The Right Thing In the Wrong Place

9 August 2001, 12:48am IST
Deepak Hiranandani.

Some months ago, a film actress, dress designer and photographer were arrested (and later released on bail) for their contributions to a magazine cover showing the actress in a short yellow kurta printed with religiously significant writing in the devanagari script. the effect of the cover was pulchritudinous, and even somewhat sensual; rather at odds with the religious nature of the lettering, and not in the best of taste. still, should this have resulted in arrests?

This is something to consider, particularly given the high degree of tolerance traditionally and historically in our composite culture (and in the particular religion, hinduism, from which the lettering is inappropriately used), and also the dangerous and indeed, explosive effects which could arise from the arrests in the present political scenario and the nature of modern mass media. the arrests could tend to set a precedent for such heavy-handed reactions where dialogue, and possibly censure, may be more effective.

Yet the casual and irresponsible use of religious symbols is a matter of some concern. it is becoming increasingly fashionable to flaunt religious symbols (large ironic images of gods and goddesses, the om symbol and others, or written words) on dresses and accessories, so that a deeply meaningful visual image is trivialised and reduced to being merely a decorative motif. that which was special, sacred and sacrosanct is brought down to the level of the mundane. traditionally, in homes such images were set apart from everyday activities, being placed in a demarcated space, or high on a wall, or in a niche or on a ledge. in a classical temple or image of the god would be in the garbha griha to be revealed to the devout in a rare, fleeting and treasured darshana.

Now such an image is rendered in flashy plastic in a handbag slung over the arm at a party. traditionally, near the image there might be a lot of sanctified water, and incense with its ashes; while on the handbag, cigarette ash or splashes of liquor may fall on the image.

Bizarre situations could arise, symbolically speaking. lord vishnu has lent his name to vaishnav bhojanalayas: restaurants for committedly vegetarian people. but the image of this god, on a dress, is liable to being struck in the eye by a piece of sausage dislodged from a pizza, or brushed by a kekab in a flurry of hugs and air kisses.

Incongruously, lord shiva, depicted on a t-shirt as meditating in the himalayas could be undulating over the body of a woman - a veritable modern day mohini?

On a lofty philosophical level the depictions could be viewed as parts of the illusory world of maya being composed of the five elements as is everything else. sanctified water or alcoholic drink, tawdry handbag or grand stone statue, all are merely physical things. well, yes ^ but why deliberately select something of great symbolic value, then use it in ways oddly at variance with the symbolism? yes, the religious symbols are also expressions of culture, tradition, art and identity, but is not their religious content important ^ arguably, the essential and most significant aspect?

Traditionally religious symbols were worn as charms, valued for their religious meaning and supposed power, and not for decorative effect. often these objects were modest looking and worn on a simple thread.

The current wave of insensitive use of religious images seems to have originated in the west. western people may be innocently insensitive to the inappropriateness of usage. then, too, they may have a subconscious superior and condescending attitude (aspects of a colonial mind) towards the images, and their appropriation for use as exotic curiosities. interestingly, popular in this context are symbols and iconic images from `street art' and `calendar art' ^ gaudy and easy to belittle as kitsch.

Legal means such as arrest are not the best or appropriate reaction to such thoughtless and insensitive use of religious symbols and images. to make an analogy, at a social gathering if a few people behave in a manner the majority consider distasteful, vulgar, insensitive, immature, unwise or not duly considered, rather than trying to have the few arrested the majority would try to express their concern in socially acceptable ways. thus are mores and codes maintained and evolved.