
By Malinda Seneviratne –
Many, many years ago a Sri Lankan cricketer who was more than a tad naughty had been caught napping by his team mates while on tour. The cricketer had brought a lady into his hotel room. His team mates had been tipped off and they were ready. As the manly hero went out to bat, so to speak, his cricketing friends had stepped in to cheer him on.
He was embarrassed. He was livid. He was small made (as in height and weight). He was relatively new to the team. He looked around and ticked off mentally those he could not take issue with, i.e. those who were senior and those who were stronger. There was just one left, a young and frail bowler from Kurunegala. Our hero pounced on him.
This may have happened, it may have not. If it did happen maybe the details are not all that accurate. Still, there is a lesson to be wrung out of this, and one doesn’t have to know anything about cricket to learn it. Indeed, one doesn’t have to come from a cricketing country either. Navi Pillay, for example, may or may not have played cricket, even though she is from South Africa, but she would get the point. In fact there’s no telling whether ‘the point’ was obtained from that particular incident (if it did take place). We don’t know where Navi Pillay went to school, but it is clear that she knows how to ascertain height, weight and seniority.
Navi Pillay is the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. If you google her name along with the name of any particular country, you will find some statement she has made (if indeed she has). The google-weight of ‘Pillay+Country’ would give you an indication of the nature of her concerns. It looks like she’s obsessed with Sri Lanka. Hold on, it might also mean that Sri Lanka has a horrendous track record on human rights, in which case it is but natural for Pillay to be thus concerned.
On the subject of google searches, if you typed the name of any country along with the words ‘human rights’ in the ‘search box’, something will definitely come up because there are no abuse-free nations in this world; paradise, clearly is an other-worldly affair. The world knows, however, who the big bad boys of rights abuse in this world are. So what has Pillay got to say about the United States of America? Precious little, apparently.
On Sri Lanka, her rants are mostly drawn from nightmarish accounts which, if you dig deep enough into source-soil, have been first mouthed by utterly unreliable ‘witnesses’. The line to ‘recall’ is full of politically compromised individuals with multiple axes to grind. Last year, for example, just after the US-led resolution on/against Sri Lanka was passed, Pillay issued a warning: ‘don’t harass human rights activists!’
That was a laugh. Sri Lanka’s ‘human rights activists’ are either terrorist-apologists, donor-fleecers, dis(mis)placed political activists or just down-in-the-mouth doom’s day prophets. They are top income earners. They are not just a miniscule minority but probably the most visible miniscule minority in the world. Pillay has nothing to worry because they are very well looked after. On the other hand, Pillay’s decision to bat for them indicates where she gets her story-line from. It’s no wonder that Pillay seems to have nothing better to do than castigate Sri Lanka. It’s not enough to send a recon-team ahead to Sri Lanka, she wants to send an army too, before she decides to fly in like some hybrid of a Viceroy and a Field Marshall.
Sri Lanka is then a young and frail cricketer from Kurunegala for Pillay. She is not taking on the bigger-made, more ‘senior’ and forbidding United States of America. ‘Drones’ are policy-instruments. The ‘evidence’ of rights-abuse in Sri Lanka, quite apart from being drawn from doctored footage which cannot be conclusively linked to the Sri Lankan security forces and the victim-numbers being marked with inflation and little else, cannot be branded ‘Policy’.
Pillay has been caught with her pants down. She has to save face. Sri Lanka is as good a whipping boy as she can get, considering that other ‘boys’ would probably whip her if she tried anything funny.
*Malinda Seneviratne is the Chief Editor of ‘The Nation and his articles can be found at www.malindawords.blogspot.com
masii / February 6, 2013
…and u speak of navin pillay ranting??
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Chanakya / February 6, 2013
Hear this big boy MS has been sacked by his patron saint Mahinda Rajapassa!
Is he trying now to get his job back – doing google research to boost fawning nationalism and wiggle into Rajapassa’s good books again! Come on MS! why you not write something relevant about Mohan Peris for instance and his corrupt crookery instead of going after a woman thousands of miles away if you need to vent your spleen..
What a pathetic case is MS who hates the US and “west” because he is a Cornell Drop Out!
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Shantha Ranasinghe / February 6, 2013
was he sacked ???? please advice when
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / February 6, 2013
Mahinda Seneviratne,
It would have been very useful if you had used the resources at your command to compile information on the progress achieved on the LLRC recommendation, instead of trying to catch Navaneetham Pillai with her pants down. We are the most qualified to judge our government. Provide us that opportunity.
