Art must awaken society, fight religious intolerance: Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday (January 14) said that art should not merely provide pleasure but must also awaken people to the “burning experiences of life” and stand against those who seek to destroy peace and harmony in the name of religion.

Pinarayi inaugurates Kalolsavam

Pinarayi was speaking after inaugurating the 64th Kerala School Kalolsavam, the state’s annual arts festival, where around 14,000 students are expected to participate in 249 events across 24 venues, named after flowers, in Thrissur, regarded as the cultural capital of Kerala.

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The Chief Minister said that in the past, many art forms were restricted to specific castes or religious groups due to the feudal system and social evils such as untouchability that prevailed at the time.

"With the end of feudalism and the birth of a new era based on democracy and secularism, the nature of arts changed. All arts became everyone's. Art brought secularism and democracy to life. School art festivals played a vital role in it," he said.

Call for cultural inclusiveness

Referring to Kalamandalam Hyderali, a great singer from Thrissur district, the CM said that the artist had faced some "unfortunate experiences" on account of his religion.

"Being humiliated for being born in a different religion cannot be accepted in a democratic society," Vijayan said, addressing a gathering of students, parents and dignitaries, including Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism Suresh Gopi.

In his speech, the CM said that a broad mind to assimilate the experiences of people of other religions is what "makes us civilized and cultured".

Religious segregation of art

The CM said that now there are some people who were trying to confine art within a particular religion, he said.

Such persons contend that Muslims should not learn 'Bharatanatyam' and Hindus should not participate in 'Oppana', to create problems, he added.

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"Even children's Christmas carols were attacked in the country. In some places, Christmas holidays were abolished. Communalists will always try to create riots anywhere in the name of religion," he said

Appeal to reject divisive ideas

"Things are reaching a point where even characters in films are not allowed to be named Janaki, Sita, etc. Art is also a good weapon to fight against such rioters who destroy peace and happiness," he noted.

Such moves should be blown to the wind by the new generation who should present the arts without looking at caste or religion, the CM said.

"May you be able to reject all divisive ideas that divide people and uphold art that unites minds. Let that be the message of this school art festival," he said.

Art’s role in shaping values

In his speech, the CM also said that when the art festival first commenced in 1956 it was called a youth festival and there were only 200 participants.

In the subsequent year, its scope and number of participants expanded and in 2009 it came to be called Kerala School Kalolsavam, he said.

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"The purpose of art is to make good human beings. That art should not be used for anything else," he added.

(With agency inputs)