At Pondicherry University’s annual cultural festival, Ezhini 2K24, the Department of Performing Arts found itself amidst controversy following a play that ignited anger among Hindu students and community members. The play, titled “SOMAYANAM,” presented a distorted and disrespectful portrayal of characters from the revered epic, Ramayana, triggering widespread condemnation and protests organized by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
ABVP, a prominent Hindu student organization, strongly opposed the play’s content, which included insults directed at Hindu deities such as Goddess Sita and Lord Hanuman. The play’s depiction of Sita offering beef to Ravana, distorting Hanumanji’s character, and trivializing Sita’s abduction drew particular criticism.
Karyakartas of @ABVPPondicherry University protested against the Department of Performing Arts, Pondicherry University for organising a derogatory play on Prabhu Shri Ram and Mata Sita.
Such actions under the guise of creative liberty are unacceptable. Respect for religious… pic.twitter.com/jLeOVC7TSe
— ABVP (@ABVPVoice) March 31, 2024
In #PuducherryUniversity Cultural
Fest, The Organisers Show Mata Sita Dancing With Ravan, Offering Beèf & Reciting Inappropriate Dialogues.#Puducherry @Swamy39Strict action should be taken against them.🙏🏻 @LGov_Puducherry @BJP4Puducherry @IN_HQTNP @PondiUniVC @pondytourism pic.twitter.com/FxJUzhL94c
— Anshuman Singh (Harsh) (@AnshumanSinghHa) April 1, 2024
Play at Puducherry University cultural fest showed Mata Sita dancing with Ravan, offering beef to him & reciting inappropriate dialogues pic.twitter.com/1KTt1rGPDU
— Kreately.in (@KreatelyMedia) April 1, 2024
ABVP’s statement condemned the incident as a deliberate attempt to discredit Hindu deities and challenge the sanctity of Hindu beliefs. They emphasized the importance of exercising freedom of expression responsibly, especially concerning religious sentiments and cultural sensitivities.
“The ABVP Pondicherry University vehemently condemns the disgraceful incident that occurred during Ezhini 2K24, a department fest of the Department of Performing Arts, held on March 29, 2024. The event took a distressing turn when a play titled “SOMAYANAM” was staged, portraying a distorted and disrespectful depiction of characters from the revered epic, Ramayana,” a statement from ABVP read.
The statement further 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.”
“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,” the statement said.
ABVP’s demands emphasized the seriousness of the issue and the need for appropriate action. They called for the immediate dismissal of the writer, director, and actors involved in the play, as well as stringent disciplinary action against the head of the Department of Performing Arts and other faculty members overseeing the production. These measures, ABVP argued, would serve as a deterrent against future instances of religious mockery and disrespect on campus.
A similar incident occurred at Pune University’s Lalit Kala Kendra on February 2nd of this year. During a play titled “Jab We Met,” which was part of a competition at Lalit Kala Kendra, objections arose due to alleged objectionable dialogues and scenes based on the Ramleela theme. In a video that caused outrage, a student portraying Mata Sita was depicted smoking a cigarette. The play’s theme reportedly revolved around the rehearsal journey of actors involved in Ramlila.
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