Bhopal, Feb. 11: After a ban on the sale of liquor, meat and eggs, comes a call to halt the distribution of condoms in Ujjain and remove a red-light district ahead of Simhastha 2004, to be held in April.
The once-in-12-year Kumbh congregation in the temple town attracts hundreds of thousands, and mahants and sadhus want the Pinjarwadi red-light area removed as they fear it could lead to depravity during the month-long festival.
Chief minister Uma Bharti has already declared Ujjain a “holy city”, prohibiting the sale of liquor, meat and eggs during Simhastha.
But the state-run AIDS Control Society said the presence of so many people from across the world belonging to various cultures means a safety ring is needed in Ujjain during the festival.
An office-bearer at the AIDS society who requested anonymity since his remarks could spark an adverse reaction from the “establishment” said stringent health measures were necessary.
Sadhus and mahants are up in arms for a different reason. Prakashanandji Maharaj, who represents a local akhara, said the distribution of free condoms goes against the very nature of the religious gathering.
“It will give the Hindu faith a bad name. Tell me, who will come to Kumbh with a mind to indulge in debauchery?” he asked.
The AIDS society counters by saying that the religious heads should think hard as the distribution of condoms is not intended as a reflection of one’s values. “Rather, it is in recognition of human needs that such a programme has been launched,” a campaigner said.
Swami Nirmalacharya, a sadhu from the religious town of Amarkantak, said he would not permit the sale of “evil condoms” which he said were set to “pollute” Ujjain.
Appealing to Bharti’s “good-offices”, Nirmalacharya said the West’s “crass culture” and “perverted values” should not be allowed to seep into the country. “Ujjain was a holy town, is a holy town and will continue to be a holy town,” the sadhu thundered.
AIDS campaigners said there was “nothing unusual” about the condom distribution, which was an “ongoing exercise” and should not be linked to Simhastha per se.
“It is an open secret that both pre-marital and extra-marital sex are prevalent in our society. Thus, we are just taking adequate cover,” a Bhopal-based functionary said.
“Our target is not about few thousand religious leaders but about a million participants who are going to come from all around the country and the world,” an AIDS campaigner said.
Simhastha has been dogged by several controversies.
In June 2002, a proposal by then chief minister Digvijay Singh to pick actress Aishwarya Rai as Simhastha’s brand ambassador was grounded after sadhus objected. The festival should not be reduced to a “tamasha”, they had said.
Bharti, Digvijay’s successor, was forced by the religious heads to cancel a promotional campaign handed to a multinational on the ground that it would dilute Simhastha’s “swadeshi character”.
Hollywood stars Mel Gibson, Richard Gere, Madonna and Kate Winslet are expected to attend the festival.
