Mrs. ManjuLa Sriram's questions & Mohan's remarks

[Guest guest]

Mohan says:

>Present day views of SriVaishnavism can be very misleading, one is born as

>an Iyengar therefore he/she must be a SriVaishnava. But, we must recognize

>that SriVaishnavism, like VeeraSaivism, Saktism, and Sikhism, is a religion,

>not a caste. So, obviously there is room for people to convert into this

>faith, or not follow this faith, if they choose to do so.

 

That is the impression I have. But we do not see it being practiced

to any extent today. Like Arya Samaj, which re-converts Hindus.

Even in Tamil Nadu, Arya Samaj seems to be active in re-converting

hindu converted moslems returning from middle east.

But no Dravida Samaj (based on Dravida veda) for example.

I think that is because prominant jeeyars and srivaishnava

swamigaL are not publicly proclaiming the acceptance of

conversion/re-conversion. They may accept it in principle,

if you talk to them. SriVaishnavas have become a Brahmin subsect,

for all practical purposes in south India.

>In fact, one of the largest temples to Lord Ranganatha in ancient times

>was not in India, it was in Cambodia.

 

Angkor Vat built by King Suryavarman II, a khmer king in 9-11 century A.D.

is the largest temple in the world. Sri Rangam is the second largest. There

is no doubt that he visited Sri Rangam (pre-historic). I could not see any

reference whether he met Sri Ramanuja / Alavandar / naadhamuni.

He must have met. Some Cambodian manuscripts might have the details.

 

thaazhmaiyudan,

 

K.Srinivasan of Quebec.