A NOTE TO CONTRIBUTORS TO "SRI RANGA SRI"

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavatas:

 

THANKS

More than 95% of members of other Srivaishnava groups are already members of

the nearly 1100 strong membership of "Sri Ranga Sri" - a figure that has

been reached within just about one year of its inauguration, thanks to the

help and cooperation of current members who have recommended or suggested

new members and the enthusiasm of new members themselves joining on their

own volition. We place on record our heartfelt thanks to all those who

helped thus in building up this database. We also record our thanks to all

the contributors who have strived to educate and enrich our knowledge on our

Sampradayam through "Sri Ranga Sri".

 

REPETITIONS:

We are sure that any posting in "Sri Ranga Sri" will ensure adequate

limelight and publicity everywhere. All Bhagavatas will stand informed

sufficiently without repetitions in the other lists.

 

In fact, we have feedback from many members who are also members in other

groups saying that the same postings received repeatedly from multiple

groups are annoying, necessitating time and effort to delete the excessive

ones on a daily basis. This is to avoid cluttering of the limited storage

space in their mail box and other consequential problems. This happens

because some of the Internet providers strictly restrict the capacity

allowed to the users.

 

For this resaon, several members have preferred to de- from our

group or opt out for "No Email" preference, despite their appreciation of

the quality of articles featured in the "Regular Issues". But for these

de-subscriptions depleting our mailing list, the fast and steady growth of

our membership would have exceeded at least 1300 by now.

 

Many of the members prefer to receive only articles that are exclusively

featured in "Sri Ranga Sri" and are not "Copycat versions" appearing

elsewhere. This also applies to discussion postings.

 

Accordingly, at our request, Sri V. Sadagopan Swami has kindly agreed to

post and has been posting his "Dramidopanishad Saaram" articles EXCLUSIVELY

for "Sri Ranga Sri".

 

We request all the contributors to post to "Sri Ranga Sri" only

articles/discussions

meant "EXCLUSIVELY", we repeat "EXCLUSIVELY",

for being featured in "Sri Ranga Sri".

 

LENGTH OF ARTICLES:

It is our experience that readers tend to skip long articles.

It would be desirable if they are limited to a maximum of say, 2 pages so

that we can also accommodate more contributors. This is also due to the fact

that some Internet providers ruthlessly truncate matter half-way, if it

exceeds certain limits imposed by them on the length of postings. That is

why, our "Regular Issues" are limited to about 10 pages (covering say, 3 to 5

topics)

per Isssue, even if it entails releasing more issues at more frequent intervals.

 

EDITING AND MODERATION:

Articles for publication in the "Regular Issues" will be released after

minimal editing and moderation.

 

LANGUAGE:

This 1000 + membership is drawn from a cross section of population belonging

to various linguistic groups(Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Gujarati etc),

regional groups(Punjab to Kerala and Maharashtra to West Bengal etc)and

religious groups(Srivaishnavas and other Non-Srivaishnavas of different

hues) and with different backgrounds, not only from India but also from the

world over, but who are nevertheless eager to learn about our Sampradayam.

This includes youngsters born and /or brought up outside our environment and

either not exposed to our Sampradayam or with different levels of exposure.

 

The employment of too much clitche-ridden expressions peculiar to our

Sampradayam and technical jargon (paribaashai in Tamil and Sanskrit), while

professing to educate readers not familiar with these languages will turn

them away instantly.

 

To make ourselves understood and be useful to these segments also, it is

necessary to speak to them the language they can easily understand and refer

to episodes they can readly relate to. Otherwise, it will defeat the very

purpose of educating them through our postings but will be seen only as an

attempt to show off one's professed erudition!

 

It should be remembered that we are not seeking to educate scholars who may

perhaps appreciate our Paribashai, though they may not need our instructions

anyway!

 

Wherever necessary, the explanations may be given in English and the

linguistic expressions provided in paranthesis.This will probably satisfy

both the segments.

 

SPELL CHECKING AND LENGTH OF LINES:

Please have your work spell checked before posting. Also, please make sure

that the right margin is set to accommodate not more than 60 characters per

line. This is because, due perhaps to technical reasons, some providers

bifurcate and truncate the lines making it difficult to read.

 

DIACRITICAL NOTATIONS:

As far as possible, please use the diacritical marks accepted in standard

dictionaries, while transliterating Sanskrit, Tamil, Hindi and other Indian

language terms into English. An attempt at an unnatural and artificial mix

up of contrived notations, may appear as novel experiment but would only

create more problems in reading than in solving!

 

DISCUSSIONS:

We would like to reiterate that "Sri Ranga Sri" is *PRIMARILY A JOURNAL*

and *NOT* a general discussion group. However, discussions relevant to the

topics featured in the "Regular Issues" and which are not repugnant to the

objectives of the Journal (as detailed in the preamble) are welcome. This is

intended to encourage "Reader- participation".

 

PERSONAL OPINIONS:

But,often times, it is seen that personal opinions and speculations are

projected on many issues, leading to never ending arguments and counter

arguments that divert the focus. It may please be ensured that any viewpoint

presented is supported by appropriate authority (Pramanams) preferably with

actual quotes.

 

KSHETRADANAMS:

Some members have written about their visits to Divya Desams etc. While they

are most useful for those who desire to visit these holy places, detailed

descriptions may be skipped such as daily chores of taking bath, breakfast,

beverages, personal shopping etc. as they will not be of interest to others

and details of bus / train timings etc will not be useful because they will

not be the same for all time but are changed constantly by the local

transport authorities.

 

"ORIGINAL MESSAGES":

While replying to points raised by another Bhagavata, please take care to

delete the "Original message" in your reply, IF the original message had

appeared already in the "Sri Ranga Sri" message board. If necessary, the

"Subject" of the original message may be "cited" instead of allowing the

entire message to appear again in your reply.

 

EXCEPTIONS:

Of course, Special announcements of Tele-Upanyasams, Tele-Stotram classes.

Availability of books, Cassettes, CDs etc. and such other

"time-sensitive" matters are welcome for the information of members.

For this reason, you would have noticed that only the short Editorials of

the Regular issues of "Sri Ranga Sri", are being submitted to other groups

for information.

 

Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

Editor & Publisher

"Sri Ranga Sri"

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[Guest guest]

At 12:34 PM 2/2/02 +0000, you wrote:

 

Dear SrIman Anbil Swamin:

 

I am very happy to recieve your excellent guide lines.

It is very helpful to shape and steamline the contributions

for the full benefit of readers.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write this

clear guide line, where a lot of confusion

existed .

 

DaasOham,

V.Sadagopan