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Thread: New Campaign Against Domestic Violence towards Women Using images of Devi

  1. #21
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    Re: New Campaign Against Domestic Violence towards Women Using images of Devi

    Namaste Avyaydya,

    I had not thought of how this campaign could have the capacity to numb its audience into feeling less whenever they see these shocking images, but you make a very good point. There are instances when shock imagery and campaigning can used as a highly effective wake-up call for people who perhaps hitherto the issue only were partially aware, or showed and real consciousness of what was going on. Road safety advertisements and tobacco warnings are just some which spring to memory, but there have been others that I can recall simply because of the stark imagery and wording.

    But as I pointed out in my original post, other than give a general kind of shock across the Hindu populace and maybe bring back to the world's awareness that India is starting to wake up to the violence that can occur amongst womankind, what other purpose is there in showing Devi in this manner? One thing is for certain. I have never seen the same kind of use of religious figure in other campaigns that was not meant to be purposely derisive. I could not comprehend actually seeing Jesus Christ or Mohammed being portrayed in a similar fashion without there being some explosive uproar and backlash against campaigners. Perhaps it is just because I am not Indian myself and so I have not the benefit of an intimate understanding of the political and cultural underworkings of how Hindu Deities are treated across a multi-faith nation, but I am growing more and more convinced everyday as I come across stories regarding Hindus and Hinduism that my fellow posters here may not be exaggerating in the slightest when they claim there is an anti-Hindu agenda out there in India, and indeed maybe the rest of the world.

    Om namah Shivaya
    "Watch your thoughts, they become words.
    Watch your words, they become actions.
    Watch your actions, they become habits.
    Watch your habits, they become your character.
    Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."

    ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
    Om Gam Ganapataye namah

    लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
    Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu

  2. #22

    Re: New Campaign Against Domestic Violence towards Women Using images of Devi

    The practical utility of the visual depiction should not be discounted here. Just like we say the idol/portrait is for the focus, likewise it has value in these applications as well.

    Example:
    Our next door neighbbors (large joint Marwari family of 4 brothers, 2 married, 2 unmarried, oldest with 2 kids my age) were a really cramped and cheap family. Every single day they would do loud bhajans with bells and everything. In terms of hygiene and courtesy though, these folks were horrible. They as well as the other Marwaris in the other flats were notorious for spitting paan all over the brand new building's walls on the staircase. Our next door neighbors were so cramped for space, they'd have their kids urinate on the stairs as well.
    The Bengali families in the building would try reprimand them often but to no avail. Then we came up with a genius plan. All the Bong families pitched in money and bought small 5"x7" tile paintings of different Hindu Gods and Goddesses, and we nailed them in to the corners of the walls around every flight of stairs from ground to 5th floor. I guarantee you, paan spitting and public urination stopped instantly.

    Now you can make big eyes and tell me useless **** like "if Ladia family was really Hindus they would not spit paan and have their kids to susu outside", but I don't buy that. What I know is that Ladia family is NOT going to spit paan on Lakshmi Devi. So it works.

  3. #23
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    Re: New Campaign Against Domestic Violence towards Women Using images of Devi

    Namaste,

    If the Devi (mother Goddess) cannot protect a Devi (a Hindu Female), and us humans cannot use the image of the Devi to attempt to save a Devi from being abused, then why would this abused (a) Devi have any attachment to/respect for/faith in the Devi? For a moment, just for one moment, try to forget of yourself as a devotee and put yourself in the shoes of a woman who is being slapped around and being heaped with profanity. For God's sake, think for a minute about the living, breathing human being who is being abused physically and emotionally. How could one be so callus as to be anesthaized to the pain of a helpless abused woman? The Devi must be allowed to get off her pedestal and let her image be used in whatever shape or form to protect (a) Devi.

    Pranam.

  4. #24
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    Re: New Campaign Against Domestic Violence towards Women Using images of Devi

    Namaste,

    Perhaps for those who do not go beyond questioning the physical form of God (and Goddess), using iconography is as good as any means of reminding them to have respect or to increase their awareness that they are doing a wrong (ultimately) against the Supreme Being. Christians and Muslims would term it "idolatry" but it is has always sat differently outside Abrahamic tradition. I have often wondered why it is from these factions that most offense is taken when they should ascribe the least significance to a physical portrayal of their understanding of the divine. On the other hand in Hinduism, icons of God are not just figurative or for symbolic reasons. Depictions of God and Goddess are actual mediums for which the individual can allow themselves to feel bhakti, can physically show their love and respect to the Divine Being. It is not just for show, and neither is the depiction of God "imaginary". So it could be argued that moreso than any other religion, Hindus have more of a reason to feel affront when images of the devas are misused. I'm thinking back as well to that time I saw a post someone shared of Hindu gods being put on toilet seats! Now this is a different kind of misuse, with the intent of offending and spitefully belittling a person's concept of God.

