oja, refused to give a discourse (for 2-3 h)

for anything less than $65,000 (sixty five

thousand dollars). That's what the market dictates

for Mr. Oja.

 

Sincerely,

 

-K. Sreekrishna (Tatachar)