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Mallaiyuran / April 17, 2014
Aren’t the Diaspora stopped saying Sri Lanka? Where did she get that?
Celebrating in Sri Lanka and hiring helicopter are so usual?
One time a Gujarati and I fell into argument on this. As per him, Gujaratis know about these celebrations and they consider it as a shameful occasion. I asked him what part he would consider on this as shame, because isn’t it a natures progress on the kid’s life? Then he told me not be pretentious and parents should respect the child’s privacy; further it is their responsibility to support her hide it from the public(these type of feeling were loaded on the Hindu society when the western cultures started to spread. A lot of it was forced on Hindu’s when the Muslims invasion took place.) He had just finished his 60th wedding in a grand scale. I asked him what was there in to have a 60th wedding and how many people had come to his first wedding, and if any of the visitors did know why people mary? He said I was very illogical and anyway I had already accepted that is only natural for girls to attain, so celebrating that is still stupid. Coincidentally, he just few more weeks ago had his daughter’s “Valaikaapu”(Hindu’s similar one to Baby Shower; his Son – in- Low was a Tamil). So I told of that to him and asked why one tell everybody and celebrate Baby Shower, the day the baby is born. Birthday and all these, if there is anything not natural nor nothing is shameful in those. He blamed me of pulling his private life. He slightly got angry because I purposefully used two times examples from his private life. I understood that, though he was trying poke on 3000-4000 old customs of Tamils and telling me that because Gujaratis don’t like we too should abandon it, now when the dialog is not going further he is trying stand on the “private life” part. I apologized for having insulted him, but I reminded him that his argument didn’t even consider his life, but this celebration involves about 70 million peoples that they all may have their own private reasons to have that celebration. He shut up and changed the subject.
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david / April 18, 2014
Malaiuran:
3000-4000 year Tamil tradition? How do you know?
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Mallaiyuran / April 18, 2014
Older than that. You know that nobody is able to establish a period for Thai Pongal. The problem there is the records associated themselves to religion. These Tamils’ ceremonies stayed away from religion and their history can not be determined through records. In other words, religious records ends at some points, these keep going deep into jungle further down. You know Thai Pongal is celebrated in Japan, exactly the same way still it is in South India and Northern Lanka. Nobody is able to tell when and how Japanese picked it up. Certainly it is before recorded history.
Shiva, Muruga lIke gods are Neolithic gods for Tamils. Their dresses and arms indicate that they are neolithic period preachers. Hinus Valley’s 5000 years old plated shows pictures of Shiva and his rituals. The Sari Ceremony still does not have any Hindu rituals attached to it. Once I went to a Christian Sari Ceremony. They had a priest presiding the event, slightly bent on their side. Still on his speech, he said it is the only ceremony he knows that old still does not have religious association. It has well rooted and established with the peoples to be corrupted by the religions which imposed everything into the people’s life. Especially the nasty periods were BC 1000 to CE 1000 years. Anything started within this periods are meaningless rituals. Sari Ceremony started well before that and if you watch one you will understand how deep into common life.
In the ceremony, the girl gets blessed(Aaraaththi) with many objects that she would love to have for her happy life, hith her husband and children. One of the blessing object – or the most important one- is a harvester knife inserted paddy measure container. They is the last one in the 7 or 11 or 13 objects they line up. These days that say that is the one going protect her throughout her entire life(no god, no goddess). But you may get the point when you see paddy and the harvester knife, how she is getting protected. Now, there is no harvester knives at homes, they use a crafts knife (Kaampu Chaththakam). There are many interesting stories told about having this knife transported down to western countries with all these heavy checkings on the travels.
Sari Ceremony is only about elderly women and Sanror blessing her for happy life. During its path it got added broad count of cultural elements, depending on the period it traveled. These are vibrantly shown during the preparation of the girls to receive the blessing and the in procedure of women blessing her. It has nothing to do with relion like other ceremonies they have explicitly or impliedly indicates about stupid Moksha or Nirvana. The elders some or how very conscience to keep the religion out.
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lionking / April 18, 2014
Sinhalese are not far behind in ceremonies but Tamils are well ahead
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Rationalist / April 17, 2014
Don’t laugh, because the Sinhalese do all this too!
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leelagemalli / April 17, 2014
Yes sure, they do.
Most of them feel to earn some for the future and arrange it as a party.
Actually, westerners would laught at us easily. We the sinahalya call to have become mid income earners to this date, may feel embarraced to see that over 70% of the populace still live under poverty line. Man without vision is in power, so what hopes the nation can be kept on their future.
