Political storm over BJP ad depicting Durga with 11 arms
The BJP government is now altering the traditional forms and colors of Hindu deities.
The BJP government is now altering the traditional forms and colors of Hindu deities. There has been objection from scholars and critics regarding the new idol of Ram Lalla installed for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Questions were raised about the depiction of Lord Ram in Hindu scriptures as "sawla" or "shyamala," while the idol in the temple is entirely "black." It was alleged that the color of the idol is contrary to the scriptures. This idol, created by sculptor Arun Yogiraj, is made from the special 'Krishna Shila' (black stone) found in South India. Krishna Shila is considered the best for worshipping the Shyamala form religiously.
A new controversy is now unfolding in West Bengal, where a government advertisement depicted Goddess Durga with 11 arms. We have been seeing since childhood that Goddess Durga has 10 arms. The image of the 10-armed Goddess Durga has been ingrained in the minds of Hindus for centuries. It is worth noting that a new BJP government has recently been formed in West Bengal.
According to a report by Telegraph Online, a political controversy erupted on Monday over the depiction of Goddess Durga with 11 arms in a West Bengal government advertisement. Opposition parties accused the BJP government of misrepresenting Durga's traditional religious and cultural form. This advertisement, issued by the Information and Culture Department, also featured pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The advertisement stated that a high-level meeting would be held at the Milan Mela ground with representatives from the state administration and various Durga Puja committees. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari would also be present at this meeting.
The advertisement, which was broadcast online and offline, showed Goddess Durga with 11 arms. This image immediately caught people's attention, as in Bengal, Goddess Durga is traditionally worshipped as 'Dashabhuja,' meaning the 10-armed goddess. This form of the goddess is an essential part of Bengal's religious and cultural tradition.
CPM leader Shatarup Ghosh sharply criticized the government while sharing the advertisement on social media. He wrote,
This is an astonishing government advertisement! It shows Goddess Durga with 11 arms. According to mythology, the gods equipped Durga with 10 arms to slay the demon, but the BJP government has given the goddess an extra arm.
The Trinamool Congress questioned how such a significant mistake received government approval.
The party asked,
When did Goddess Durga suddenly get 11 arms? Whose idea was it to misrepresent the goddess's mythical form in this way, and how did it receive government approval?
Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh from Beleghata demanded that Suvendu Adhikari intervene to correct the image. He said,
The government advertisement has depicted Dashabhuja Mata as having 11 arms. According to religious texts, one arm should be reduced. We hear many sermons from the government every day. In such a case, adding an extra arm to the goddess will complicate matters further.
Suvendu Adhikari accepted the mistake in the advertisement and apologized. Addressing representatives of Durga Puja committees at Milan Mela on Monday afternoon, he said,
“I apologize for the incorrect advertisement released on Tuesday morning. The agency that prepared the advertisement has been warned. I assure you that the government will exercise more caution in such matters in the future.
BJP's Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya also acknowledged the mistake but appealed to political parties not to turn it into a controversy.
He said, if there was a mistake made by a graphic design agency while preparing the advertisement, it should not be made a political issue. This is an unintentional mistake and will be corrected soon.
Priests knowledgeable about rituals and religious traditions stated that it is not explicitly mentioned in the 'Devi Mahatmya' or 'Durga Saptashati' that Goddess Durga must have exactly 10 arms in every depiction. 'Durga Saptashati' is part of the Markandeya Purana and describes stories related to Durga. This scripture imagines different forms of the goddess. In some instances, the goddess is described as having a thousand arms, while the number of arms in meditation mantras varies. A priest from Nadia, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, “Religious texts also depict the goddess with a thousand arms. In meditation mantras, Mahakali is described as Dashabhuja, meaning 10-armed. Other forms of the goddess are also described as having 18 or eight arms.”
Meanwhile, the BJP-led West Bengal government has announced new rules for Durga Puja. These include restrictions on the sale of alcohol, loud music, and road closures. Additionally, there has been a change in the policy regarding financial assistance provided to puja committees.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that,
On one of the most important days of the festival, Mahashtami, liquor shops will remain closed. The government has also prohibited playing DJ music during the puja celebrations and immersion processions.
Adhikari stated,
National highways cannot be closed for Durga Puja. In Kolkata, 14 major roads will also not be allowed to be closed for the puja. DJ music will not be played on the days of puja and immersion.” He urged puja committees to adhere to these directives.
The government has also changed the policy regarding financial assistance provided to Durga Puja committees. The previous Trinamool Congress government had given ₹1.10 lakh to each puja committee last year. Suvendu Adhikari stated that the state government will not provide financial assistance to large-budget Durga Puja, as the government should not bear the expenses of any religious event. He said,
I have already stated that the state government will not grant aid to large-budget Durga Puja. Large puja committees are requested not to seek government assistance. I will separately thank those committees that do so.
However, committees that cannot hold puja without financial assistance will be provided help of up to ₹1 lakh after scrutiny. Additionally, some relief has been granted to puja committees. They will not be charged for electricity, and the fire department's license will also be issued free of charge.
The BJP government has decided to hold a four-hour Mahalaya program at Eden Gardens instead of the previous government's Durga Puja carnival. Suvendu Adhikari stated that this program will include a drone show, fireworks, and a road show. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also participate in this event. The government has also asked puja organizers to ensure that theme-based Durga Puja does not hurt the sentiments of Sanatan traditions or the cultural feelings of people.