Last week in Chennai

Chennai, even in the last week of my stay is completely drenched up in rain. I had been unfortunate or fortunate enough to witness the heaviest rainfall in Chennai in recent times, last year. For the last one year, in my stay, I found that Chennai is not a dry place as local people crib or outsiders have an image. Though, water scarcity is self-made problem in Chennai. No wonder, many people suppling water tanks and cans are proliferating from this business. Most surprising thing for me is that Chennai is the only metro having no municipality water distribution system. There are no pipelines. Its really hard to think of any small town without their pipeline for water distribution but Chennai competes with outskirt villages in this.
When I came to Chennai, I heard this a lot that Chennai doesn't have proper rain for many years and underground water is finishing out. In short, Chennai was supposed to be facing huge water shortage. It was last year June. After that Chennai had little rainfall in August and september, I thought water shortage is real. But soon I realised that as per Chennai weather, rainy season, itself start up in november, which is winter in north. In october end, sky had started bursting, november soaked everyone completely and in december, it was flood in many areas. It was a surprise for me, as heavy rainfall and flood was unexpected, also I had seen even more heavier rainfalls in Bombay without floods. Flood in Chennai was not due to very heavy rainfall but due to complete breakdown of drainage system. Most of the roads were flooded, vehicles stranded, trees fallen and complete electricity black out. Many people were happy as they got extra holidays and many were completely broke as rising water took all of there belongings. As people ignore the people in slums, these news of loss didn't make big headlines. Though, when relief process started, entry of politicians making huge donation, showing their upmost kindness and large heartedness for the poors grabbed the headlines.
Other then, farcical water problem and fat, thick headed politicians, other thing, I have noticed in Chennai is the anti-feelings for outsiders. Initially, it was surprising as Chennai doesn't have many outsiders, but then I realised that its built up in the local society from the past. Local tamils are far more godfearing then I have ever seen anywhere. In the same place, they are so simple as well non-questioning to authority. Criticsm of anything is subdued and is not well accepted. So, as an outsider, its very easy to deal with local tamil people. In words of a rajasthani businessman, "ye log chutiya bahut easily bante hain", meaning tamil people are very easy to fool. Tamils also use generalisations far more than anybody else. Outsiders, coming from anywhere, find this behavior as huge business opportunity and have cashed in for many years. No wonder, local regard outsiders with skepticism. Added with it, outsiders who regard locals as pot of money, with no questioning of their hard or unreasonable money squeezing behavior become arrogant and cheap. Soemtimes, they are ready to go any low for money as nobody going to point that out to them and their is no shame if eveyone ignores their stupidity.
For the local tamil culture, I found very few things which can be called their own. As priest (brahmins) class came from north, they brought their value system with them. They were the only one to write the traditions and pass them among commons. Attachment to north for these priests seem to be very strong as they have hardly written anything specific about these local people. What has been written includes their impression of these people, not the original. Most famous hindu epic, "Ramayana", mentions about south as land or demons, devils, black, big, bad people. This image of black demons just passed on to south india with the priests from north who were following this epic as religious, sacred text. Their hatered and lack of written history about tamil's past resulted in inferiority complex. Again, no wonder, how political parties here use these feelings to stay in power. Riots against brahmins and Hindi language in 70's look more reasonable now. Many political leaders, highlight the tamil history of before the northern priest came and rip it for their benefit. In tamil society, powere distribution is completely scrued in elite favor. Elite here is composed of mainly, brahmins (coming late from north) and business classes (like periyar). Its not just economic power, its same for religious or political power. Tamils had been long ignored and made to feel low about themselves that they find new political power which came through democracy, amazing. Popularist, here really cash in for this. People are so exasperated by their humiliation by elites that they are ready at the first instant for supporting the person, movie star or anyone who shows them a little kindness. Other misgivings about that person become ignored as even being regarded by a popular personality is considered as a huge reward.
So far, I am moving out of Chennai for now but I have my fingers crossed as I may lend up here again in future.

Religious priesthood

I just noticed the difference between the selection processes of religious clergies in between Hindues, Muslims and christians.
In Hindus, priesthood is decided by blood only. Son of a priest becomes a priest. Though, times have changed a bit as brahmins, the so called priest class have moved in other professions too. But still, only a brahmin can become a priest, for which you have to be born in brahmin family. Other classes, don't have this option at all. Previously, it can be said that kids of priests had only this option, he wished ot be priest or not was irrelevant.
In Muslims, clergies (maulavi) are selected from the young students passing out of 'madrasas' (muslim's religious teaching centers). These madrasas are run by religious organisations and are funded by religious donations. Most of these are located in poor areas and young students who don't have any better access to education lend up here. Regions with poor access to modern education like western Pakistan, Afganistan, many parts of rural areas where muslim population is high (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh) and Bangladesh are hot breeding grounds for these madrasas. Parentage of a pupil is not regarded as important in clergy selection. There is no class difference, so this option is available for all. People, out of no better choice, lends up in this. People though may not like this work but it is only option for many suffering in poverty.
Christians, have more liberal selection process. People have choice and mostly people who adopt to priesthood, do this by their own personal choice. Their is no class difference and parentage is also irrelevant, so, this option is available for all followers. They don't have religious teaching centers like 'madrasas' for young ones. Religious teachings start only for those who opt for becoming priesthood. It is hard to say that they didn't have the religious teaching system but their teaching system has developed and assimilated in modern education system. So, you have many missionary funded school teaching modern education only, though they retain few part of religious way but not so strict. Also, students coming out of these schools have equal footing as of other students under modern school system and can opt for any other profession they wish for. People become religious clergy, mostly out of their own willingness.
Now, these different method result in different level of religious learning and adherence to their religious beliefs.
In Hindus, as teaching start from birth in the priest family, passing of the values and religious beliefs is most stringent. These beliefs become just part of life, reason explaination are foregone. Many people lend up in this profession out of no choice, so their are hard feelings and high frustration which result in rebellion against religion. Priests due to the frustration and lack of reasoning, loose their beliefs completely and end up without any benefit of religion. Most of the time, people add their fancies in the religious customs to just entertain themselves. Rigidity of social culture gives in completely to the priest class people. They try to compensate their frustration by utilising their authority for different personal means. Through the time, religious teachings which are passed on by father to son become contaminated by personal fanaticism and loss of reasoning.
Muslim system, give a little choice as per parentage is concerned, so, lesser rigidity. Teachings start from young age, which is mostly rot learning. Students, though can get some relief and acquire some reasoning in their family which is separated from their religious teaching system. Clergies though being trained in religion for a long time, still have access to real life, so, frustration is less, though many become relatively close to the outside world, as they don't have access to the vast knowledge arose in recent times due to scientific development. Most of them, who don't have strong family bonding due to any reason, become rigid in their adherence to religious beliefs. Clergies, with their lack of knowledge and reasoning skills, end up as religious fanatics and fundamentalist.
Christians have made themselves little bit more flexible and kept themselves updated with latest scientific developments. Their priests ahve lesser frustrations compared to other religions, I mentioned above, as its their personal choice. Also, they join priesthood in later stage of their lives, so, they are already updated with the real world and new innovations happening around. Their thinking thus have more flexibility in terms of accepting new changes. They also go through the same modern school system, thus they understand the importance of reasoning. Still, there are fanatics in this fold also but their number or percentage is very less with compare to Muslims or Hindus.