I am sure Pillai will hold up her pants with a strong belt in Geneva, knowing very well that some like to see what is under! The degree of progress made on the LLRC recommendations, if meaningful, would have helped us keep our own pants up in Geneva. It is we who are in danger of being caught with our pants down in Geneva. We will make an ugly spectacle of ourselves in Geneva, but will tell our people how great our show was! The other countries represented at Geneva will of course have a good laugh at our expense and keep us dangling on a hook for one more year, to repeat the charade!
Of course some of us will keep on hoping/ praying that Geneva will harbinger changes in Sri Lanka, year after year!
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Dev / February 6, 2013
The Sri Lankan public is having a good laugh at you, the big talker, who promised a ‘fund’ to help the ex-CJ and did not deliver , the ex-CJ has been forgotten by you though during the impeachment you were making a big noise over it !
Before you preach to MS, you correct yourself !
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srilal / February 7, 2013
Come on Dev , enough is enough, back off !
Make an effort to grasp the thought behind Dr Rajasingham Narendran’s sincere effort and learn to appreciate.
True i have seen numerous comments made by Dr supporting the Dictator, but we all make mistakes, don’t we? Take Prof laksiri ,he was a staunch supporter of the tyrant , where is he today ?
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Dev / February 7, 2013
It is not about him making mistakes, I admit we all make them including Narendran (though he has not admitted anything of that sort yet)!
My comments have nothing to do with that.
Two weeks ago during the impeachment sags he was screaming to high heavens about the injustice being done and wanted to set up a ‘public fund’ to help the ex-CJ, knowing is past of ‘all talk and no action’ I challenged him to start this fund and the others will follow, as expected, nothing has been heard from him re the fund, while the ex-CJ has been forgotten for all intents and purposes by him (not surprising to me ) !
I continue to highlight this as a way to make people who may not be aware of this and who may give credence to his comments due to his usage of his ‘Dr’ title, that is all.
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punchinilame / February 6, 2013
Let us hear MS for the last time- may his Soul-rest-in-peace:-
[Edited out]
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Basil Fernando / February 6, 2013
Mahinda Seneviratne, does not seem to understand cricket. He has mixed it up with sex. He seemed to get everything, MALLE POL. Navaneethan Pillai has understood Sri Lanka quite well. M.S. must pretend that he does not understand what is going on in Sri Lanka.. He must fill his mind with images even of an old lady pants down. He must pretend that what was done to CJ Shriyani Bandaranayake was right. He must pretend that it was nothing big, yes it was just only about destroying independence of judiciary– What is really big about that! What is really big about having a rogue as CJ– What a tiny is liberty !!! Such are great editors we have.
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PresiDunce Bean / February 6, 2013
Chanakya is correct. Looks like Malinda has got the boot. Check this link out. Looks like all the apple polishing and back scratching of his lord and master MR was to no avail. :)
…I have used a proxy site to access this page, because it is blocked in Silly Lanka.
[Edited out]
@PresiDunce Bean – It may be true, but please don’t post gossip site links. – CT
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m c spencer / February 8, 2013
“…I have used a proxy site to access this page, because it is blocked in Silly Lanka.”
Please elaborate on this to help another in a similar situ.
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Safa / February 6, 2013
Navi Pillai has been riding all the time, not only in Sri Lanka, she has taken to task even the great powers over human rights abuse. It is a problem with the UN that no action is taken, not her. We have a problem because our govt has no pants to hold up. Even GLP is dead silent after his recent trip to India.
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Aney Apochchi! / February 6, 2013
The regime has truly gone mad if it has sacked the [Edited out]
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Malinda Seneviratne / February 6, 2013
Thanks for all the love guys. :)
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Ben Hurling / February 6, 2013
Malinda
With all due respect, attacking Navi Pillai will not save us.
Sri Lanka has big issues our enemies can exploit at any given time. Corrupt ruling elite in Colombo is our biggest enemy. Not Navi Pillai.
We must deal with them first.
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Native Vedda / February 7, 2013
Ben Hurling
“Sri Lanka has big issues our enemies can exploit at any given time. Corrupt ruling elite in Colombo is our biggest enemy. Not Navi Pillai.”
I am led to believe LTTE and LTTE supporting Tamil Diaspora were and is the mighty enemy. When did you change your mind?
Let us know when you change your mind next time around as I need to prepare myself for the unexpected.
All new changes take long period of time to sink in as you know I am bit thick.
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Chandra / February 6, 2013
Malinda- Enjoy the love whilst it last!
