Indian Court Clears Painter

Source: The New York Times

The Supreme Court in India has refused to start criminal proceedings against the artist Maqbool Fida Husain, who has been accused of obscenity by Hindu groups, The Guardian of London reported. Mr. Husain, 92, who has been living in the Middle East under self-imposed exile for two years, angered some Hindus with a painting that depicted a nude goddess in the shape of India. The court ruled that Mr. Husain’s paintings were not obscene, and it upheld a ruling from May that dropped proceedings in three previous cases against him. “At last they have understood the dignity of Indian contemporary art,” Mr. Husain, said, according to The Times of India. “This is not a victory for me only, but one for the Indian contemporary-art movement.”



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/arts/10arts-INDIANCOURTC_BRF.html?ref=arts

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Okay, is this bizzaro-world?

How is it that Hindu groups claim obscenity over the depiction of a nude goddess? Have they looked at any Hindu art at all?

And then, the artist takes refuge in the Middle East? While running from pornography charges?

This whole story is just bizzare.

But I'm glad the artist was cleared.

A university professor wrote a rather dry, academic tome on the history of eating beef in India; he used ancient writings to support his claims. You wouldn't think something like that would create much of a stir, but his book was banned by the (then) government . . . he even got death threats. All for suggesting that in the past Hindi ate beef.

Two links - the first does a better job of explaining the political angle, imo. Keep in mind, this was in 2002. It does serve as a cautionary tale in regard to allowing any die-hard fundamentalist group take charge of the government.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/jul/13/historybooks.highereducation

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9503E7D8153DF934A2575BC0A9649C8B63

at least in the Central government in India