Saturday, May 19, 2007

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/19/arts/design/19hind.html?hp

The Chandramohan saga makes it to page 1, NYT.
YAAAAAAY.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am totally surprised - that is not strong enough a word. What is going on here?

Mr. Jain saied that he can "not tolerate any insult to our culture ...". Again the magic word. What a powerful tool for politicos.
Panikkar is a tragic figur.

Sharad Mathur said...

politics.. errrrr[:O]

austere said...

Mago- the whole place is tragic sometimes I think. There was a bad earthquake in 2000, then a pogrom in 2002. The people who would have asked questions, have all left the state,and there seems to be a saffron wave with its insistence on no questions asked, no expression of views that does not fall in line with the concensus. You remember the comment that Arjav left on your culture blog? See what he means?

Sharad- yes,normally I too would say that and stay a mile away from politics, but this is way too much.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I better understand now what he meant. The westeuropean media I visit regular did not cover the story! I used it for a post on the culture-blog.

Jain and friends must see that their deeds do not pass unnoticed. We face a changing society there and scientist of every range should look at and study how it works.

I think that we in our lifetime will face an economical, political and cultural global power-shift and that India will be right in the middle. It is important to know what is going on there!

AmitL said...

Arghhh..such incidents just ensure that the world knows how backward we are,in reality.And,as usual,it's the political gains which are the main reason for such attacks on artists.

austere said...

Mago- to take the economic point further. What this state has witnessed over the last five years is a systematic bullying of any dissenting opinion. I have often wondered how thinking, intelligent people can be browbeaten, as often that this has happened in history. Both social shunning and economic tools are used to silence dissent. Look at wht has happened with Ela Bhatt of Sewa, Magsasay award winner, the govt cut her grants and has said she is not keeping proper accounts! Look at Mallika Sarabhai, the artist, who has been fighting case after case. Not everyone is a Sarabhai or an award winner, so ppl keep quiet. They also keep quiet because after some time of this bullying, the easy consenting way seems the right thing to do.
In the home state of Mahatma Gandhi. Amen.

Anonymous said...

YAYYYYY?????!!! Because the *THE* THE THE NEW YORK times published some news about your home state. I mean YOU of all people Austy? *Excuse me I need to go throw up*

How we give ourselves away! Really!

austere said...

Because this is a issue that deserved international attention.

Because bullying, hooliganism and strong arm tactics cannot be ignored, even if the state govt and the ruling party are involved.

Because freedom of speech and thought are important.

Because the dean of one of the finest art schools in the country has gone underground. fearing for his life.

Because the pogrom of 2002 must not be allowed to be repeated in the said home state.

Read the story, pls. and my outburst from a day ago.

mystic rose said...

yay! austere!! it was necessary not so much for ourselves as for those who are in politics to see that the actions are being condemned by the international community as well. because hopefully now the issue will be addressed and wont just be brushed aside as usually happens, and time covers it up.

i still remember the AIIMS case not so long ago.

mystic rose said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mystic rose said...

and.. hopefully, something like this will not happen again because enough pressure has been brought to bear on this case.

International attention matters, again, not for our egos but because it does damage the egos of certain people... :))

Anonymous said...

I am lucky I left the place exactly 2 months before the earthquake....But austere, a more disconcerting fact is that people have started believing everything that is spoken to drive the wedge... as a result the common man too has joined the bandwagon

Anonymous said...

And may I add, (this may be of interest to Mago), apart from the temple carvings showing whatever they show, some of the sanskrit shlokas held so sacred, have been exquisite descriptions of each and every part of the Godesses .... that WS the freedom of expression here...and see what it is now....will these ppl ban it????

austere said...

mystic- I am rarely this opinionated. :). Read Shiv's comments. The state is veering towars intolerance of any non conforming opinion. Which is just not right. The English press has been written off, as "jholawalas", the local press is too kind.

Shiv- I cannnot dissent at home, not with my extended family.. if this is the state in educated, middle class big city gujarat, what about the common man, what abt the situation on the road? I have no objection against a protest, the saffron brigade has as much a right to express their opinion as this kid had to sketch, but is there a way of expressing civilised dissent? Any society which cannot accomodate divergent viewpoints is in my view, heading towards stagnation and a muck-up.

Anonymous said...

HI Aust,

I dont know about this incident in specific. But I am totally against MF hussain and his ilk.

Think about it. What his artistic/creative liberty. Is it about hurting someone's sensibilities...Shouldnt we be sensitive to that?

I dont want to appear as siding with violent/fanatics. But I find it hard to believe that there is art in portrayin a deity in a manner that someone who looks up to the godess in reverence is hurt.

And I hate the argument everytime that comes up "Most of our temples depict erotic activities"...

Agreed they do..but do they realize that these are not sculptures of a deity or any revered person.

Art is not an excuse to hurt others' senstivities...nor is the moral policing/attacks like those by VHP and their likes

austere said...

Sathya.
The BJP/ fanatics have a right to protest.In a civilised way, not shouting and bullying. Sue the man to hell and beyond, if you must.

The artist has a right to paint. to depict as he think fits. No boundaries,and here I disagree with you. Max we can do is not to see his work, register protest.

I am confused about what is sacred, who defined it, and if it were defined, how come it changed over time? What is profane?

I really dont know.

Sathya said...

Hi Aust,

A singer is an artist too...Can he sing anything? Shouldnt he have a moderation on his words?

An orator is an artist too...sedition has always been criminal, no?

and prev comment typo 2 nd line
*his=is :)


Sathya