Instead of anoiting oil on people and elephants, time has come to implement asturity measures with all kind of wastages being carried out by the state (one handedly controlled by Rajapakshes)
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Amarasiri / April 17, 2014
Dear Kiru,
Video: What Is A Puberty Ceremony ?
“I have a lot of non-Tamil friends ask me what a puberty ceremony is… here is a message to them and a lot of our own people who need to be reminded of the reasons why NOT to celebrate it!” says Kiru.
Excellent video. Put it on the U Tube. Do they do the same in South India as well?
You do use your brain well.
Congratulations!
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Mallaiyuran / April 17, 2014
” Do they do the same in South India as well?”
South Indians (TN) appears to be no longer interested. Some pockets, on a very limited scale; that’s it. Yet it is said they are the one invented the English name Sari Ceremony in the Diaspora world. In our Tamil it is called “Saamaththiya Chadanku.” In TN, it is known as “Chadanku”. Of cause none use the “Puberty Celebration” other than these westernized kids. The word “Puberty” still like a technical term for their parents, not a social term. In addition these kids do not any longer differentiate between slangs and common usage. So they mix it up too.
“Thalai Maanman”(maternal Uncle) part in the ceremony indicates our Tamil version certainly came from TN (I do not know if that part is in Sinhalese version too). He is the “ceremonial guest – guest of honor” and he wears the garland to the girls, in appearance it is almost similar to bridegroom would do in wedding.
An addition to Diaspora’s version is inviting Brahmin to conduct it. I believe the migrated peoples who did not know how to celebrate the occasion approached Tamil Nadu Brahmin, who had already established there, to help them. Now it is a part of it. This gives some ailments for Christian Diaspora families when they want to celebrate it. So they stick on to the home version.
Some Tamils explain this ceremony as an invitation to view their new Bride, who has become available to prospective bridegrooms. That is how they attempt to justify the birth of the ceremony and reject its need of existence any longer with an argument of the modern girls don’t need it so it has to be abandoned. Whether the ceremony should be continued is still a matter for debate. But, these explanations are very narrow thought explanations. Those who consider them as intelligent are rushing to do this only to show how limited their thought processes are. First, attempting to explain that old ceremony with one limited, tightly defined jargon is absurd. Absolutely they are very broad and far reaching many part of the culture. Second, they fail to recognize the “Thalai Maaman” part. In TN, there in some areas, Thalai Maaman has the priority on her hand for the marriage. If the ceremony only about marriage and maternal uncle attend to the ceremony and garland the girl, then it turns to be like “Nichchayaarththam”(engagement). Then, why would the other parents come there? As I said earlier “Valaikaappu” is another ceremony of Tamils. How these pundits going explain it? Is it an advertisement for a “Maruththuvichchi” (Midwife)? In that style “Childbirth Ceremonies” are advertisements for nannies?
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Mallaiyuran / April 17, 2014
Please read “Thalai Maanman” as “Thaai Maanman”
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / April 17, 2014
is it Thaai maaman or Thaai Maanman?.
because I have heard my Tamil neighbours call THAAI MAAMAN.
Bythe way,
in Wander land of Universe [Ape sreeei lanka], puberty ceremony or any ceremony is a good chance to have booze and get drunk.
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burt / April 17, 2014
No offence but this is funny.
LOL
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APDS / April 17, 2014
It sure is, especially all the hand waving :) But she is a brave girl to speak in public like this. The West has given her this freedom. I hope other horrors such as circumcision of boys and girls will also end one day.
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Grumpy Singho / April 17, 2014
… and to provide prepuce full of crumby infections to the lifelong loving partner.
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APDS / April 17, 2014
Grumpy Singho, so the entire human population apart from Jews & Muslims suffer from infections? They are archaic and savage rites.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_genital_mutilation
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arthagnani / April 17, 2014
Kiru:
Brilliant,insightful critique.I know that many Tamil families in Sri Lanka do not ceremonialize menarche any more.For the overseas community however this is a way of keeping alive a tradition and keeping one’s connection to the home culture alive as well as a way of acquiring prestige for the family.Some traditions should be kept alive while others need to be abandoned.
Keep up the good work of engaging in these both insightful and ironic commentaries.
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Abhaya / April 17, 2014
what ever , we dont care
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Siri / April 17, 2014
Who are this ” WE ” ( Rajapakshe rascals you and who ?), and how many more months would you say so ?
