“This decision amounts to curbing our freedom of thought and has set a phase that is fast becoming a precedent, an intervention in what we can read, write and think. We have to fight this battle to preserve what is dear to us,” history professor Dr. Sunil Kumar told a gathering of professors and students outside the Delhi University Vice-Chancellor's office on Monday. The protesters were staging a dharna demanding re-introduction of scholar-poet A.K. Ramanujan's celebrated essay on the Ramayana.
The controversial decision of the Academic Council to scrap the essay on the grounds that it hurt the religious sentiments of a certain section of society had sparked off a debate among the academic community with many feeling that the decision signified the sacrifice of academic integrity to extremist forces.
“Whether you like it or not, whether it makes you uncomfortable or not, you cannot change the fact that there are different versions of the Ramayana. This essay by Ramanujan is an exceptional piece of reasoning, but our mathematical professor, the V-C decided to scrap this text. This decision is anti-academic, anti-intellectual and anti-democratic,” said Prof. Mukul Mangalik, history professor at Ramjas College. “Even if the essay was an unexceptional piece, we would still be here…as this decision is clearly rooted in paying respect to the politics of hurt religious sentiments.”
Earlier, a protest march, marked by heavy police presence, began from the Arts faculty building around 12 p.m. and went through colleges like Ramjas, Kirori Mal, St. Stephen's and Hindu College before winding up at the Vice-Chancellor's office at 2 p.m. and had teachers, both young and old, shouting slogans like “Inqalab zindabad” and “V-C Dinesh Singh hosh meh aao.”
“This process of hegemonisation has been going on for such a long time in society and it has finally caught up with the academia, it was inevitable,” mused Ms. Triptha Vahi, former professor of history at Ramjas College.
The protesting students also had similar views, although they expressed themselves differently. “People should not manipulate laws according to their whims and fancies,” said Tripthi of St. Stephen's College.
Keywords: Ramayana syllabus row, Delhi University, A.K. Ramanujan, Ramanujan Ramayana essay, Three Hundred Ramayanas
In a free democratic society, which I hope India really is, people should access to all sorts of published information, whether it is on internet, books or newspapers etc. Then only the country can claim that its democracy guarantees the FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. In western democracies like US or UK, this aspect of freedom remains unblemished so much so, a Dan Brown can write a cock and bull story on Jesus Christ (Da Vinci Code) life and hope to become a multi-millionaire. Mein Kampf was published even while Hitler was on his bloody ethnic cleansing of the Semitic race. Unfortunately, India's record, in this matter, is quite pitiable, notwithstanding the fact, the total readership in English in not even 1-2 % of the population, . Perhaps a national newspaper like the Hindu ought to publish these "indexed" or controversial essays or books (in installments) if the government won't let the students read them. Times are changing fast !
In Ramayanam There is an usage "Ambham pata Ravana" could u please explain
The different versions of ramayana which are depicted in Ramanujan's writing are an insult to the original Ramayana. True,various versions of an original idea will travel farther than we can imagine, like gossip.But we cannot accept perversion on the faith of the religion.the reason is simple,just like the openness of northeast doesnt find favour in the other orthodox areas of india , same can be said about the various versions of ramayana.think of it ....celibate hanuman is reduced to bein a playboy in this essay,which might be fine as per some culture's heroism belief but in Banaras it will cause a furore. So all the so called liberals, educationalists....remember that god is the last option left to the mankind to confide, seek solace,seek hope.any blot on this will always attract controversies. Change just for the sake of it is'nt always good and this is not a regressive statement.this is the sentiment of every liberal,educated being of this country.
WE have to base our views based on the original Valmiki Ramayana.Ramayana deals with the life of its central character that is Sri Rama.The trials and tribulations of this character is the main focus.Every third fellow may have his opinion on the basic text.If sage Valmiki has written what this fellow A.K.Ramanujam has written then it is accedptable.If it is contrary then it becomes Sri Rama's character assasination.Lord Hanuman character comes later.Valmiki,Tulasidas have praised Lord Hanuman's character.A.K.Ramanujan seems to be deviant.Hence his description of Lord Hanuman being a womanizer does not hold water.
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