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Bedrock Barney / February 7, 2013
In an interview with Sanjana Hatotuwa you said “some people write like they have fallen from heaven, I state my biases, I am Sinhala Buddhist and I have that interest”. I commend you on sticking to your biases even though they have become increasingly indefensible.
With fellow travelers like Rajiva And Dayan abandoning ship, I hope you don’t box yourself into a corner with no outs.
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Native Vedda / February 7, 2013
Bedrock Barney
If writers are intellectually honest then there is no getting oneself boxed in a corner.
We may not agree with their views but we begin to appreciate their tenacity even though their points of views are utter rubbish.
In your comment you quote him “I state my biases, I am Sinhala Buddhist and I have that interest”.
His perceived interest may not be in Sinhala Buddhist interest. There is the problem. On the contrary whatever people like him promote may indeed harm the Sinhala Buddhists as we have witnessed in the past years.
Short term Sinhala/Buddhist interest and his own long term interest may unfortunately coincide but it will cause long term destruction to his own people, rest of the people and the entire island.
Bigots should be given forums wherever and whenever possible. I assure you they will not disappoint you as is the case on every occasion they do not fail to expose their stupidity.
I am all for it.
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Bedrock Barney / February 7, 2013
“If writers are intellectually honest then there is no getting oneself boxed in a corner.” Can’t argue with that.
It’s painful to see that writers, with substance, such as MS who have sometimes abandon informed judgement and write with bias. I am also conscious that these scribes have very real problems in terms of ‘making a living’ and of course ‘living’ in a controlled media environment.
In the process though he is risking his credibility and restricting his readership to those who need a weekly dose of chauvinism. The smell of the coffee beans are heady. Time he wakes up.
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Native Vedda / February 8, 2013
Bedrock Barney
When readership is regularly fed with irrational bigotry they long for the next dose. It is up to the readership to seek help elsewhere.
Is it true when men are deprived of sexual relation they become shameless bigots?
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hope4change / February 7, 2013
Malinda does on and on about his sinhala Buddhist biases and yet chooses to send his kids to a leading Christian school!!!! Now how,s that for hypocrisy!!!!!! Care to explain this one to us malinda??????
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Senguttuvan / February 6, 2013
One more Johnny-come-lately sycophant-hack trying to bat for a fastly sliding regime of twits and twerps – merely to hold on to his new found job and livelihood. The last angry man who warmed the seat found himself recuperating in hospital, broken limbs shattered bones and all, regaining some sense and reality. Partly the consequence of opportunistic and misplaced journalism that contributed to growing public outrage. Few will agree Navi Pillay is obsessed with our own truant regime. Our venal Family is doing all well for themselves in their path to self-destruction and do not appear to need any outside assistance in that direction. Navi P has an unenviable job to do in her crucial UN role and, from what one reads in the global media, she seems to have earned a good name among those really matter for sheer ability and impartiality. She has been far more strident in her due critique of the tottering Assad regime – that is very much in the top of the world’s agenda today. Equally strong has she been against HR violations in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
The prejudice against Ms Pillay in many in the ruling circles in Sri Lanka is, one suspects, largely because she carries a Tamil name in an environment conditioned to immediately believe anything Tamil has to be connected to the LTTE/Tigers. This easily feeds into the congenital negatives of anything Tamil – whether right or wrong. Apparently Ms Pillay is aware of this and dismisses the prejudice with the contempt it deserves. The sooner the more educated here liberate them from this unfortunate mindset the better.
The role of editors is to disseminate news and opinion fearlessly and without favour. Any attempts to tailor matters to suit intimidating ruling circles will be seen and appropriately condemned.
Senguttuvan
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Rama / February 6, 2013
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JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA / February 7, 2013
MALINDA,
Even You got a New brush, You cant white Wash Your Bosses and your extremist ideas, are not get to good results.
may be Governance [Sic] wants to give/ given a contract to you to do some Bashing.
Hon madame Dr Navanethem Pillay is definitely did not go to Royal college,
But, as Wikipedia mentioned as a she got her Doctorate from Harvard University.
I think more than 10 years senior to you.
got more experiences than you are.
but she may have a fair understanding of Sri Lanka.
Even Though She Is a Tamil descent, we have proof that she is doing a good job,
ANYBODY CAN UNDERSTAND, WHAT YOU ARE UP TO?.
TRYING FOR A ROLLS ROYCE GHOST?.
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Janaka Fernando / February 7, 2013
I am still wondering how they made this MS the chief editor of a News paper. Leave alone editorials, he is not even capable of writing an article properly (still an armature in Journalism). When I read the first paragraph of MS’s articles I find it so boring that it is not worth continuing (a complete waste of time). MS should leave Journalism and find something else that he is capable of doing instead of wasting the time of the readers with such meaningless articles that neither informs nor serve any purpose to anyone. I am sure the News paper that he works for must be at the brink of bankruptcy.