What have you learnt from your longer stay in the States ? If not to analyse thing unbiased ? I have learnt so many good things having lived on the west, but when it goes against ” Human justice”, I become very allergic.. forgetting even my own job.
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sama / April 17, 2014
I wish I could contact your director board to share them what a fool you have been sofar.
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Abhaya / April 18, 2014
it is the happiest day in her parents life because they can now palm her over to some sucker who will take over looking after that little crazy and pay her bills that the parents can ill afford .
lol
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Rarityminds / April 21, 2014
scumbag of your kind what else could come out ?
how come you returned that quickly from Hambantota thuggish contract.
some had mentioned you could have been their to attack MP lawyer Ajith Perera, I read somewhere.
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T.A.KUMAR / April 17, 2014
Well done u said a mouthful. It I not only the Tamils but the Singhalese also do it. They get into debt and thereafter pawn and ell everything to pay back the debt.
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priya / April 17, 2014
Well done Kiru.Fully agree that torture party has no basis except traumatizing the young kid.However age old traditions cannot be changed easily and it takes time.Sinhalese are no different to you guys and it is so brave of you to come out and express your views.Yes we need to move forward in the world and not backward.Good luck.
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Afzal / April 17, 2014
As much as we criticize diaspora tamils for negativeness, we should commend when you see something positive, informative video Miss. Kiru
well done, you have candidly highlighted some of the ills of society very cleverly.
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Palmsquirrell / April 22, 2014
She is talking about the big child ceremony, it is a coming of age ritual.
I don’t see anything bad about it, it’s not like the girls are given away in marriage at that age. Now if the family was poor, the girl might be encouraged to get married a few years after , but that is an aspect of poverty and not the ceremony itself.
As a coming of age ceremony it’s not different to a Bat Mitzvah, the coming of age ritual for Jewish girls. Native American tribes have their own female coming of age ceremonies. There’s plenty of coming of age ceremonies in cultures around the world.
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Mahesan Niranjan / April 17, 2014
Brilliant!
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Javi / April 17, 2014
A couple of years ago my immediate neighbors daughter came up to me and said I am a woman now. I gave her a hug 3 kisses and took her out for a drink.
Celebration is another way of spending money to keep the economy on the move.
Love is blind therefore we have marriages for all to see.
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Gamunu / April 19, 2014
Take a look at FEMALE INFANTICIDE of Madurai & Dindigul, the culture of these shudras;
Female Infanticide, Its Causes and Solutions By R. Muthulakshmi, p.10
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=N1Q_TdiGzVIC&q=tamil+nadu#v=snippet&q=tamil%20nadu&f=false
http://www2.webster.edu/~woolflm/femaleinfanticide.html
http://infochangeindia.org/women/news/female-infanticide-increases-in-districts-of-tamil-nadu.html
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Uthungan / April 17, 2014
Fantastic.
This girl will go places,she has a bright future.
Keep it going girl.
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Fathima Fukushima / April 17, 2014
Disgusting!
After that worship my sivalingam.
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Javi / April 17, 2014
`worship my sivalingam`
Is it because it is meant for Al Shabaab (HSM) PBUH Balla’s Khyber pass??
Ha ha Ho ho Jesus loves you too tip cut.
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naseeff / April 17, 2014
Kirku. You are excellent and I did like it very much and hope you do more on other rituals as we’ll. please do some more show and your voice and actions good and you have message to tell all Lankan
But bring out all superficial acts out and tell them we live in different world
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Inde Murugaesun / April 17, 2014
Age attaining ceremony is mainly celebrated to inform others around to know that girl started ovulating and able to produce children if get married.
Some females never attain ability.
Puberty ceremony is only an advertiseme
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Goraka / April 17, 2014
Wedding ceremony is the BIGGEST JOKE of all ceremonies!
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dingiri / April 17, 2014
If it is alright to celebrate a birthday or wedding it should also surely be ok to celebrate the first menstruation or circumcission. They are all rather meaningless milestones. But people do like a party So I would not dissaprove. …Although, I would first ask the little girl if she would like a party, if I were the parent.
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Muhammed Fazl / April 17, 2014
Kiru who? I like this girl and her thoughtful attempt in trying to do some good. If she is reading this, I sure hope she sends me a FB ‘friend request’… I go as Fazl Muhammed Nizar. Keep up the good work…
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whywhy / April 17, 2014
Muhammad Fazl
Srilankan Muslims were no exception about a twenty five yrs
back.Twenty yrs back I was out of the country on a tour and
was back home to hear my next door 13 yr old girl had
become a big girl and still going school without giving a
hint to anyone.Things started to change long ago in our
community as they started to realize that they were blindly
into strange outside influences.It is these changes that our
politicians and priests don’t like to see happening because
people waking up means leaders going sleeping mode.Exploit
gets harder.
