இலண்டன் சைவ மாநாடு (சிறப்புமலர்)
7வது சைவ மாநாடு இலண்டன் 2004
Most of the above (admittedly several) temples
were founded or are dominated by Sri Lankan
Tamils. The Tamils of Sri Lanka are waging a
historical war back at home to win their political and
human rights. Triggered by the Eelam war, there
was a recent influx of varied Tamil Saiva refugees
into London and similar cities. These temples were
founded to keep most of the Saiva Tamils in London
engaged & focussed on non-violence, prayer, and
sober activities, to forget the horrors of war, and to
try building new lives for themselves and their
children in this hospitable democratic host country.
Enterprising Tamils have used the State
tax-relief schemes for religious charities, and founded
these temples with good intentions, to collect
monies from devotees and give it back to them as
religious and social services and facilities. The
competitive spirit is endemic in Tamils, and infighting,
an epidemic. It is natural that Founders want their
shares of glory written in stone' and are
over-protective when newcomers try to steal their
show. Also, centuries-old castes and social classes
cannot vanish in a few years, even in a new
environment. And it is also a fact that Tamils are
not too proficient in the diplomatic fronts, and hence
their so-called quarrels within Trusts, etc. Rushing
to print with our own dirty linen is yet another of
the Tamils' characteristics, which must stop forthwith,
if we want the world to respect our ancient literary
and cultural merits, our innate sense of honest
enterprise, the basic merits of the Eelam cause,
etc.
Now, what could be done to improve the
services provided by these temples? My focus is
firstly on Health & Safety aspects. Clean toilets,
warm floors, clean ventilated halls, elegant, secure
lock-up facilities for coats and shoes, are priorities.
Neasden Temple could be cited as a model. Our
temples must be cleaner than our own homes, to
make devotees want to visit and use them. On the
administrative side, Annual Accounts must be
produced and published promptly. Poojas & other
activities must be co-ordinated, and more
collaboration is needed among temples as regards
Conferences, the much needed Research on
Saivism, and so on. Management by consensus
must be practised in the Trusts & Committees.
Free or subsidised, wholesome meals, filtered
water for drinking, coin-dispensers for hot drinks
like tea, coffee & soup, disposable containers and
refuse collection devices, sale of Saiva and other
religious books, halls and rooms to sit and meditate,
could be provided. Temples are places of refuge.
They must first serve refugees, particulary those
practising Saivism. Service to fellow humans is
the best way of serving Lord Siva. Temples must
never forget the meaning of this concept.
The Need for Urgent Research &
Restructuring of Saiva Customs
and Practices
Saivism is indeed an ancient religion. That
does't mean we must continue following primitive,
conflicting and confusing rituals, customs and
practices in this 21st Century. Moreover, since
Saivism has been developed in different parts of the
world in different ages by otherwise culturally
different (e.g. as regards languages) people, there's
a big diversity of customs and practices. Also, as
our young generations grow up, and with advanced
levels of scientific knowledge and technological
sophistication, and cultural cross-fertilization from
other faiths and parts of the world Saivism needs
to modernize and transform itself in order to
maintain its credibility. Otherwise, we are sure to
lose the seemingly fortuitous advantage that we
now have, in places like London, and soon follow the
path of the Christian religions with empty, unused
churches and patronage.
For example, Saiva weddings are a lot of
trouble to organize and conduct, because of the
variety and numbers of items to be bought, as well
as the ambiguities of customs to be followed. The
Ceremony itself takes hours and hours. Attendees
of Saiva weddings from outstations can never plan
their trips with certainty. Even the tying of the Thaali,
supposed to take place within auspicious periods of
time, invariably happens after the deadlines lapse.
There's really no authority as the last word on these
149
7
வது
சைவ
மாநாடு
இலண்டன்
2004
Most
of
the
above
(
admittedly
several
)
temples
were
founded
or
are
dominated
by
Sri
Lankan
Tamils
.
The
Tamils
of
Sri
Lanka
are
waging
a
historical
war
back
at
home
to
win
their
political
and
human
rights
.
Triggered
by
the
Eelam
war
there
was
a
recent
influx
of
varied
Tamil
Saiva
refugees
into
London
and
similar
cities
.
These
temples
were
founded
to
keep
most
of
the
Saiva
Tamils
in
London
engaged
&
focussed
on
non
-
violence
prayer
and
sober
activities
to
forget
the
horrors
of
war
and
to
try
building
new
lives
for
themselves
and
their
children
in
this
hospitable
democratic
host
country
.
