Last week, the release of Shah Rukh Khan’s film Jawan on Janmashtami, evoked an uncomfortable thought.
It was during Janmashtami six years ago that the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram had granted entry to legendary singer K.J. Yesudas, who is now 83 years old. Although he had spent a lifetime singing and recording hundreds of devotional songs to Lord Krishna, the temple had thus far not allowed the Roman Catholic to step in.
It’s perturbing that when he was finally permitted entry into the Padmanabhaswamy temple in his late 70s, it was only after he had given an affidavit declaring that he was a follower of the deity.
However, Sabarimala in the same Kerala, always welcomed him as a devotee.
Five days ago, something similar happened to SRK, when he performed the pre-dawn rituals at the Tirumala temple with wife Gauri and daughter Suhana. Going to Tirupati to seek the blessings of Lord Venkateshwara is an accepted custom with Hindi film actors who work with south Indian directors. Jeetendra and Rajesh Khanna used to be regulars when they did films in the South.
But X (formerly Twitter) went into a frenzy last week over the entry of “non-Hindu” SRK into Tirumala. Jawan co-star Nayanthara, who also went to Tirumala, raised no hackles. Christened Diana Mariam Kurian, she had gone through a shuddhi ceremony at the Arya Samaj in Chennai to convert to Hinduism way back in 2011. But, as with Yesudas, it’s said SRK too had to give a signed declaration to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams that he believed in the presiding deity.
It made me wince.
One of the distinctive features of Hinduism has been its multi-theist pantheon, which is so vast and accommodating that there’s always place on the shelf for Jesus, Mary, Buddha or any other god. Hinduism accepts atheists too. So, when SRK, born to a monotheist faith, broadens his beliefs, should his widening reverence be welcomed or questioned?
St. Michael’s Church in Mahim, Mumbai, attracts a cross-section of believers when prayers to Mother Mary are conducted every Wednesday in different languages. The priest often asks those present to close their eyes and pray to whichever God they believe in — a splendid way of welcoming people of all faiths to the church. No non-Christian has to sign any paper endorsing their belief in Mother Mary. Similarly, Malaika Arora, Kareena and Karisma Kapoor attend the Christmas Mass in a Bandra church every year. Arbaaz and Saif have, in the past, accompanied them. Although Christianity is known as a proselytising religion, there have been no demands that non-Christians declare their belief in Jesus Christ.
Of course, there’ll always be exceptions. After Yesudas, who had been childless for eight years, made a “thank you” visit to Sabarimala on the birth of his first son, the Archbishop of Trivandrum had refused to baptise his second son because the singer visited “Hindu shrines”.
But to return to Hindu outrage, it’s not about allowing an activist to carry a soiled tampon into the sanctum sanctorum to make an ugly point. Or about visitors who check out a temple with mala fide intentions. If security concerns are addressed, decorum and prescribed attire are observed, how about giving SRK the welcome of the Mahim church instead of asking for a signed affidavit?
SRK also visits the Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Col Kapoor, who had discovered him as a young lad and had cast him as Abhimanyu in the TV series Fauji, used to fondly remember how SRK was the livewire who’d rush around helping with Ramlila celebrations. Why then should his devotion for a Hindu deity today be greeted with unpleasantness? Unforgivably, it has happened with Sara Ali Khan, too.
Ganesh Chaturthi is around the corner. Will Salman Khan be questioned tomorrow for bringing home Ganpati and performing the aarti?
A happy last line: when Asha Bhosle turned 90 on Friday, longtime friend Poonam Dhillon flew over to Dubai to celebrate the occasion. Happy 90th to the lady with seduction in her voice.
Bharathi S. Pradhan is a senior journalist and author