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M Y Foote / February 9, 2013
Jsnaka
President George Bush once famously said ‘Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me’. We Sri Lankans wouldn’t want to consider an American politician now would we? Specially when being shameless is a national trait?
How do politicians take us on this shameless ride and make sure we enjoy it? Simple! Buy up all media outlets that refuse to toe their line through stooges and install pliable editors. Lo and behold we have a kept press that touts propaganda as news.
And that’s how MS fits into the picture.
M Y Foote
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hope4change / February 7, 2013
Malinda goes on and on about his sinhala Buddhist biases and yet chooses to send his kids to a leading Christian school!!!! Now how,s that for hypocrisy!!!!!! Care to explain this one to us malinda??????
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PresiDunce Bean / February 8, 2013
@hope4change
It’s the hypocrites who scream the loudest. I remember WJM Lokubandara many years ago who came up with the ‘Jaathika Chinthanaya’ concept and wanted all Silly Lankans to ‘think in Sinhala’ ect. sent his son to an international school. This was reported in the TIME magazine at that time. Today Wimal Weerawansa who wants people to boycott Google and other western products, happily goes holidaying to Disneyland and the west and also sends his children to international schools. The same goes for all those politicians and academics who talk about ‘appay kamma’ sending their kids to foreign universities in the west they love to hate! They never send them to universities in China, Russia, Cuba or Myanmar. Nor do they go on shopping sprees or holidays to these countries. RIP Siily Lanka. Welcome to Sri RajaPakistan.
ps. Yesterday the Daily Mirror reported that a 13-year-old schoolgirl who was arrested for stealing 10 coconuts, to raise Rs.800 that her school authorities had asked for to paint the classroom walls. She was yesterday released on a surety bail of Rs.50,000.
The irony of it all is that that people who have stolen millions are members of parliament while the biggest crook of them all became president.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/top-story/25580-schoolgirl-stole-coconuts-to-paint-classroom.html
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Naga / February 7, 2013
Navi Pillai cannot and will not critize the big bully United States or for that matter any western nations because she owes her position to the western powers who use human rights as a weapon in their pursuit of neo-colonial control over the world. She cannot even afford to attack the right abuses in Russia or China in a big way because she knows well that when her appointment comes up for renewal she needs the support of all the big powers. Navi Pillai will have no problem in passing strictures on Sri Lanka or on other third world countries.
She knows well the fate of Boutros Boutros-Ghali who lasted only five years as the UN Secretary-General who angered the bully United States.
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Raja / February 8, 2013
Western powers at least do ot behave like the Murderer MaRa who would kill somebody with impunity Leave the 100,000 Killed in Wanni ALl are tigers. But how about MP’s Ravi Raj, Joseph Pararasegaram,Sivaram, Lasantha, Eheliyagoda. Put your house in order before finiing fault with others. They use the power to mane postions but MarA and his murderer brother Gota use it to kill innocent people in hundreds of thousands Tamisl included
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Native Vedda / February 8, 2013
Raja
Now it is much easier to accuse the Sri Lankan state and its rulers of their complicity in war crime and crime against humanity. Have you managed to collect any hard evidence against the alleged war criminals? If yes why haven’t you initiated proceedings at the International Criminal Courts with the support of the International Community?
If you haven’t do you expect the Sri Lankan state to give you sackful of incriminating evidence and file case against themselves?
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Naga / February 7, 2013
Navi Pillai cannot and will not critize the big bully United States or for that matter any western nations because she owes her position to the western powers who use human rights as a weapon in their pursuit of neo-colonial control over the world. She cannot even afford to attack the right abuses in Russia or China in a big way because she knows well that when her appointment comes up for renewal she needs the support of all the big powers. Navi Pillai will have no problem in passing strictures on Sri Lanka or on other third world countries.
She knows well the fate of Boutros Boutros-Ghali who lasted only five years as the UN Secretary-General because he angered the bully United States and fell into disfavour.
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Rama / February 7, 2013
modaya, forget about madam navi pillai. when is your tribe going to evolve into human beings.
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Senguttuvan / February 8, 2013
How does one know Ms Navineetham Pillay has not been critical of the USA, Russia and China – when necessary. In her capacity she must be writing hundreds of material and speaking to dozens of mainline
Channels in a week for anyone to keep track – except her staff.
