The list is long but the modus of operandi is obvious. I can name a few only. Whether it is "The Satanic Verses" of Salman Rushdie or "Lajja" of Taslima Nasrin or for that matter Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, the secret is, touch the magic stone of religion your popularity shall soar high. Can I say religion is the ladder to popularity? No, it is the misuse of religion is the ladder to popularity. Call it blasphemy? Call it notoriety small mind wanting to be big. No matter. They have become already big and we have accepted them as big minds. They have exploited to your curiosity and inquisitiveness. Great manipulators they are!
Take the example of this great artist of India who has been recently conferred with Raja Ravi Verma Award by Kerala State Government for his artistic creations. Read the list of his creations. While reading, do not forget the fact that more than 80 percent populations of this country profess Hinduism.
NAKED LORD HANUMAN AND GODDESS SITA SITTING ON THIGH OF RAVAN.
NAKED GODDESS SARASWATI.
GODDESS LAKSHMI NAKED ON SHREE GANESH'S HEAD.
NAKED GODDESS PARVATI.
The list does not end there. I have named a few. I have no ugly desire to show those blasphemous art works here. Every person on this earth considers his country as motherland. But not this great artist. He depicts an art work showing his country of birth as NAKED LADY. Too much. Is he fit to be called civilized? Think. Go above the narrowness of religion, region and color just think for a moment. Is it right? Is it called artistic freedom? Does the artistic freedom give the freedom to tarnish the image of anything and everything? Does that freedom give the right to hurt the sentiments of others? Literatures and arts are supposed to create tranquility not chaos. These are supposed to bring harmony, contentment, joy and pleasure of life. There are supposed to be harbinger of peace and unity. Not otherwise. Certainly not displeasure, divide and discontentment. If it is so, certainly these do not qualify to be literature and art. Expressions of mischievous minds, in short. But the politicians of my country do not think so. The media of my country do not think so too. Artistic expression has no limit and no boundary and artistic imagination for that matter has no legs. It floats and surpasses everything. Politicians say so. Media say so! Why? Anybody is listening to my cry? Or you think I am shedding crocodile's tears?
If this is not enough look at the recent pronunciation of an astute and much respected politician of South India. Read what he says. Please do not again forget about the majority religion of this country.
15TH SEPTEMBER 2007: Who is Rama? Where is the proof for his existence? Where did he learn engineering to build Rama Sethu? Is it not the return of the dark days of superstition to cite a non-existent Rama to block a development project?
20th SEPTEMBER 2007: Rama's biographer Valmiki himself had depicted Rama as a drunkard after all.
Please forgive me here. Though I have read haphazardly all the six parts of Ramayana translated in my mother tongue way back in 1978, I do not possess a great memory to remember such minute details. I leave that for some of my knowledgeable friends to explore regarding the issue of Rama depicted as drunkard. But all I can say with confidence, and for that matter anybody will say so, that engineering skills were applied first and then taught in engineering colleges. We had engineering skills and minds in past though we did not have engineering colleges.
The respectable politician said so in the context of SETU SAMUDRAM PROJECT, the topic of debate in India now. This is a navigation canal project in the sea between India and Srilanka which shall cut across a bridge (man-made or natural). This bridge has sentimental attachment amongst Hindus who believe that it was constructed by Lord Rama
But my humble submission and objection to the respected politician that he could have preferred to use a better language and expression. It certainly hurts my belief, my faith and my sentiment. So many will say so, it is not me alone. I do agree the economic requirements and welfare of the people come first and sentiments later. This is the teaching and learning I see in the character of Lord Rama. This is what Valmiki's Ramayana teaches.
So establish the economics and viability of the project. Study the environmental impact including that of Tsunami. Study the defense requirements of the country. And the last and but not least what about those thorium deposits? Government of India must do the damage control. It must come out with a white paper regarding this project addressing all the issues involved for public knowledge. If all issues are addressed and economics of the project are established and no other alternative route is feasible, I am sure the true followers of Lord Rama shall welcome this project for the sacrifice is other name of Lord Rama and that is the teaching of Ramayana. But for heaven sake do not bad mouth my God and do not make nude picture of HIM. You may not believe HIM, I do believe HIM. And a mundane and lesser mortal like me is as human being as you are and have same right as you have. My religion teaches me to live and let live. I have no unhealthy curiosity to look into what you do. Please do not question and disfigure what I believe in. Please! A Hindu appeals!! Allow me to live!!!
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