Right-wing Hindutva organizations have discovered a new target in Isaivani, an anti-caste Ganaa musician, during the season of Lord ayyappa of the renowned sabarimala in Kerala. In addition to making threats and hurling insults, they have filed police charges against her because she sang the song "I am sorry, Ayyappa" when she was six years old.
 
After a right-wing Hindu group openly circulated her telephone number, Isaivani, a bigg boss (Tamil) participant, went to the City police Commissioner to complain about the harassment and threats she had received over the phone.
 

Alleging that the song offends Hindu feelings, the Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK) filed a complaint against her and director Pa. Rajit. coimbatore and Theni have also received similar complaints.
 
The rest is a critique of caste and gender equality, patriarchy, and the purity-based prohibition on temple admission, except the first line, "I am sorry, ayyappa, naan ulla vanthaa thappappa" (Is it bad for me to visit your dwelling).
 
The song supports Dravidian leader Periyar EV Ramasamy's self-respect rationalist philosophy, which holds that women should have the freedom to choose their own attire and even their spouse. Originating in the north chennai slums and cemeteries, the contemporary tamil genre known as "ganaa" has gained popularity in movies since the early 1990s.
 

It was played in 2018 during the annual event of 'Casteless Collective,' a music band that Ranjith founded and of which both Arivu and Isaivani are essential members. It was written by the wildly popular anti-caste vocalist Arivu. Right-wing groups have used Isaivani's latest Christian devotional song, "I am Sorry Aiyappa," to attack her, saying that she is a Christian who is demeaning a Hindu deity. The state bjp has also backed them, with senior party leader H raja enquiring as to why Isaivani hasn't been detained yet.
 
It's interesting to note that the song was written and performed during a period when the supreme court ruled in favor of women of menstrual age visiting the sabarimala shrine as a constitutional privilege. Long after the song was sung on stage, the verdict was reversed.


The hashtag #IStandWithIsaivani is trending on social media, demonstrating the outpouring of support for the Ganaa singer following the planned right-wing outrage against her. In addition to Ranjith, pro-Tamil organizations and groups, writers, and activists have voiced their support for her. Ranjith's Neelam Cultural Centre condemned the attack on Isaivani in a statement, emphasizing that it is a serious threat to up-and-coming musicians and not only to a single vocalist.
 

"The tamil community is proud of Isaivani, who was chosen by the BBC as one of the top 100 female figures. The Casteless Collective accepts full responsibility for the song, which is essentially not against Aiyyappa, it stated. "A responsible and highly talented artist, she is facing vulgar abuse and a complaint has been lodged with the Commissioner of police, chennai, with evidence, against those involved," the statement read.

"Rights that have long been denied have only been granted via law as a result of persistently challenging the existing quo. It continued, asking "all those who understand the objectives and believe in democracy to stand with singer Isaivani." "This song is not about Aiyappa but has been written against the stumbling blocks standing in the path of realizing fundamental rights," the statement stated.
 
In the meantime, tamil Nadu minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment PK Sekar Babu stated that we must gather the facts and that the government will confer with legal professionals to determine whether any action against singer Isaivani is necessary.
 
 
 


 


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