Hi,
Birla-ji of Birla group - till recetnly India's premier business group has built temples across the country - believing in the advice (I think in his dream by Goddess Laxmi) that as long as the mason's tools are busy making temples and charitanle institutions inlcuding World Famous BITS tech institutes in Pilani, Ranchi (and now Hyderabad ?) - the groups will keep prospering.
On the other hand, Birla-ji actively hired Brahmins and Banias (Vaishyas) in senior executive positions and also Rajputs (though mainly afor security posts) in keeping with casteist perceptions. However, perhaps Birla could not fight injustice on all fronts (believing he did so -since he was a friend of mahatma Gandhi) since he was busy fighting unequal competition from the
British businessmen in India .
However now his descendentants can take up the cause of using their temples to promote a casteless Hindu society. Their temples are perhaps the only few temples which are free from the confusing mismangemet which plagues Hindu temples across India (and the world?). They can really implement the policy of allowing non-Brahmin priests to work their even as Head priests. For those who think it would reduce the crowds coming to see them -- these temples have a much hiher glamour appeal - as tourist attractions ( see Rajasthan Tourism's link ) than as mere objects of worship.
Hopefully, it would lead to a Pan-India movement and acceptance of non-Brahmin priests in Hindu temples and society in general (someone mentioned that it is the non-Brahmins who demand Brahmin priests -based on birth)
Any comments?
Umesh
Famously Mahatma Gandhi used to worship at his temple -and perhaps died while exiting after after morning prayers there -shot dead by fanatic Godse.
http://www.indhistory.com/hindu-temple/hindu-temple-birla-mandir.html (Delhi's Birla temple)
It seems Mahatma Gandhi was shot while coming out Birla's premises (either home or temple) http://inic.utexas.edu/asnic/sagar/spring.1994/leah.renold.art.html
See video of Mahatma Gandhi's death
Umesh Sharma
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Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005
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