The Ganpati festival, celebrated across many states, especially in Maharashtra, sees devotees installing Lord Ganesha's murtis (idols) in various forms at homes or public pandals. This year, the festival has been linked to controversy due to the 'inappropriate' appearance of a Ganpati idol.
A picture of a Ganpati idol installed at a pandal in Secunderabad, Telangana, has gone viral on social media, with many users finding its appearance 'Muslim-like.'
Several social media users alleged that the sentiments of Hindus were hurt by presenting Ganpati as a Muslim, while others praised the look, calling the theme an expression of secularism.
An X account, 'The Jaipur Dialogues,' shared a video of the idol and questioned Lord Ganesha's appearance. "This is the height of secularism. Why is Ganpati (the deity who is honored first in every Puja or Shubh Karya) presented as a Muslim in Hyderabad? Hindus are walking towards their own doom," it said.
Another account, 'Bloody Media,' found the representation offensive and insulting to Hindus. "In Hyderabad, a Lord Ganesha idol was styled to resemble a Muslim, which is both offensive and an insult to Hindus. It has come to light that the theme of the pandal was based on secularism. Sadly, we Hindus have become a joke nowadays," it stated.
According to reports, after facing backlash on social media, the organisers clarified that the theme of the Ganpati pandal was inspired by the Bollywood film Bajirao Mastani, which led to the misunderstanding.
India Today reported that Young Leo's Youth Association took inspiration from the attire worn by actor Ranveer Singh in Bajirao Mastani for the idol's dress.
However, the resemblance offended some social media users, who found the representation inappropriate.
Following criticism for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, the organisers issued a clarification, explaining that the final outcome of the theme did not align with their expectations.
"We didn’t deliberately choose a Bajirao Mastani theme. Unfortunately, the way things unfolded led to misunderstandings. Our goal was never to hurt anyone’s feelings," a member of the organising committee was quoted as saying by India Today.
Expressing disappointment over the social media backlash, another committee member stated, "We just want to move forward with our celebration of Ganpati Bappa. The execution wasn’t what we expected, but we don’t wish to escalate the situation."
The enthusiasm for the Ganpati festival is such that every year we see various pandals decorated with unique themes. On many occasions, Ganpati idols have resembled movie characters. During the COVID pandemic, several Ganpati idols were styled to resemble doctors.
