Kerala News

Singer KS Chithra Faces Vile Attacks From Leftists After Posting Video On Ram Mandir Pran Prathishta

January 16, 2024
The Commune

K S Chithra also referred to as Chinna Kuyil (Little Nightingale), was subject to vile attacks online after she posted a video on her social media handle about the Ram Mandir Pran Prathishta. 

As reported in The Week, in the video message shared by the acclaimed singer on 14 January 2024, she said, “My salutations to all. When the consecration ceremony is held in Ayodhya on January 22, everybody should chant the Ram mantra ‘Sri Rama, Jayarama, Jaya Jaya Rama’ at 12.20 pm. Likewise in the evening, five-wick lamps should be lit in all parts of the house. Praying that God’s blessings may be showered upon everyone. loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu.”

Chithra received the specially consecrated ‘akshatham’ and the invitation to visit the Ayodhya temple a few days ago.

Image Source: Facebook

Her video was well-received but also seemed to rub seculars on the wrong side, especially in a communist-ruled Kerala. It is said that the attacks came primarily from Left-Islamists after her message urging devotees to chant hymns and light lamps at home during the Prana Pratishtha ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Temple went viral. 

Some of the reactions include:

Writer Indu Menon reacted harshly to K S Chithra’s request. Taking to her Facebook page, Menon wrote in Malayalam, which roughly translates to:

“Building temples and demolishing mosques are apparently signs of mutual enmity. It can be argued that first there was a temple, then it is right to have a temple there. Oh poor thing, don’t they have freedom of speech? They said their opinion, why are we politicizing it? Chitra has freedom of speech and the freedom to take a side. Glorifying a cause that has resulted in murder and genocide innocently but what was experienced was brutality. Look at how innocent she is, a woman who is innocent enough to say that even when she plunges a knife into the heart, stab without hurting you. Singer Chitra and those who stand by the classical arts may sing and learn the songs of Rama, Vishnu, Sita, and Murugan, but that does not mean that they stand by the killing of their fellow human beings. Men will surely be killed by this dagger which you innocently thrust. No matter how much you see in the blood of men, in their exodus and their pains and chant Rama naama, no Rama and no Vishnu will come, even if you light five or lakh lamps, no light will fill your mind. The world believed that it was Kuil (Nightingale) only by sound but it has been proven that you are actually a fake Nightingale. Restrict the ritual, lamp, and cultural protection to your own home.”

Singer Sooraj Santhosh also attacked KS Chithra on her video and shared an Instagram story.

Image Source: India Today Malayalam

The story roughly translates to “Highlight is the naivety of the whole world, conveniently forgetting the history and putting aside the fact that the temple was built after demolishing it. How many more are going to be broken one by one. How many K S Chithra are sitting to show their self-image. Alas! Too bad!”

Singer G Venugopal came out in support of KS Chithra and shared the below message (as reported in Janam Online):

“I have known KS Chitra for more than fifty years now. Recently, I happened to see a video of Chitra that appeared on social media. The video is about asking devotees to light lamps in their homes and pray during the Prana Pratishtha ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. Following this, several posts appeared insulting the mega singer, the person whom everyone loves. Many posts even stated the need to isolate Chitra. All this has caused great sadness for Chitra who has not been involved in any controversies to date. For the past forty-four years, Chitra has only sung songs.

Chitra has not shown any passion for reading or writing and does not have any political orientation. In this matter also, Chitra has only thought about a great temple in Bharat and her devotion towards it. Nothing beyond Music, Devotion, Reverence, Dedication, Worship, Love, and Sympathy is in her realm of thought. If Chitra’s work is analysed, the depth of her songs proves she has contributed ninety percent or more to every song she has sung. Even when she was suffering physically, not once has her voice faltered or her songs gone out of tune during any performance on stage. It is a well-known fact that Chitra is a great talent who came to this earth only to perform the task of singing.

Even if we have a difference of opinion with Chitra who has sung so many songs for us, shouldn’t we forgive her for once? There will not be even a home of a revolutionary without mothers and older sisters who would advise them to chant four hymns in the evening or go to church every Sunday or perform namaz five times a day. No one abandons them or separates them if there is a difference of opinion. We Malayalis are obsessed with this new toy called social media. Often we bravely walk along a line of truth. But sometimes we issue strict baseless guidelines also, as in the case of Chitra.

We Malayalis only have a Chitra and a Yesudas to warm the music world under the label of world-class singers. They have done much more than a human can do in a lifetime. One human lifetime is not enough for us to fully appreciate and accurately assess it. You can be uncooperative with these people, can ignore their words. None of them have reached their positions through blood-stained paths. They have achieved immortality in our music world in terms of melody and rhythm. All I request is that we be careful not to hurt them.”

It seems that KS Chithra has deleted the video after the vile attacks to her video.