Art Student Arrested, Released Over Paintings (incl. 'Durga Giving Birth')

[Guest guest]

MUMBAI, May 14: It was a protest that turned into a celebration, when

news of young artist Chandramohan Srilamantula's release from a jail

in Vadodara reverberated across Mumbai's cultural circuit. The

citizens who had gathered outside Jehangir Art Gallery on Tuesday

marked the occasion with applause and cheer.

 

Chandramohan, 23, a senior student of the renowned fine arts

department of the Maharaja Sayajirao (MS) University, was arrested

last Wednesday and his exhibition at the school was attacked by the

saffron brigade [right-wing Hindu activists]. Chandramohan had

painted the controversial pictures as part of his bachelor's degree

final examination.

 

The arrest triggered sharp protests from students and the faculty and

the dean of the arts faculty [shivji Panikkar] was suspended by the

vice chancellor for rallying behind the protestors.

 

Though the mood was jubilant [upon Chandramohan's release], those

gathered outside the gallery -- along with the " Free Chandramohan

Committee " -- made it a point to emphasise that the struggle for

freedom of expression would continue.

 

" Our task is not over, " said art critic Ranjit Haskote. " We still

have to protect the rights of academic institutes to nurture free

expression and thought and secure Dean Shivji Panikkar's reassignment

to his post. "

 

THE BACKGROUND

 

Earlier, on May 9, members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, led by local BJP

[conservative/ fundamentalist Hindu party] leader Niraj Jain, stormed

into the campus of Faculty of Fine Arts, MS University in Vadodara

and abused and attacked Srilamantula claiming that they found his

work obscene and offensive to religious sentiments.

 

One work, for example, involved a huge Christian cross upon which

Jesus was portrayed with fluid flowing from his genitals.

 

An adjoining painting showed Hindu goddess Durga in the nude, giving

birth. Vishnu and Shiva were also depicted in what protesters called

a " highly derogatory manner. "

 

Other paintings identified as derogatory included one portraying

a " naked Sita on the long tail of Hanuman " ; another showing Hanuman

in a " sexual pose " ; yet another with " Hanuman standing opposite to

Sita sitting on the thigh of a naked Ravana " ; a nude portrait of

Goddess Saraswati; and a " sacred bull in copulation with a woman

identified as Parvati. "

 

PROTESTS AGAINST ARREST

 

The whole incident evoked strong reactions everywhere. In Mumbai, two

hundred people -- including prominent personalities from various

walks of life like artist Tyeb Mehta, Jehangir Sabavala, gallery

owner and art champion Kekoo Gandhy, art-critic Ranjit Hoskote,

filmmaker Chitra Palekar, danseuse Jhelum Paranjepae, actresses

Konkona Sen and Ayesha Dharkar, playwright Pratap Singh and several

others -- gathered at the Jehangir Art Gallery with banners that

read " Down with Moral Policing " and " Defend our Cultural Freedom. "

 

" Incidents like these are not isolated and concern all of us since

it's something to do with violation of our civil liberties, " said art-

critic Hoskote.

 

Dharkar pointed out that it was disappointing that Pro Vice

Chancellor of the Maharaja Sayajirao University rusticated the Dean.

 

Painter MF Hussain too sent his message via fax from London. He sent

a painting that depicted the fall of democracy and the oppression of

free thought. Theatre person Nadira Babbar said, " MF Hussain has not

been able to see the play 'Pencil Se Brush Tak' which we dedicated to

him because he is unable to return home. We should be ashamed at the

way we have given in to fundamentalist forces. It is time to raise

our voices, " she said.

 

Paranjepae added: " Even Indian classical dance derives its mudras

from Indian's erotic sculptures. Are we going to ban that next? "

 

PROTESTS AGAINST PAINTINGS

 

Meanwhile, Christians joined Hindu right-wing activists to oppose

Chandramohan's paintings, which they found religiously offensive. The

rally made headlines since Hindu groups in the state are usually

blamed for attacks against Christians.

 

" We feel highly pained by irreverence shown toward Jesus Christ in

the paintings, " said Mariam S. Dhabi, a Catholic lawyer who led the

Christians together with Reverend Emmanuel Kant, a Methodist pastor.

 

" I have seen these pictures. They are quite offensive and vulgar, "

the Methodist pastor told UCA News May 11. He wondered if Mohan would

depict " his father and mother " in similar fashion.

 

Christian groups, Reverend Kant added, are now planning a prayer

meeting to oppose artists who " misuse religious symbols, " as Mohan

did.

 

However, that does not mean Christians oppose freedom of expression,

he clarified. " We strongly believe in freedom of expression

guaranteed in the Indian constitution, " he asserted, but stressed

that freedom is not a license to abuse someone's religion. " One

cannot be allowed to make fun of the cross, or the person of Jesus

Christ, held in high esteem by millions of Christians all over the

globe, " he said.

 

Jain shared the Methodist pastor's views. " This is not art. We can't

tolerate disrespect for our religion, " he told UCA News. He said his

group wants Mohan suspended from the university. The Hindu leader was

former head of the district unit of Bajrang Dal (party of the strong

and stout), which was accused of engineering attacks on Christians.

 

P.C. Thakur, the highest-ranking police official in Vadodara

district, justified Mohan's arrest. He said, " people got offended by

his art works, " which made a " mockery of religious personalities. "

 

SOURCES:

* Express India (URL: http://tinyurl.com/yqfbhm )

* Hindustan Times (URL: http://tinyurl.com/27rgau )

* Spero News (URL: http://tinyurl.com/2s47e5 )