M.F. Husain: Saint or Sinner? The saga of M.F. Husain, one of India’s best known Art figures, is a cruel reflection of our times and our society’s growing Intolerance. The formidable Artist who has been described by Forbes magazine as the ‘Picasso of India’ has recently been conferred the citizenship of Qatar and is once again in the news. Using the Socratic Q & A method, here is my attempt to share my opinions on the controversial Artist and to set a few misgivings about him straight.
Is M.F. Husain anti-Hindu? No. M.F. Husain is one of the greatest Artists of modern times and his body of work will speak for itself. Throughout his life, he has been inspired by the richness of Hinduism. He has lived one decade of his life drawing the Ramayana, another decade drawing the Mahabharata. 50,000+ paintings in a career spanning seven decades, a majority of which have been dedicated to Hindu Art, culture and traditions. Before he embarks on a major Painting, he paints a ‘Ganesha’, a form he loves the most and he has drawn hundreds of ‘Ganeshas’ in his career. His painting ‘Mahabharata- The Battle of Ganga and Jamuna’ was sold for an astronomical record price at Christies Auction. He deserves a lot of credit for successfully promoting Hindu Art on the World stage and for creating a huge market for it. Far from being anti-Hindu, one can safely say that Husain is undoubtedly the perfect ‘Poster Boy’ of Hinduism. Is Husain’s Art profane? Whether his Art is stunning or obscene is a matter of perspective. Just as beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, so too does obscenity. His nude paintings are not vulgar characterizations meant to offend but are sensual abstract depictions where the body parts are not clearly distinguishable. If we call his Paintings vulgar, what do we have to say about all the other sensual sculptures that adorn the Temple walls? Are they vulgar too? Sensual and beautiful- Yes, Vulgar - No! Has Husain insulted Hinduism through his Art? Hindu civilization and culture has always had a significant place for erotic art, where Sex, beauty and sensuality have been celebrated since ancient times. Such sexual, erotic and sensual illustrations can be seen through the Lajja-gouris of Ellora, the images of Modhera, Konark and Khajuraho, the Ragamala paintings from Rajasthan, Mirabai’s love poems on Krishna, etc. The Valmiki Ramayana too is such a sensual piece of literature. You will understand what Hinduism is if you go to the villages and the interiors. There, the Gods are not just feared but are loved, decorated and celebrated. You will see images of Gods made out of coconut shells, petals, flowers and so many other creative and abstract forms. That is what Hinduism is - a living civilization. Hussain’s paintings are mere imitations of the essence and spirit of India’s rich millennial tradition. He has is no way insulted the Hindu religion but has only carried her glorious traditions forward. So why are Hindus opposing Husain’s Art? Husain is an internationally acclaimed Artist, an Artist who has won several National and International honors for the same body of works which many find objectionable today. It is pertinent to note that the paintings which are in the eye of a storm now were drawn few decades back and did the rounds in many villages and exhibitions spread across India without there being even a murmur of protest then. There is a large disconnect between the pluralistic principles of Hinduism and those who oppose Husain’s Art. The opposition one sees today is largely due to the negative campaigning that is being done against the great Artist - by Activists of Political parties who are deliberately misinterpreting his Art, inserting contrary captions and trying to show his paintings in extremely poor light. It is nothing but a systematic campaign of deceit and deception. As for the others, the mind can conceive only what it is programmed to believe. Those who oppose Husain’s Art will learn to appreciate it only if they keep their minds open, not blinded by Ideology or Religion. They must realize that the opposition to his Art is merely a political one – a predatory lust for power. Why has Husain not drawn the Gods of other religions in the nude? If Husain has not drawn nude paintings of other Gods, it is because there is no such tradition in those religions. Moreover, the Artist has not drawn his canvasses to insult Hindu beliefs or sentiments. To use the Artist’s own words, every single drop of paint on them has been done with the deepest of love and devotion. His canvases are thus a rich tribute to Hinduism and Hindus must be proud that here is a Muslim Artist who is promoting their folk, culture and traditions. Each religion has its own strengths and weaknesses. Hinduism’s greatest strength is the vast amount of creative Freedom it gives to its followers. By opposing Husain’s Art, ‘Hindutva’ activists are unfortunately turning this great strength into a weakness and by doing that; they are dragging India back into the dark ages. Shouldn’t Artists exercise their Freedom of Expression with caution? Art is a creative form of expression and Artists, writers and other cultural practitioners are creative people who think outside the box. Sometimes, they will stir us, evoke our passions, and get us out of our comfort zones. They will push the boundaries of human thoughts to its limits. If we curtail their freedom, we will see no Picasso, Michelangelo or Galileo. Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy and curtailing it will have disastrous consequences, both for us and for posterity. Who knows what can lead to where? A visual masterpiece or a great invention can be lost forever if we curtail this Freedom and the World will be much poorer. An eagle is meant to soar high in the skies. Its wings cannot be clipped. Ditto with creativity! By accepting the citizenship of Qatar, is Husain a traitor or a coward? That is a very silly remark to make. It is akin to saying that all those who have chosen the citizenship of foreign countries for their own personal reasons are traitors or cowards. Husain’s feelings of patriotism must be judged by the sum total of his actions and love for the Nation over a period of time. That Husain is one of contemporary India’s greatest Artists is undisputed. He has been one of our Country’s highest tax paying Artists, his paintings adorn the walls of several of our Country’s museums and other prominent places, he has donated so many of his paintings to raise money for social causes, he has won the Padmashree, the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Vibhushan, you name them and he has won them all. Even at 95, he wants to paint a series on Indian History from Mohenjo-Daro to Gandhi and another project on Indian cinema which will be celebrating its hundred years shortly. Isn’t this remarkable? To question the patriotism of this great Indian is unthinkable. His spirit, his energy, his enthusiasm and his love for the Indian Nation and its culture is enormous. I too am disappointed that he has surrendered his Indian citizenship but we need to respect his personal choice. India’s loss is Qatar’s gain. Is India becoming more and more Intolerant? Unfortunately, yes and all the major Political parties must be blamed for it - for adopting double standards, for adopting soft postures, for giving a free hand to those who instigate violence, and for failing to implement the laws of the land firmly. Right from Ambedkar’s ‘Riddles of Rama and Krishna’ to ‘Satanic verses’ or ‘Parzania’ to ‘Da Vinci Code’ to ‘Dogui Bodmas’, the outcome has been the same. Instead of taking action against the perpetrators of violence, here we see books and films being banned. So it goes without saying that when it comes to protecting the fundamental rights of Freedom of Speech and Expression which are the basic bedrocks of a democracy, all political parties have fared poorly. This trend needs to be reversed and an even approach must be adopted. So is there hope for India? Yes, fortunately, our Courts have consistently ruled in favor of our Artists. In its Historic judgment in Husain’s ‘Bharatmata’ matter, the Delhi High Court while quashing the case against the premier Artist ruled that “sex and nudity in art, per se, cannot be deemed to be obscene and the merely vulgar does not equal the obscene”. In defining the standards of Art, the Court also observed that it will not use the "standard of a hypersensitive person" in defining what is obscene. In another Landmark Judgment in the case of the Film ‘Ore Oru Gramathile’, the Madras High court laid down an extremely important principle that "freedom of expression cannot be suppressed on account of threats of demonstration and processions or threats of violence. That would be tantamount to negation of the rule of law and surrender to blackmail and intimidation. Freedom of expression which is legitimate and constitutionally protected cannot be held to ransom by an intolerant group of people". So while it is true that we are caught between the devil and the deep sea (the Government and the opposition), there lies the glimmer of hope in the Judiciary! Sandeep Heble Goa