    And yet, Believer, that side of me that wants to fight for my fellow man agrees with you vehemently. For myself, Devi is more than a picture of a beautiful lady, garbed in a sari and raising her hands in blessing. The day I can honestly admit that I can disconnect seeing Mother Goddess in a murti form and seeing Her in the woman whose face is covered in bruises from getting slapped around at home, is the day I ought to go back and question my deepest spiritual beliefs.

    One of the first stories I can remember in which Devi was featured as instructor of spiritual wisdom is the story of Bal Ganesha who as a child was play tormenting a cat, pulling its tail and not being aware of how the animal might be in pain. Once he was finished playing, Ganesha went home to Mt. Kailesh to meet his mother Parvati. He was shocked to find Goddess looked to be suffering, she was covered in wounds and dust. When Ganesha asked who did this, his mother explained that he was responsible for it. Remembering the cat he had been so rough and unkind with, Ganesha realised all living beings were the same essence of the Divine, and so to inflict pain and misery upon any creature was to hurt Goddess Herself.

    So it appears that although it may be a lot cruder, this campaign seems to be trying to impart the same message.

    Om namah Shivaya
    Last edited by sunyata07; 28 September 2013 at 04:16 AM.
    "Watch your thoughts, they become words.
    Watch your words, they become actions.
    Watch your actions, they become habits.
    Watch your habits, they become your character.
    Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."

    ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
    Om Gam Ganapataye namah

    लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
    Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu

  5. #25

    Re: New Campaign Against Domestic Violence towards Women Using images of Devi

    Namaste

    An interesting phenomenon : Those born and brought up in India or Hindu culture, understand the purpose of such media actions. Those who grew up in western countries do not - they get shocked.

    It is common to see in fictional stories - TV & movies, that the victim is portrayed as Durga in green sari with a trishuL pointing at the criminal.
    In some stories, she actually carries out this plan - picking a trishuL out of the temple and running on the streets to corner the criminal with it, etc.
    Draatic scene.
    With the song in the background "YA devi sarvabhUteshu ..."

    The idea is to show the collective society - that Devi will be passive only to a certain point, after which She will manifest Her ways.

    This is a slightly different image from the subject of this thread. However, the idea is the same. You are doing this to the Goddess.

    This was for the negative.


    On positive notes, they play the background song "mangalam bhagavan vishNu mangalam garuDadhwaja..." -- to indicate 'Lakshmi-NArAyaN' association.

    The Hindu samskAr pervades human society. So the Divine also pervades human society. Sometimes people find this hard to digest. Little girls are treated as devi, kumArikA. Little boys are BAl KRshNa by default.
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  6. #26

    Re: New Campaign Against Domestic Violence towards Women Using images of Devi

    Quote Originally Posted by sunyata07 View Post
    One of the first stories I can remember in which Devi was featured as instructor of spiritual wisdom is the story of Bal Ganesha who as a child was play tormenting a cat, pulling its tail and not being aware of how the animal might be in pain. Once he was finished playing, Ganesha went home to Mt. Kailesh to meet his mother Parvati. He was shocked to find Goddess looked to be suffering, she was covered in wounds and dust. When Ganesha asked who did this, his mother explained that he was responsible for it. Remembering the cat he had been so rough and unkind with, Ganesha realised all living beings were the same essence of the Divine, and so to inflict pain and misery upon any creature was to hurt Goddess Herself.

    So it appears that although it may be a lot cruder, this campaign seems to be trying to impart the same message.
    Om namah Shivaya
    Namaste Shunyata,

    Nice story, just right for this thread.

    _/\_
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  7. #27
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    Re: New Campaign Against Domestic Violence towards Women Using images of Devi

    Furthermore, the targeted audience is the one that is the least affected by the shockomercial.
    I agree.
    Anirudh...

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