At this point I have to correct a position I had taken in an internet discussion after a naked depiction of goddess Saraswati by Husian had caused some commotion. I had pointed out that Saraswati had been introduced in Japan by the Buddhists under the name Benzai-ten, and that this goddess does get depicted naked. Indeed, a naked sculpture of Benzai-ten is shown in many books of Buddhist or Japanese art history (e.g Louis Frederic: Les Dieux du Bouddhisme, Flammarion, Paris 1992, p.223 ff.). However, that sculpture is not functioning idol in a temple but located in a museum. In a temple, such a naked sculpture is clothed every morning, and worshippers only see her clothed. This practice of clothing a sculpture is not uncommon in Hindu-Buddhist devotionalism, e.g even the giant Bamian Buddhas in Afghanistan used to be clothed. The Japanese are less prudish than the Indians, but even they worship their deities in clothed form. Likewise, even the impudent Greeks depicted only Aphrodite, the goddess of erotic love, in the nude; but Artemis, Athena, Demeter and other goddesses are always shown covered.

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P.S. One important clarification by Sandhya Jain-ji:

Nudity is NOT observed by Jaina saints as part of their ascetic discipline. First of all, there is no nudity in dharma. The Digambara Jaina Muni becomes Digambara (clothed in air) when he attains the pinnacle of his dharmic consciousness; the clothes fall with the loss of false consciousness, and it is not as if there is training in living naked like in a nudist camp in America. There is naturally no sensuality here, and there is no need for Elst to even raise this here.

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Here’s Sh Sibal’s double-speak:
““What do you think about these derogatory pictures of the Prophet Mohammed..
Anybody will feel outraged. The government of India does not believe in censorship. But sensitivity and feelings of different communities cannot be allowed to be hurt” http://bit.ly/skQwxj

Isn’t this exile self-enforced to avoid appearing in the courts?

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“He travels freely except to India, where he faces legal harassment and physical threats, with the system impotent and not committed to enabling his return.”
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Legal harassment? So in that case, the laws need to be changed. But that would hurt the Islamist cause in India, so in N. Ram’s view, following the law becomes “legal harassment”. So much for respecting the rule of law.

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“It is ironical that a country whose religious art often portrays nudity and even overt sexuality, as in the case of the Khajuraho sculptures and the murals and frescoes of south Indian temples, has grown so intolerant as to drive into permanent exile its most famous artist. “
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This most famous artist also withdrew from circulation, his film “Meenaxi” when some Islamists objected to it. Unfortunately, nary a peep was heard from the intelligentsia, and I doubt that N. Ram will have the guts to take up that issue of censorship. It’s best to sweep it under the carpet, while bursting one’s lungs about “Hindutva fascists”.

And religious art portraying nudity does not imply that the gods and goddesses are also displayed in nude.

Would it be creative freedom or secular or liberal if a Hindu artist were to paint Muhammad or depict Allah? And in the nude?

Would N Ram have the same comments to make? Why not?

Ref: N Ram on M F Husain’s new nationality

India’s most celebrated artist MF Husain has been offered Qatar nationality, according to a report in The Hindu.

The report said that Husain was “Honoured by Qatar nationality” but deeply saddened by his enforced exile and the need now to give up the citizenship of the land of his birth, which he has lovingly and secularly celebrated in his art covering a period of over seven decades.

Indian government does not allow dual citizenship, therefore, Husain will have to give up his Indian passport if he decides to take up Qatar citizenship.

The report also said that Husain did not apply for Qatar nationality and that it was conferred upon him at the instance of the modernising emirate’s ruling family.