I was too young to understand the situation clearly as to what was going on in my home- town of Mulabagilu, in my father's mind. He was a sincere teacher, a role model human being for many. Amidst this respect, I was unable to withstand the punishment ordered on him by a senior swamiji of our Matha. A letter was sent through local representative of Matha, conveying his Bahiskara for a couple of reasons..
People of my community of Madhva brahmanas, though small in number, were made to boycott our house for any religious event or functions. we had to bring another purohit from a nearby town if we need any get done, including the regular and important Shraadhas. If my memory is correct, it must be 1960 or even earlier when I was too small to understand certain happenings.
Some neighbors looked at me and sisters rather with strange looks as if we are out-casted! Since such things were not legal even those days, we could experience the pain of it. Bahishkara or religious boycott for my family, ostracizing us from conducting religious rituals at home. it was ridiculous to me and sounded a serious punishment by elders. I hardly understood the reasons for such a costly punishment on my hard working and religious father with reputation in my town. but it was not too public as people never understood this and were normal with us. Only a few Madhva boys and girls, men and women giggled at us.
Later, I understood slowly why and what of this. My father had gone to Udupi, to have darshan of Sri Krishna. He had fasted on Ekadashi as per Udupi rules, as Sri Madhvacharya himself says in his work on rituals. Another reason was getting my sisters educated even after 15, without getting them married. This rather sounded cruel to me, but a Swamiji's orders have to be followed. We has to face the ordeal for about 6 years, when one day a messenger from Swamiji brought a letter asking us to arrange for a couple days of Puja and related work.
The Swamy arrived after a week, only with a demand that my father has to bear expenses of the Sri Matha, of about Rs. 25,000/ which might go beyond few lakhs as of now. This was announced by him , just before partaking prasadam at my home. My father agreed to send his pension amount to Hosapet Head Office of the Matha, till he completed the assured or demanded Rs. 25,000/ maybe 5 years. My father was regularly sending it, soon after he got his meagre pension, and we received some prasada by post. Things look very strange but true!
Some neighbors looked at me and sisters rather with strange looks as if we are out-casted! Since such things were not legal even those days, we could experience the pain of it. Bahishkara or religious boycott for my family, ostracizing us from conducting religious rituals at home. it was ridiculous to me and sounded a serious punishment by elders. I hardly understood the reasons for such a costly punishment on my hard working and religious father with reputation in my town. but it was not too public as people never understood this and were normal with us. Only a few Madhva boys and girls, men and women giggled at us.
Later, I understood slowly why and what of this. My father had gone to Udupi, to have darshan of Sri Krishna. He had fasted on Ekadashi as per Udupi rules, as Sri Madhvacharya himself says in his work on rituals. Another reason was getting my sisters educated even after 15, without getting them married. This rather sounded cruel to me, but a Swamiji's orders have to be followed. We has to face the ordeal for about 6 years, when one day a messenger from Swamiji brought a letter asking us to arrange for a couple days of Puja and related work.
The Swamy arrived after a week, only with a demand that my father has to bear expenses of the Sri Matha, of about Rs. 25,000/ which might go beyond few lakhs as of now. This was announced by him , just before partaking prasadam at my home. My father agreed to send his pension amount to Hosapet Head Office of the Matha, till he completed the assured or demanded Rs. 25,000/ maybe 5 years. My father was regularly sending it, soon after he got his meagre pension, and we received some prasada by post. Things look very strange but true!