Boutras B. Ghali’s problem was, as I learn, in addition to his abrasive nature he was also accused of packing the Mission with his favourites from the Arab countries. It was more Kofi Annan who got on to the wrong side of the big Western powers and lost his influence because his son was involved in the Oil-for-Food racket that needed
UN approval.
My understanding is when Africa’s time comes next for a new UNSG Pillay could be a strong contender. If she does make it, she will be the first woman to reach the high position. I believe Europe may produce the one after BKM.
Senguttuvan
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Rama / February 8, 2013
man, madam’s surname is spelt pillai and not pillay. in south india pillai denotes the caste you belong to. pillai belongs one of the highest castes in tamil nadu. i believe they hail mainly from nellai district. pillai, gounder and few other castes are classified as forward castes and hence they suffer because of tamil nadu’s quota system on uni admissions( especially medicine and engineering )and jobs favouring backward castes. alongside the above , brahmins are also part of the forward castes. many brahmins because of this backward policy have left the country mainly to united states. anyway to cut the long story short , pillai is equivalent to vellalars of jaffna. however, melinda or whatever his name has benefited from
the similar policy adopted by sri lanka.
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Rama / February 8, 2013
i am sorry senguttuvan. i understand in south africa , pillai is referred as pillay. i am sorry once again.
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Rama / February 8, 2013
adey p s modaya, when you address the lady use madam in front. madam navi pillai is not the same as aryawathi who is a housemaid in saudi arabia. madam is not a toilet cleaner in dubai punchi nona. is that clear you jungle bunny.
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Senguttuvan / February 8, 2013
P. Bean may remember the asinine comments made by LokuBandara on Bacon and Sausages and asked everyone to take kolakenda, when he was Culture Minister. He was nothing but an opportunistic fraud, given into an established communal bias. Jumping from one Party to the other was this Graduate-Lawyer whom Ranil promoted as Speaker.
Senguttuvan
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Senguttuvan / February 9, 2013
I stand corrected in the spelling of Ms Navi’s surname.
I know of the Pillai (pillai-mar) caste. There is a strong clan in
Colombo – many leading of which are my personal friends. They come from the Trichy District (that includes Thirunelvely) and are not high-caste. There are two divisions – one the vegetarian saiva pillai-mar and the other that is also non-veg. They are known for their polite and respectful way of speaking to each other and others. But they are not scheduled caste either and are in social line with Chettiars and Gounders.
Senguttuvan
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Native Vedda / February 9, 2013
Senguttuvan
Tamil Vellalas pretend that they are in similar standing to Pillai in caste hierarchy when they visit Tamilnadu.
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M Y Foote / February 9, 2013
MS lives in denial whining and whimpering about being victimized thanks to international conspiracies and posturing. We, the little Islanders have no peace in paradise isle and Ms Pillay makes things worse with her double standards.!
What MS needs to do instead of playing the victim card is to examine his truth with the truth as seen by the rest of the world. And to do so would require him to shed his Sinhala Buddhist nationalistic rhetoric and examine the facts as they are presented. That’s when he gets stumped. For MS denial is a good mask to wear. No one dare unmask him.
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Senguttuvan / February 9, 2013
NV – Arguably, the Lankan Tamil Vellalars are at a higher level than the other 3 I mentioned. The Brahmins are higher. The Iyers and Iyengars in Tamilnadu are higher in the Brahmin hierarchy like the Namboodiris in Kerala. The Pillai’s of Kerala are equal to the Nairs and Menons but below the Brahmins. The equivalent to this in Andhra will be the Raos and the Shettys. As you know, much of the rigid caste structures in the North here bear strong Kerala features.
These are my observations and by no means absolute.
Senguttuvan
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Senguttuvan / February 10, 2013
Native Veddah,
Further to my last comment, you may have heard MR, the wife and a “side-support” mob of 70 genuflected yesterday at the Hindu shrine of Shri Venkateshwara at Thirumala in Tirupathy in the Tamilnadu-Andra
Border. Yes. The predictable “hot reception” was very much there
with black flags and all. There will be no need to wash the Temple
despite the Catholic pilgrim – as the Andhrites are less fussy than the Keralites who closed their own temple for a week as they claimed it was “soiled” by the visit of some who got in mendaciously.
So to this visit. Is it to declare one’s secularism or to give the message to the majority Hindu India “I am one of you. I am not as bad
as they try to make me out in that dirty Tamilnadu” What then of the lip-to-lip affairs with the political Mullahs of the JHU/BBS back home. In these matters one has to be either fish or fowl as they say in Ole Blighty. Or is there such a thing called good hypocracy on the sly?
Senguttuvan
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