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Journalism of Courage
People constantly criticise the media for ignoring Hindu sentiment, Hindu culture or of being virulently anti-Hindu. That8217;s untrue.
This year8217;s favourite hero is on television 8212; Bhagat Singh DD looking remarkably like Ajay Devgan who played him in one film.
Echoes of Bhagat Singh may be heard in J038;K, in Gujarat and endlessly on TV. Since the Ayodhya crisis, last spring, the TV set has resounded with the drumbeats of aggressive Hindu? nationalism. We hear it every day from one source or another. Bhagat Singh8217;s invocation, in last week8217;s episode, was a voice from the past in tune with the present.
Simultaneously, TV is celebrating Hinduism with unbounded enthusiasm. This year saw TV news channels commemorate religious occasions8212;the majority are Hindu8212;as never before with features and 8216;live8217; coverage of celebrations. And it8217;s by no means spiritual: on Karva Chauth, Diwali, even Eid, it was all about who was buying what where and at what price: gold, silver, stainless steel, clothes. Ms Row, discoursing on the Bhagvad Gita Aastha Channel is of the opinion that 8216;8216;8230;we are using God to get involved in every activity and worldliness8217;8217;.
Simultaneously, drama serials, across entertainment channels, deal with Hindu families: the Viranis, Aggarwals, the Poojas, the Rahuls, etc. The most popular family dramas such as Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thhi, Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki Star Plus and Kkusum Sony are steeped in the Hindu way of life8212;from clothes to lifestyles. With rites and rituals aplenty. No one takes a step forward without first a pooja preferably tulsi, a kirtan, a katha, an invocation, a prayer, a visit to the temple, a yatra Ba of Kyunki and Baoji plus wife of Kahani went on one this year.
Furthermore, all the major festivals or auspicious days 8211; from a Karva Chauth, to Janamasthami, Dussehra, Teej, Diwali, Holi a great favourite are celebrated with much fanfare, over several episodes. Also, someone is invariably getting engaged or married, there are Hindu wedding ceremonies everywhere. Devi Sony is the apogee of this trend, beginning with the name of the serial. In this instance, Gayatri Devi, the main protagonist, almost does not breathe without rushing into the pooja room and beseeching God8217;s blessings.
Thus, Hindi culture receives continual observance with much pomp and ostentation. Also, there are channels, like Aastha, dedicated to discourses on Hindu philosophy, religion, etc.
Heena Sony is perhaps the only prime time serial about a Muslim family, Des Mein Nikkla Hoga Chand Star Plus, the only one which concerns a Sikh one and as for the Christians, why, there aren8217;t any unless they are the butt of good jokes in Khichdi Star Plus.
The pity is that whereas Hindi popular cinema has tried to play a unifying role think of Zanjeer, Amar, Akbar Antony, TV has remained indifferent. With over a dozen Hindi entertainment channels and seven Hindi news channels by early next year, television is very much a majority stronghold. Minorities might be appeased elsewhere but not on the box 8211; unless your sole criterion is Narendra Modi and the Gujarat riots.
Cricket: Nowadays, watching cricket is a full-time unpaid occupation. And by 8216;full-time8217; we mean almost 24 hours. Wake up at 3.15 am. for the India-New Zealand encounter, switch in and out of England8217;s tour of Australia, including the tri-series till lunchtime, then watch Pakistan in South Africa.
If the latter is a day/night match, it carries on into the late evening, leaving you approximately five hours sleep before you wake up to the Indians again. Just as well rain stopped play in New Zealand and that matches are ending inside three or four days. At least you can snatch a proper night8217;s sleep.
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