Over 40,000 young Tamil Brahmin men cannot find brides in the state and so the Tamil Nadu-based association for Brahmins has launched an initiative to look for suitable matches within the community in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, according to Agencies as per TOI.?
"We have launched a special movement on behalf of our Sangam," said Thamizhnadu Brahmin Association (Thambraas) president N Narayanan.
He mentioned this in an open letter published in the association's monthly Tamil magazine's issue in November.
"If there are 10 Brahmin boys in the marriageable age group, only six girls are available in Tamil Nadu. The association chief, in his letter, said coordinators would be appointed in Delhi, Lucknow and Patna to take forward the initiative. Narayanan said a person who can read, write and speak in Hindi would be appointed at the association's headquarters in the city to perform the coordination role," he said.?
Some are bemused by the move.?
"Though enough number of Tamil Brahmin girls are not available in the marriageable age group, that is not the one and only reason for boys not being able to find brides. Why do parents of boys want marriages to be held in swanky marriage halls? What stops them from conducting the marriage in a simple fashion? Why not in a temple or at home?" said M Parameswaran, who is an educationist.
"Big, fat weddings have become a status symbol, but are unfortunate. The community must choose progression and reject retrogression," he added.
"It is now not uncommon to see Tamil-Telugu Brahmin marriages or weddings between Kannada speaking Madhwas and Tamil speaking Smarthas. Something like this is unimaginable several decades ago," looking to get married.
"Years ago, even marriages between Thenkalai and Vadakalai sects in the Iyengar community were impossible. Today, it is happening, this move of the association is welcome," said an anonymous Vaishnavite Tamil Brahmin.
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