Hyderabad: Ram Navami celebrations were held across the twin cities on Sunday but the Bahujan students at University of Hyderabad and Osmania University instead chose to celebrate the life of Ravana, the ‘asura’ or demon king whose character is seen as embodiment of evil.
Various student bodies which have adopted this different take on Ramayana said that while Ram represents an Aryan entity, Ravana is seen as the Dravidian prototype and a Dalit king, who through certain interpretations of the epic, has been portrayed in bad light.
OBC student groups said that over centuries while Ram has been portrayed as the paragon of virtue and a vanquisher of evil, Ravana has been considered an evil character. By denigrating Ravana, the purpose of demonizing Dravidan, Dalit and Bahujan personalities in history is accomplished, students said.
Supported by scholars and faculty members, students on both campuses said that celebrating Ravana was necessary as myths and legends had for centuries done injustice to the history of culturally and socially marginalized sections. The campus remained tense on account of these unconventional celebrations with 50 police and security personnel deployed at the venue to prevent untoward incidents. “We need to question certain cultural practices as they also define history ,” said G Chandraiah, convener of UoH’s Bahujan Students’ Front.
At Osmania University, a seminar on cultural differences and democracy was organised by a group of students from Dalit and OBC backgrounds where excerpts in support of new and different interpretations of Ramayana were read out.
Scholars said that while the story of Ram and Ravana could be mythological, there is a problem in the way one identity dominates the other. “As per the myth, Ram has been portrayed clearly as the Aryan leader of higher-caste upbringing. Ram is also said to have killed Shambuka, the ‘untouchable’ scholar,” said Kancha Ilaiah, scholar and director, centre for social exclusion and inclusive policy.
Scholars said that the text of Ramayana itself provided space for Ravana to be seen as a person loyal to his wife Mandodari. He was not sexist as he had given administrative powers to women in his court. “Ravana emerges as a better leader than Ram as far as values are concerned. Then why should Ravana not be celebrated,” asked Gogu Shyamala, Dalit writer and scholar who maintained that even faith is defined to accommodate the dominant caste and class ideology.
Various student bodies which have adopted this different take on Ramayana said that while Ram represents an Aryan entity, Ravana is seen as the Dravidian prototype and a Dalit king, who through certain interpretations of the epic, has been portrayed in bad light.
OBC student groups said that over centuries while Ram has been portrayed as the paragon of virtue and a vanquisher of evil, Ravana has been considered an evil character. By denigrating Ravana, the purpose of demonizing Dravidan, Dalit and Bahujan personalities in history is accomplished, students said.
Supported by scholars and faculty members, students on both campuses said that celebrating Ravana was necessary as myths and legends had for centuries done injustice to the history of culturally and socially marginalized sections. The campus remained tense on account of these unconventional celebrations with 50 police and security personnel deployed at the venue to prevent untoward incidents. “We need to question certain cultural practices as they also define history ,” said G Chandraiah, convener of UoH’s Bahujan Students’ Front.
At Osmania University, a seminar on cultural differences and democracy was organised by a group of students from Dalit and OBC backgrounds where excerpts in support of new and different interpretations of Ramayana were read out.
Scholars said that while the story of Ram and Ravana could be mythological, there is a problem in the way one identity dominates the other. “As per the myth, Ram has been portrayed clearly as the Aryan leader of higher-caste upbringing. Ram is also said to have killed Shambuka, the ‘untouchable’ scholar,” said Kancha Ilaiah, scholar and director, centre for social exclusion and inclusive policy.
Scholars said that the text of Ramayana itself provided space for Ravana to be seen as a person loyal to his wife Mandodari. He was not sexist as he had given administrative powers to women in his court. “Ravana emerges as a better leader than Ram as far as values are concerned. Then why should Ravana not be celebrated,” asked Gogu Shyamala, Dalit writer and scholar who maintained that even faith is defined to accommodate the dominant caste and class ideology.
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