Being a Brahmin and a TamBram at that in Chennai
I got married wearing a nine-yard saree, also quite uninnovatively called, a madisaar. As many women who wear a necklace called a "Thaali" know, it is an integral part of the TamBram(TB) culture. Nowadays, it reveals itself only when some remote diety has to be pleased. This post is not about the saree, rather, about the community that struts around in the saree.
The other day, I happened to view photographs of a friend's friend's wedding. The guy looked very Brahm (B), but the girl wasn't wearing the madisaar. I pondered, wondered, then questioned my friend. Is he a TamBram? To which she nodded, quite excitedly, and said, "Of course babe, can't you make out." I couldn't, hence, I asked her, unashamedly though, to check with him. She did, all the while glaring at me. She even gave a disclaimer saying, hey don't think, am dumb, but are you a TB? The guy said, yes, I am a B, but not a TB. Well, that settled the issue. I rested in peace.
Now, what is it about the TBs that I do not like. Did I say, I do not like them? Well, seems like, I am not a great fan of them either. The irony is that by birth, that is what I am ordained to be. A snooty TB. All TBs are snooty, let me tell you this. Yes, they may appear dumb and act like complete idiots, but, yeah, snooty they are, beneath that veneer.
If a TB looks at you for a second and looks away, don't fall for it. S/he has immediately gauged your complete history and lineage, from previous staring experiences. Some TBs do not bother, others do, quite unabashedly. A very important thing about a TB is that s/he will try to find his/her "nammavaa." Well, it sounds very caveman-type. It is, quite the opposite. TBs find solace in searching for other TBs. This is especially true for TBs. Other brahmins too have the herd mentality, but they oft hide it, rather successfully. They find their own type very surreptitiously. Like, they exchange notes on eligible and USA-returned boys and girls in weddings. You can easily identify the type when they put their heads together and whisper. If a TB maami looks truly excited, she has found, rather snared a good catch, a varan. Now, this community is very discrete and you can't easily identify them. Some Bs like Iyengars wear their community status on their foreheads. This helps them identify their nammavaal. Interesting? Phew, well, I am tired.
Now, cutting a long story short, if you encounter a B or have a doubt that you have just sighted a TB, flee. They will capture your mind and make you feel that you are a GFN. What's that? C'mon, you don't know what's GFN? Huh. Uh oh, here i go...You get the picture. :)
A parting note (Read disclaimer): I am a TB and am bloody proud to be one. I was BS-ing till now. But yes, I do feel sad about the amount of hatred a TB generates whenever s/he calls "Thanni" as "Jalam" in TNadu. I feel sad to be ostracised from my own land, to pay for sins (many times over) that some TB did to some person. Sigh. (Tear drop...)
Ciao
The other day, I happened to view photographs of a friend's friend's wedding. The guy looked very Brahm (B), but the girl wasn't wearing the madisaar. I pondered, wondered, then questioned my friend. Is he a TamBram? To which she nodded, quite excitedly, and said, "Of course babe, can't you make out." I couldn't, hence, I asked her, unashamedly though, to check with him. She did, all the while glaring at me. She even gave a disclaimer saying, hey don't think, am dumb, but are you a TB? The guy said, yes, I am a B, but not a TB. Well, that settled the issue. I rested in peace.
Now, what is it about the TBs that I do not like. Did I say, I do not like them? Well, seems like, I am not a great fan of them either. The irony is that by birth, that is what I am ordained to be. A snooty TB. All TBs are snooty, let me tell you this. Yes, they may appear dumb and act like complete idiots, but, yeah, snooty they are, beneath that veneer.
If a TB looks at you for a second and looks away, don't fall for it. S/he has immediately gauged your complete history and lineage, from previous staring experiences. Some TBs do not bother, others do, quite unabashedly. A very important thing about a TB is that s/he will try to find his/her "nammavaa." Well, it sounds very caveman-type. It is, quite the opposite. TBs find solace in searching for other TBs. This is especially true for TBs. Other brahmins too have the herd mentality, but they oft hide it, rather successfully. They find their own type very surreptitiously. Like, they exchange notes on eligible and USA-returned boys and girls in weddings. You can easily identify the type when they put their heads together and whisper. If a TB maami looks truly excited, she has found, rather snared a good catch, a varan. Now, this community is very discrete and you can't easily identify them. Some Bs like Iyengars wear their community status on their foreheads. This helps them identify their nammavaal. Interesting? Phew, well, I am tired.
Now, cutting a long story short, if you encounter a B or have a doubt that you have just sighted a TB, flee. They will capture your mind and make you feel that you are a GFN. What's that? C'mon, you don't know what's GFN? Huh. Uh oh, here i go...You get the picture. :)
A parting note (Read disclaimer): I am a TB and am bloody proud to be one. I was BS-ing till now. But yes, I do feel sad about the amount of hatred a TB generates whenever s/he calls "Thanni" as "Jalam" in TNadu. I feel sad to be ostracised from my own land, to pay for sins (many times over) that some TB did to some person. Sigh. (Tear drop...)
Ciao
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