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R. Varathan / April 18, 2014
I think Lankan Tamils must lead the way in getting rid of this anachronism. This was an old habit in Indian villages among certain communities that found its way to the Island. The Puberty ceremony is slowly but surely on the way out.
R. Varathan
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oopla / April 18, 2014
the communion – practiced by Christians
Virgin young girls are donned their white wedding clothes to to include their veils and then married off to a dead man( Jesus Christ)
Not much diffrent to this
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aratai / April 18, 2014
.
Very true… it’s for making money.
Unlike wedding gifts which married couple gets to keep it, gifts received on puberty ceremony are for the parents.
Excellent video….wake up Tamils and stop this nonsense.
:-)
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ahm / April 18, 2014
Great. Puberty ceremony is not allowed in Islam.
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Real Peace / April 19, 2014
ahm
is it? But what about chopping off clitoris and foreskin of children??
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Amarasiri / April 19, 2014
ahm and real peace,
“Great. Puberty ceremony is not allowed in Islam.”
“is it? But what about chopping off clitoris and foreskin of children??”
1. Clitoris choping is an African Tradition, practiced by African Animists, African Christians and African Muslims.
2. Foreskin Chopping is an Egyptian Tradition, that was copied by the Jews, and got into the Bible. I do not think the u ran required the foreskin to be chopped or the clitoris to be chopped. Prophet Mohamed was not circumcised, because he was not a Jew. Only the Jews and perhaps the Egyptians were circumcised.
Muslims, by extension from the Jews started circumcision of the boys.
“Great. Puberty ceremony is not allowed in Islam.”
If a girl is married off before she reaches puberty, then there is no need for a puberty ceremony.
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Naufer Mohamed / April 20, 2014
NOW THE TAMILS DOES NOT CELEBRATE PUBERTY BECAUSE THE SRI LANKAN ARMY PERSONNELS GET THE GOOD NEWS AND ABDUCT THE POOR GIRL AND RAPE THEM.
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What goes around comes around / April 18, 2014
Excellent piece.
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Real Peace / April 19, 2014
Kiru
You are so cute (say, just thanks!). It’s amazing you have a thick Canadian as well as a Jaffna Tamil accent. You are very, very talented, but I think you have got the wrong end of the stick!
Can you tell me why people celebrate birthdays?! It only marks the biological growth of 1 yr! What’s the big deal?
I do not see any big problems with puberty ceremony. It’s an event that marks our tradition and culture. These events are many, many times more civilised than female genital amputation, forced marriage, honour killing and male circumcision practiced in various cultures. I think you will do a great service to the mankind if you educate and eradicate these cruel practices. Good luck.
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King Jone / April 19, 2014
Fucking dumb. This bitch have no nothing about other cultures. Every culture has something like this.
Fuck You. She should deserve a Dildo on her Menstruation Party.
:D :D :D
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Nelanka / April 19, 2014
oh,if you are that hurt, why not you could be her Dildo ?
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arthagnai / April 21, 2014
And you don’t know how to spell “know”!!
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kabi / April 22, 2014
If she deserves a D…. what could your mother have deserved?? And your sister if you have one??
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Arun M / April 21, 2014
Why is this on “Colombo” Telegraph?
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david / April 21, 2014
Ceremony or not, I will be happy to marry you…!!!What do you say?
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Mallaiyuran / April 22, 2014
I see so many are against Sari ceremony. But the Irony is they are either mainly Tamils or Sinhalese. Because the white man has the Birthday celebration, with the name name of a child(these days even for themselves too) everybody like to have big party every year year. Poor crowd advocating against this celebration because whiteman does not have this celebration, they see this as a backward celebration. Now, I am in real confusion. If they both want to become like whiteman, why did wanted the whiteman leave? Isn’t that because they have left us now, with this 66 years of struggle. If the Sinhalese ashamed of their culture and wand want to be like whiteman why are they claiming Lanka is theirs? It’s not something Whiteman put together. If the Tamils wants to be like whiteman do they have to leave their foreign countries they have already settled and go back, struggle with Sinhalese and establish a country back at home?
That small girls may say anything. It is really amazing to read some of the comments here.
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Yoga / May 9, 2014
I agree with Kiru. Very good clip. Well done. Hope people learn from this .
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