On March 29, students at Pondicherry Central University performed a controversial play at the campus during the annual cultural festival Ezhini 2K24. The play based on the Hindu epic Ramayan not only twisted the facts but also portrayed Bhagwan Ram and Mata Sita in bad light hurting religious sentiments. After the play, the students of the University staged a protest demanding action and the clips of the play went viral on social media platforms.
It is noteworthy that, due to the outrage on social media platforms, the Pondicherry Police, taking cognisance of the matter registered an FIR against the makers and the University also instituted a committee to investigate the matter.
Puducherry Police has taken cognisance of this and legal action has been initiated.
— Puducherry Police (@PuducheryPolice) March 31, 2024
As on April 3, it has been reported that, with the committee’s recommendation and report yet to arrive the University has asked the Head of Department (HoD) of the Performing Arts department to step down from his position.
According to media reports, the University’s Assistant Registrar D. Nandagopal had told the student complainants that the University had constituted a high-level committee to investigate the matter and submit a report within three to four days.
“Pending the Committee report, the Head of the Department has been asked to step down immediately. We have called for an explanation from all faculty members of the Department of Performing Arts,” he said in a written communication to the complainant on April 1.
The communication said the University was committed to providing a peaceful and harmonious ambience on campus and would not tolerate any act hurting religious sentiments on its campus.
The play was performed by a cultural group called ‘Team Somayanam’ on the campus. The makers of the play also issued a statement which read, “The play is not intended to hurt any religious beliefs. Hailing from different social and cultural backgrounds ourselves, we respect the beliefs of everyone equally. If all we hurt anyone’s religious sentiments, we apologise for it.”
“This is everything the play talked about– the long lurking patriarchy which has been leeching our societies for centuries,” the statement said.
Notably, the play included insults directed at Hindu deities such as Mata Sita and Hanuman Ji. Responding to this, the ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) staged a protest at the university on March 30. Additionally, the student organisation issued a statement regarding this matter on March 31.
ABVP posted, “ABVP PU Students protested against the recent incident held on 29th March 2024 at a fest organised by DPA, Pondicherry University Ezhini 2K24, where a play mockery of the Ramayana, including depicting Sita offering beef to Ravana and distorting Hanumanji’s character.”
It added, “The drama depicted Sita’s character as “Geeta” dancing with “Ravana” portrayed as “Bhavana.”
Shockingly, the portrayal included Sita offering beef to Ravana, and during the scene of Sita’s kidnapping, she was shown uttering, “I’m married, but we can be friends.”
Such flagrant disregard for the sanctity of the Ramayana and its characters is deeply offensive and disrespectful to the beliefs of millions of people who hold this epic in the highest regard.
ABVP further said in the statement, “This malicious act to present Ramayanam is a well-planned act by Communist and Left-led outfits on the Pondicherry University campus. Communist and Left-led outfits deliberately wanted to malign Lord Ram and question the sanctity of Maa Sita for which they had charted this play. Furthermore, in another disturbing scene, Hanumanji, portrayed as “Kanjaneya,” was subjected to mockery, with his tail depicted as an antenna used for communication with Lord Rama. These grievous acts not only ridicule the revered characters of Hindu Dharma but also incite communal disharmony by demeaning the beliefs and sentiments of the majority community.”
On the flip side, the performing group dismisses it as ‘political propaganda’ by the ABVP and denies any intention to offend Hindu religious sentiments with their play.
The statement clarified that the play was performed in Therukoothu (street play) style and aimed to showcase patriarchal values imposed upon women. It highlighted how the play portrayed ancient ideals of chastity for women, which persist in today’s society, and aimed to challenge and uproot those notions. According to the statement, the play questioned why a woman’s chastity is often seen as the sole measure of her virtue, while men are not judged by the same standards.
