Chandrababu Naidu stated that he did not visit Tirumala for a year after his father’s death and criticized Dharma Reddy for going to the temple within days of his son’s funeral.
Perni Nani countered by pointing out that Naidu himself had visited the temple shortly after his brother’s death. In this context, Chandrababu’s original argument appears inconsistent and weak in the first place.
Chandrababu Naidu appears to have a limited understanding of Sanatana Dharma and its practices, particularly in not distinguishing between shastra (scriptural principles) and achara (customary practices).
Coming to Shastra; Satya (truth), daana (charity), dama (self-control), dayaa (compassion), saucha (purity), asteya (non-stealing) and kshama (forgiveness) are samanya dharmas; the universal virtues for all, forming Sanatana Dharma’s shared ethical foundation.
But acharas (customs) are not like that. They change with place, community and time. Sanathana Dharma has countless gods and goddesses, plethora or customs that contradict each other. That's the beauty of unity in diversity of this dharma.
For example, Funeral rites illustrate this plurality. Although cremation is common, Lingayats, many ascetics, and revered saints are buried, often in samadhi shrines.
There is a widely prevalent belief that one should not visit a temple for a year after the death of a parent or after performing the funeral rites.
However, Garikipati Narasimha Rao has himself criticised this practice, stating that it has no basis in the scriptures and that a person may visit a temple after the completion of the twelfth-day rituals.
Garikipati has similarly questioned the custom that those whose parents are alive should not go to cremation or burial grounds, citing episodes from the Mahabharata where individuals participated in funerals despite having living parents.
These examples show that such restrictions are largely regional customs or popular notions rather than binding shastric principles.
Marriage customs also vary; most North Indian weddings serve strictly vegetarian food, whereas in Bengal, Kashmir, some communities in Telangana and Nepal non-vegetarian dishes are customary and considered auspicious.
Even among Brahmins there is no single dietary rule. South Indian Brahmins are largely vegetarian, while Kashmiri, Bengali, and Saraswat Brahmins traditionally consume meat or fish, reflecting geography and climate, from centuries.
Ritual symbols of marriage differ across regions. Sindoor and mangalsutra are widely used, but in the South the tali alone may be tied.
Cross-cousin marriage, prohibited in much of North India, as it is considered incest, but is preferred in several South Indian communities in the name of 'menarikam'.
Priesthood too is diverse, with many village temples and Lingayat institutions served by non-Brahmin priests.
Festivals take distinct forms; Diwali marks Rama’s return in the north, while in Bengal it coincides with Kali Puja. New Year celebrations; Ugadi, Vishu, Puthandu and Baisakhi; follow different calendars.
There are countless customs like this. This diversity shows Hinduism as a flexible, adaptive tradition rooted in a shared sacred worldview. So Chandrababu should understand this first, before jumping into making some shallow shatements.
Thatavarthi Srinivasa Sharma, Bengaluru