TANISHQ Ad and the hullabaloo!

 

TANISHQ Ad and the hullabaloo!

 

 

So, today I felt like touching a controversial topic. Most people would like to side-step it, but this mentality that is going around these days is making me sick in the pit!

I’m sure the latest Tanishq ad needs no introduction. Most of you must have definitely watched it. Some of you while browsing TV and some others like me who must have specifically searched it up, to figure out what the mayhem is all about. And for those who have no inkling, I’d like to throw light on the content. The ad shows a Muslim woman, escorting a pregnant woman around the house and finally taking her to the lawn where they have arranged a ‘Goad Bharai’ ceremony for her. The emotional girl asks the woman, “Maa aapke yahaan toh ye sab nahi hota” and the older woman lovingly remarks, “Betiyon ki Khushi toh sabke yahaan hoti hai”. Not exactly the same words but something like that….

The portrayal of a Hindu woman married in a Muslim household was enough to make the self-acclaimed protectors of culture and religion go all out to get a ban imposed on the ad and eventually Tanishq was forced to take it off air. The content was cited as being a harbinger of ‘Love Jihaad.’

Agreed that there are a lot of crimes happening around and people are petrified but classifying everything as having an intent to malign Indian culture, is also not right!

There are so many inter-state and inter-religion marriages happening these days. Almost all my friends have married like that. Nobody points fingers at them! Nobody accuses them of conversion. Then why must one single out only Hindu-Muslim marriage as being of evil intent? Can’t that too be a product of mutual affection and understanding? Why should only a Hindu-Muslim couple be looked at oddly? I know a few Hindu-Muslim couples who have married for love and practice their own religions till date. There is no forcing, no conversion! It is just like a normal marriage.

I totally understand the sentiments of Hindu/Muslim parents when they warn their children not to get married to a person of the other religion. It is simply out of their protective attitude towards them. The glaring differences in the lifestyle of these two communities does make it bothersome for parents who feel their children will have problems adjusting. Acculturation is not easy, even in various families of the same religion at times and that is why, the warning!

The pulchritude of the emotion of love is that it sees no religion as a barrier. The advertisement shows exactly that…. a mother, showering the daughter-in-law with love. I’d like to interpret the ad as promoting love and not ‘love jihaad.’

How we interpret things is all in the mind. India has always been like this, all religions co-existing. Education has widened people’s horizons and most have started thinking beyond religion.

However, some religious fanatics have perniciously hung on to these thoughts and keep triggering them from time to time. I think, it is just a ploy to shift focus from other more important and pressing issues. I am strictly against such people. Those from any religion, who go out propelling themselves as protectors of culture.

I loathe those Muslims and Hindus, who mercilessly kill people in the name of religion.

I detest those Hindus and Muslims who commit gory crimes like rape in the name of religion.

I abhor those Muslims and Hindus who crucify the emotion of love when they marry with the intent of harming.

I am disgusted by those who incite hatred among peace loving neighbours and make them each other’s cut-throat enemy.

I despise those who seek political gains by pitting various communities against each other.

I deride those Hindus and Muslims who despite sound education, are easily mislead in the name of religion.

For me, humanity is above all. No one community or religion is bad. It is people and their evil intentions that are bad and it is a shame that their misdeeds are associated with their religion.

In my opinion, the entire hullabaloo around the Tanishq ad was totally uncalled for. India has always been a land of diverse culture and religion. We just need to continue being tolerant towards each other and promote humanity as being above everything else!