[PhillipHer]

I agree partly with JayKay, Renukaji, Ravi and mostly with Brahmanyamji. It is true that some children
of Tamil Brahmins in India in general and in the south in particular are not toeing their parents or grandparents
in the matter of daily rituals. The outlook of present generation changes fast with the influence of television, fast food,
shopping malls, cinema etc. I can emphatically say that the children in western countries do practise daily chanting of
the stothrams with devotion and sincerity and visit the Hindu temples once in a fortnight over the weekend. These
young children try to protect the brahmin identity notwithstanding the local culture. It all depends upon how
you are in a foreign land. I have seen many male members do pujas along with their wives and children both in the morning as well as in the evenings. They keep their old parents with them for guidance in every matter which is
a support to them. However if their parents are left behind in India in the custody of any blood relation and in any
eventuality where their presence is required, they are unable to make it due to variety of reasons. In fact it is their
primary duty to atleast perform the last rites either as kartha or join others doing the ceremonies. One goes abroad
for betterment of life; that does not mean that life in India is no less better. India has tremendously improved and
is moving fast on all fronts. Our brahmin culture is sacred which is still preserved in the south as you will see from
the increasing number of brahmins thronging the temples daily, the mushrooming of veda padashalas .You
will not find this sort of scenario in the U.S.A. The unfortunate part of the children born abroad is that they do not know anyone except their parents,parents sisters and brothers and their families ,maternal grandparents and paternal grandparents. As far as possible, it is incumbent on the parents abroad to see that their children do not embrace local culture in their own interests. There are advantages and disadvantages in settling abroad.As far as I am concerned
I would not say that brahmin community is disintegrating by settling abroad.

Regards
PC RAMABADRAN



in USA within the time constraints