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When Mahamai and "Pidi Arisi Kalayam" are for the development of society at
a large but thalai kattu vari is for the family temple construction maintenance
and for annual celebration. It is confined to a particular family clan. ThalaiKattu
vari is a Tamil phrase, which colloquially means family tax. When a virudhanagar
Hindu Nadar bachelor got married he is considered a separate Thalaikattu i.e.
separate family as far as society is considered. But business wise and family
wise he and his wife may live along with his parents as Hindu undivided family.
We have seen before that each and every family clan is having separate family
temple to worship. For this they need fund so they calculate the married male
members of their clan and the cost is divided among them. And thus each family
head is allotted an amount as "Thalai kattu" varies with this accumulated
amount the family temple affairs will be looked after smoothly.
This methods of raising general fund and utilizes for a particular purpose is
a unique thing among the Virudhanagar Hindu Nadars and it is not seen anywhere
in the nation.
Regarding this way of saving we need to remember the advice given by the great
Sanskrit poet Maha Kavi Kalidasa in his Sanskrit work "Ragu Vamsum". In that work
he correlates the technique of saving to honey bees honey sucking from the flowers.
He says saving must be so simple like that of honeybee sucking honey painlessly
from the flower. When the bee sucks honey it doesn't damage the flower
instead it helps for pollination in the flower. In the same way Virudhanagar Hindu
Nadars saving systems doesn't affect their routine instead the
systems enhanced their financial balance and used for social development.
By knowing and understanding on ancestors living technique we should enrich our
life value. It is of no use in roaming around with pride and prejudice by aiming
empty words.
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