I watched the play "Ganesh Vs The Third Reich" at the Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne over the weekend. Some of you may have heard about this play for the wrong reasons. For those who haven't heard about this play, a part of this play is about Ganesh being ordered to reclaim the Swastika by Parvati to stop Shiva, in his wrath, from destroying the universe. Ganesh travels to Germany and does the job as a mere mortal having lost all his powers. The other part examines the personality conflicts the cast have rehearsing this play. The charismatic and arrogant director attempts in vain to answer the simple yet valid questions of his intellectualy disabled cast. It is his attempt to portray disability in a different light.
Even before the show was debuted, there were protests, because Ganesh was used as a form of entertainment. Dr Yadu Singh, president of council of Indian Australians, said that using Ganesh, a revered God of good luck and wisdom, as a cheap form of entertainment was unacceptable. Times of India carried an article about this show and claimed that this will further inflame already fragile relations between India and Australia. There were statements about making money out of Lord Ganesh.
Was boycotting this show the answer?, Was watching the show tantamount to not caring how our Hindu Gods were portrayed? I thought I have to watch this show to make an informed decision as a lot was being said by people who appeared to not know much about the show itself.
When I was in the lobby of the theatre, I saw about six Indians holding placards, saying "This is not Art, This is Filth" and others implying "Do not use our Lord for cheap entertainment" etc. I started thinking am I making a mistake by actually watching it? In the theatre I looked around to see if I could spot any Indian faces, I may have spotted a couple, but cannot be sure.
After watching the show, I am looking for answers to What was offensive? What are they talking aout when they say Dont make fun of Lord Ganesh? I would even go one step further and say they have done a reasonable job of explaining who Ganesh is and what does he represent.
Yes, this show was a comedy, but to say that Ganesh was used for cheap entertainment is incorrect and uninformed according to me. The comedy in the show is only when they explore the personality conflict between the cast, when they rehearse the show. When they perform, Lord Ganesh is portrayed in good light, as he should. I also disagree with the statement that our Lord should not be used for entertainment or making money. Then why are there Hundi's in all the temples, then why do people dance and throw Gulal during Ganesh visarjan. Yes, two wrongs does not make one right. If that too is wrong, I havent heard any protests.
Are we over sensitive about our Gods being portrayed by westerners? Or does this have something to do because this is an Australian show coming soon after attacks on our students and some idiotic comments by a host of a dud radio programme. Would love to hear from you.
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