Respect Hindu culture, beliefs

THE EDITOR: On February 5, the Express Newspaper carried a front page photo of a woman in a Carnival costume which, to those familiar with Sanatan Dharma, depicted the great Goddess Kali.

This photo was followed by an article by a well-known columnist which sought, in our view, to justify the use of Hindu spiritual iconography and religious deities in the alien and public space of the Trinidad Carnival.

For purposes of clarification we would like to state that only the Hindu community can decide what is or is not acceptable to them when it comes to our religion.

Further, the columnist’s attempt to justify the portrayal of Kali Maaata by comparing Carnival with the sacred play of Raam Leela is facile and flawed at best and insulting to the Hindu intellect.

Participants in Raam Leela are usually asked to indicate their willingness to participate an entire year before the event. They are schooled in what is expected of them for the Leela before they are allowed to confirm their interest into actual participation.

The requirements are quite stringent – no meat, no alcohol, no sex, no inappropriate company or places, study of the scriptures and so much more. Surely, only a hegemonic audacity or deep ignorance can create such an inappropriate comparison.

There was also mention in the article of someone, who did not appear to be a Hindu pandit or Hindu, or even a devotee of the great goddess, “invoking” her. Only an adept or a devotee who has a personal relationship with Devi is entitled to invoke her. No unprepared or uninitiated mortal can contain or endure the power, the grace and the powerful energy she comes bearing. It would be very unwise of anyone who is not the Path to invoke the divine goddess.

The statement made in the article about mas-making by Indians/Hindus being a way of expressing spirituality, reverence for ancestry, etc is, in our view, totally without any basis in fact. Indians play mas for the same non-sacred reason that everyone else does. If there are facts to the contrary based on some research we would be grateful for the documentation.

The use of Hindu symbols, religious deities in Carnival has become a recurring annoyance for the Hindu community. We understand that Sanatan Dharma is a virtual treasure trove of inspiration, creativity and spiritual symbolism, but the continued cultural appropriation of our most sacred figures and their use in the most unacceptable environments are totally disrespectful and, in our view, illegal.

Cultural appropriation has been defined as the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption and use by a majority group of religious and cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful or stereotypical way. The consequences of and the intention behind cultural appropriation cannot be discussed here but suffice it to say that the consequences are often dire.

In so far as a reference was also made in the article to the “pantheon” of Hindu gods, suffice it to say that for Hindus God is unlimited. Any person attempting to circumscribe God as being only this or only that has not understood the true nature of God. To repeat what Lord Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita – howsoever a man worships me, I will come to him in that form.

The Carnival regulations 2023 state that no person may portray or represent or appear wearing any costume which portrays or represents, in any manner, any deity of a living religion in a way which is likely to bring into disrepute, ridicule or contempt any religion practised in TT.

Article 96 A of the Miscellaneous Offences Act of 2000 also states that any person who brings into contempt or disbelief or attacks, ridicules, vilifies another person’s religion in a manner that is likely to provoke a breach of the peace commits an offence. It should be noted that fines and terms of imprisonment have been imposed for breach of the relevant law.

We hope that this letter will assist in helping Carnival bandleaders, designers and players to understand the concerns of the Hindu community regarding their portrayals at Carnival and other times. We do not think it is asking too much to have our traditions, culture and beliefs respected. This right is enshrined in the Constitution and other laws of TT.

KAMLA TEWARI

president