HVK Archives: politics to blame for caste conflicts - Kanchipuram
politics to blame for caste conflicts - Kanchipuram - Blitz
Bijender Sharma in Shimla
()
26 July 1997
Title: politics to blame for caste conflicts - Kanchipuram Sankaracharya
Author: Bijender Sharma in Shimla
Publication: Blitz
Date: July 26, 1997
The Jagadguru Sankaracharya Shri Jayendra Saraswathi of Kanchipuram has
urged the Central government to relinquish its control of Hindu shrines in
various parts of the country.
Speaking to Blitz last week during the course of an interview, the
Sankaracharya criticised the Centre for seeking to control the functioning
of Hindu temples while letting other religions manage their places of worship.
The Sankaracharya, the spiritual and administrative head of the
1000-year-old Kanchi-Kamkoti Peetam told Blitz that all the shrines under
the government's management in states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh
and Tamil Nadu should be handed over to committees of reputed persons, who
he contended could run these shrines properly.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: CASTE-BASED politics has become the bane of democracy in our country.
Your comments.
A: POLITICIANS have exploited casteism to further their vested interests
and fatten their vote banks. Casteism prevailed in ancient times too, but
relations between the different castes were harmonious. Political
skulduggery is to blame for the present state of affairs. It has created
social conflicts and spawned disorder. I appeal to opinion leaders of
various castes and creeds to see through the evil designs of unscrupulous
politicians.
Q: HOW do you see Indian democracy?
A: THE cure for the ills of our democracy is... more democracy. Everyone
should vote, especially the educated. Make every citizen literate and make
every citizen vote - that is the democracy 1 want.
Q: DOES that mean that if everyone follows their caste-ordained dharma,
things will be fine?
A: DHARMA has not been understood. Dharma does not mean occupation. It is
wrong to say that a person belonging to a particular caste is obliged to do
only a certain task; that would be going backward, not forward.
Q: WILL the institution of the Sankaracharyas also go forward?
A: YES, I believe it will. But Sankaracharyas should steer clear of
politics. They must not lean towards any particular political party or leader.
Q: WILL anyone who is not a Tamil Brahmin ever become the Jagadguru of the
Kanchi-Kamkoti Peetam?
A: I CANNOT deny that I am Tamil, but then a sanyasi has no caste or
linguistic affiliations.
Q: WHAT about the dispute over the Ram temple at Ayodhya?
A: THERE is no dispute about the Ram temple for the simple reason that
there is no question of a mosque being there. I think politicians are
playing a dirty game with the issue.
Q: DO you think a temple should be constructed at Ayodhya?
A: YES, why not? I expect a grand temple of Ram to be built in Ayodhya soon.
Q: WHAT exactly is dharma?
A: IT is moral values, it is nurturing the family, raising children to be
good human beings, caring for elders. Anyone can follow dharma. India is
full of swamis and gurus, but the key to improving society doesn't lie with
them. For that you have to turn to parents and teachers, and to some extent
the media. Turn out young people with strong moral fibre and you will have
a better society.
Q: WILL a woman ever become a Jagadguru?
A: A WOMAN gets more out of practising bhakti than a man gets out of
observing sanyas. Why should a woman want to become a Jagadguru when bhakti
gives her something better? Modern life offers many opportunities and the
sanyasi's life is a hard one.
Q: WHAT is your message to the Hindu community?
A: TAKE every useful thing that science produces but don't leave out
dharma. Scientists themselves have given me a model of how science and
dharma can be combined. See them, they all lead such simple lives. And
look at us Indians rushing westward, so full of vanity and pretence.
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