Another Artist Silenced???

"Another artist silenced"- that’s how the headline read on NDTV 24X7. Bangalore Gallery removed canvas of nude painting of, guess what, Hindu gods and goddesses by this artist. Yes, once again (last time it was the legendary Mr. M.F.Hussain).

I have a question, no, actually three:

1. Why this fixation with Hindu gods and goddesses? May be, their freedom of expression should expand their imagination and they should try their hands at other religions too. I have a feeling they will be hugely surprised by the recognition of their work.

2. Why is freedom of expression always mistaken with insensitivity to other people? Would you like it if someone made fun of your accent, your clothes, your food, your ethnicity, your traditions, culture, nationality or your faith? Then why, in the name of art, does one have to be so thoughtless?

3. What do you do in your bedroom? Would you like to make a painting of your bedroom activities and exhibit for everyone to view? I don’t think so. Why? Because that’s your personal life- nobody's business. It is far too private. It IS YOUR right to protect your personal life.

What about my rights? Isn’t Faith, Belief, Religion a private matter too? My relationship with the One Above is strictly my business and no one has the right to ridicule it in anyway. Isn’t that what we teach our kids- respect for all? The basis of Secularism?

Artists are supposedly more sensitive people, so how can an artist be so inconsiderate to hundreds and thousands of people who, he knows, will be offended by his fixation and interpretation? It is either being forgetful, selfish or ignorant (Nudity is anyway a very sensitive matter in all the cultures across the world), or simply too engrossed in his work to notice anything else???

For a change, I support Bangalore Gallery's decision.

In Shock and Awe

I tucked him in and reminded him to say his prayers before sleeping. He nodded and as i got up to go, he called me again.. Said he wanted to tell me something. As i sat next to him, he brought his mouth close to me ear and whispered , "Someone said they will break the face of ... (the name of a Hindu God)"!

I thought i heard it wrong.

"Who said, and what exactly?"

"..."(he told me the name of a boy) and repeated his earlier sentence.

"Is he in your bus?"

"No, in my class."

"Does he sit next to you?"

"No"

"Well, ignore him and next time, he says something like this, tell your teacher and tell her i might have to bring my parents to the school."

I told him what i thought was best, at that time. I didn't want to show my shock and anger to my baby at that time.

But I just could not shake this eerie feeling.

They are just 7 years old, 8 at the most. Why this hatred? 

I wondered if it was time to tell our children that in the real world, where they would be alone pretty soon, there is no such thing as 'universal peace and acceptance', but there is such a thing as 'hatred'. I wondered if it was time to introduce them to trivial and stupid reasons for this hatred - a difference in beliefs, faiths, skin colours, creed, race, gender, status etc.etc. It would shock them, break their heart, and confuse them because right now, none of this matters. It might even shake their faith in the adults in general because aren't adults supposed too be better behaved, logical, understanding, peace makers, protectors, accepting, loving and forgiving? 

Right now, my children make friends based on common interests and a sense of comfort rather than nationality, religion, language and least of all, the colour of the skin! They compete together and they celebrate together...irrespective of whether they are Muslim, Hindu, Christian or Atheist; or come from Pakistan, India, China, Japan, Belgium, Iran, Jordan, Egypt, Afghanistan, Lebanon, France or Timbuktu!

I wondered whether it was time to move back home, to India?  India is a secular country, constitutionally and in today's India  a lot more people believe in secularism than fanaticism...but, i reminded myself,  it has some very dark spots of religious riots on its land. Not a very nice aspect of a motherland to introduce your children to!

Isn't Dubai better then? Though an Islamic state, it has shown more tolerance and acceptance than anywhere else that i know of. Religious riots have never been even heard of- isn't that commendable?

And yet still, coming from the mouth of a 7 year old boy, this religion based hatred has left me shocked. I am not sure i understand the how and why of this. But  I am sure i do not see a bright and peaceful future ahead for the world if this what the next generation is already thinking!

Apologies, i tried to see the bright side of this, but failed miserably!