HEAT OVER CHUTNEY

The temple, which has been in existence for the past 30 years, is a major tourist attraction and is considered sacred not only by Hindus but by others who see it as a place for worship, meditation and quiet reflection. But now, Persad-Maharaj said, the temple and all that it stands for has been violated. “The video is a violation of the sanctity Hindus have for their deities and places of worship.

It is disgraceful and an insult to all Hindus and all people who respect places of worship,” Persad- Maharaj told Newsday yesterday during an interview outside the temple.

He believes the chutney singer starring in the video, Rick Jacob, was looking for a way to fame and to promote his video and song, but went about it in a distasteful and disgraceful manner. Persad-Maharaj said he is the only person who can grant permission for the use of the premises on which the temple and a 90-foot tall statue of Hindu God Lord Hanuman are located. The statue is internationally renowned as being the tallest, outside of India. Persad-Maharaj said the singer did not seek nor was granted approval to use the holy premises.

“The sacred grounds of our Ashram were used without our knowledge and I would also like to mention that it is a criminal offence for any person to behave indecently in any place of divine worship at any time. I therefore request him to act promptly to avoid embarrassment and legal costs,” Persad-Maharaj warned.

The centre’s president said he is not certain when and at what time Jacob gained access to the premises to shoot the music video, which shows Jacob dancing in front of a murti (blessed statue of a Hindu deity).

“Apparently he chose a day and time when the temple was closed and nobody was around to prevent him from doing his mischief,” Persad-Maharaj said.

He is demanding that the chutney artiste immediately withdraw the offensive video from all online social media sites and apologise to the Hindu community for, “this most outrageous conduct in front of our deities.” The two and a half minute long long video features Jacob in different areas of the temple, dancing and singing. In one verse, Jacob sings, “Girl you know you drive me crazy...Girl wine your waist.” Other times he places his hands together in mock prayer. The video also showed the chutney singer dancing in front of murtis.

Even as the music video was roundly condemned and criticised on social media, Jacob also took to his Facebook account to defend himself. He stated in a post that he was not being disrespectful to anyone. “I swear to my Lord that i don’t play with people religions”, he wrote in the post.

In another post (unedited by Newsday), also on Facebook, he writes: “i want alyuh addess me on the streets when alyuh see me come and ask meh why i do the video dey and i go tell alyuh since alyuh dho believe we get permission.” His responses did not go well with many Facebook users who accuse him - some with colourful language - of being disrespectful.

Satnarayan Maharaj, General Secretary of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha - the country’s largest Hindu organisation - also weighed in on the issue, strongly condemning the actions of Jacob and lamenting that a temple, just like a church or mosque, is a place of worship and not for fun and games.

“He had no right to do that! He should be condemned and if there is a legal case to be made, then it should be made. I will support Ramesh (Persad-Maharaj) if he files any court action,” Maharaj said. Also echoing similar views was Chutney Soca Monarch competition promoter and CEO of Southex Promotions George Singh who said that Jacob’s song was distasteful and disrespectful to the Hindu community. “As promoter of the annual Chutney Soca Monarch, I would say this is not a tune that can make it to the semi-finals,” Singh said. Efforts to reach Jacob for a comment yesterday, proved futile.