India: Tamil Nadu: TV channel attacked with bombs by Hindutva outfits / 'thaali' (mangalasutra) is not a symbol of the ancient culture of Tamils or of Hindus

Neither ancient nor uniquely Hindu
by Arulmozhi

The thaali (mangalasutra or the sacred thread tied by grooms around the bride’s neck) was not referred to as a symbol of marriage in ancient Tamil literature. The great epic Silappadhikaram describes the marriage of Kovalan and Kannagi, which was a simple ceremony without a thaali. Sanskrit epics also tell the stories of princes, and none of them tied a thaali in any swayamvaram. So the thaali is not a symbol of the ancient culture of Tamils or of Hindus.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/mangalsutra-debate-whose-culture-is-it/article6987153.ece?homepage=true

see also:

TV channel targeted for talk show
The office of Tamil news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai was attacked on Thursday by a motorcycle-borne gang with crude bombs, just days after it was forced to cancel the telecast of a programme at the instance of Hindutva outfits. No one was injured in the incident.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-tv-channel-attacked/article6985158.ece?homepage=true