Enterprising
Tamils
have
used
the
State
tax
-
relief
schemes
for
religious
charities
and
founded
these
temples
with
good
intentions
to
collect
monies
from
devotees
and
give
it
back
to
them
as
religious
and
social
services
and
facilities
.
The
competitive
spirit
is
endemic
in
Tamils
and
infighting
an
epidemic
.
It
is
natural
that
Founders
want
their
shares
of
glory
written
in
stone
'
and
are
over
-
protective
when
newcomers
try
to
steal
their
show
.
Also
centuries
-
old
castes
and
social
classes
cannot
vanish
in
a
few
years
even
in
a
new
environment
.
And
it
is
also
a
fact
that
Tamils
are
not
too
proficient
in
the
diplomatic
fronts
and
hence
their
so
-
called
quarrels
within
Trusts
etc.
Rushing
to
print
with
our
own
dirty
linen
is
yet
another
of
the
Tamils
'
characteristics
which
must
stop
forthwith
if
we
want
the
world
to
respect
our
ancient
literary
and
cultural
merits
our
innate
sense
of
honest
enterprise
the
basic
merits
of
the
Eelam
cause
etc.
Now
what
could
be
done
to
improve
the
services
provided
by
these
temples
?
My
focus
is
firstly
on
Health
&
Safety
aspects
.
Clean
toilets
warm
floors
clean
ventilated
halls
elegant
secure
lock
-
up
facilities
for
coats
and
shoes
are
priorities
.
Neasden
Temple
could
be
cited
as
a
model
.
Our
temples
must
be
cleaner
than
our
own
homes
to
make
devotees
want
to
visit
and
use
them
.
On
the
administrative
side
Annual
Accounts
must
be
produced
and
published
promptly
.
Poojas
&
other
activities
must
be
co
-
ordinated
and
more
collaboration
is
needed
among
temples
as
regards
Conferences
the
much
needed
Research
on
Saivism
and
so
on
.
Management
by
consensus
must
be
practised
in
the
Trusts
&
Committees
.
Free
or
subsidised
wholesome
meals
filtered
water
for
drinking
coin
-
dispensers
for
hot
drinks
like
tea
coffee
&
soup
disposable
containers
and
refuse
collection
devices
sale
of
Saiva
and
other
religious
books
halls
and
rooms
to
sit
and
meditate
could
be
provided
.
Temples
are
places
of
refuge
.
They
must
first
serve
refugees
particulary
those
practising
Saivism
.
Service
to
fellow
humans
is
the
best
way
of
serving
Lord
Siva
.
Temples
must
never
forget
the
meaning
of
this
concept
.
The
Need
for
Urgent
Research
&
Restructuring
of
Saiva
Customs
and
Practices
Saivism
is
indeed
an
ancient
religion
.
That
does't
mean
we
must
continue
following
primitive
conflicting
and
confusing
rituals
customs
and
practices
in
this
21st
Century
.
Moreover
since
Saivism
has
been
developed
in
different
parts
of
the
world
in
different
ages
by
otherwise
culturally
different
(
e.g.
as
regards
languages
)
people
there's
a
big
diversity
of
customs
and
practices
.
Also
as
our
young
generations
grow
up
and
with
advanced
levels
of
scientific
knowledge
and
technological
sophistication
and
cultural
cross
-
fertilization
from
other
faiths
and
parts
of
the
world
Saivism
needs
to
modernize
and
transform
itself
in
order
to
maintain
its
credibility
.
Otherwise
we
are
sure
to
lose
the
seemingly
fortuitous
advantage
that
we
now
have
in
places
like
London
and
soon
follow
the
path
of
the
Christian
religions
with
empty
unused
churches
and
patronage
.
For
example
Saiva
weddings
are
a
lot
of
trouble
to
organize
and
conduct
because
of
the
variety
and
numbers
of
items
to
be
bought
as
well
as
the
ambiguities
of
customs
to
be
followed
.
The
Ceremony
itself
takes
hours
and
hours
.
Attendees
of
Saiva
weddings
from
outstations
can
never
plan
their
trips
with
certainty
.
Even
the
tying
of
the
Thaali
supposed
to
take
place
within
auspicious
periods
of
time
invariably
happens
after
the
deadlines
lapse
.
There's
really
no
authority
as
the
last
word
on
these
149