The SSVT committee cancels a concert by T M Krishna after the efforts made by the army of Sanatana Dharma
It was over the weekend, that I was reading several articles about the prominent Carnatic musicians singing Christian hymns in Carnatic style and using partial original traditional saints’ compositions. TM Krishna challenged he would release at least one song a month on Jesus and Allah. To me, the problem was not about him singing on Jesus and Allah, but using Carnatic music which is used to express bhakti by the original composers. The maestros can make their own music rather than steal and distort the original songs and intent respectively.
On Sunday night in a social context I learnt that TM Krishna was invited to a local prominent and oldest temple SRI SIVA VISHNU TEMPLE, my resolve was strong to stop him from performing at the temple. I immediately sent a text message to one of the Board members strongly opposing the performance of TM Krishna and explained my reasoning and discontentment. I also cautioned that several Santana dharma groups will take strong objections.
Next morning I posted it in Hindu groups and shared my views. It did not take much to have overwhelming response and commitment from Hindu community. A couple of volunteers drafted letters to the temple committee with links to supporting articles and statements made by the prominent singers. While this effort was on, I quickly took to Facebook with protest and within minutes, several people joined to express their disappointment.
Carnatic vocalists O.S. Arun and Nithyashree Mahadevan, who are promoting conversion through singing Christian hymns, by barring them from singing in Hindu places of worship in the USA.
Hundreds of people pledged to make phone calls to the temple and leave messages, send emails, take to social media, whichever they chose.
A few hours later, the letters were finalized and kudos to Krishna Gudipati for having the letters ready by evening and circulated among the groups to email them to SSVT committee.
As a last resort, Krishna Gudipati and I even planned a rally at the temple on Sep 9th, local Hindus and from NJ pledged to take part in the rally.
On Tuesday morning, in less than 24 hrs, received a text from the committee member I reached out to, with the great news that SSVT committee had made a decision to cancel the concert by TM Krishna!! This news was relayed to the groups and there were jubilant celebrations I never witnessed before. But I told everyone to wait for the formal announcement by the temple.
Now, we are the army of Sanatana Dharma who pledged to keep Carnatic vocalists O. S. Arun and Nithyashree Mahadevan, who are promoting conversion through singing Christian hymns, by barring them from singing in Hindu places of worship in the USA. Mohan Deval, Chandra Mohan, and Ram Sastry are few to name who are proactively tracking all the above-mentioned vocalists’ scheduled programs in the US.
United we stand to defend our religious and cultural traditions of Sanatana Dharma!!
Note:
1. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus
She serves as a (Board of Director) BoD for Asian American Coalition for Education fighting for Equal Education in K-12 and discrimination against Asian students in the admissions of Ivy League Schools in the US to establish “race-neutral” admissions. She is also the Director of Outreach, Infinity Foundation.
- Should minorities get impunity? - June 29, 2019
- Discrimination in College Admission of Asian Students in Harvard University and Ivy League Schools - October 22, 2018
- Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, US cancels T M Krishna concert - August 19, 2018
This effort to cancel his concert is stupid, and at best against the core of tolerance Hinduism teaches. It is shameful that the Hinduism (Hindus) of today has lost its basic — thanks to pseudo representatives like you. How does one aim to achieve moksha, when they deny knowledge?
So Ironical all these fake nationalists living in the US and harping about Hindu Dharma. You guys are feku’s and the real Hindus in India will not tolerate your double face treachery. if you care so much come back to india and make change. don’t harp from a foreign land. Bloody double face fools
Great work Manga!!!
Excellent work. This type of plagarisation needs to be stopped.
Bored housewives of engineer husbands
This is not Sanatana Dharma- the all encompassing and most compassionate and accepting dharma that ever was. Those who abuse Sanatana Dharma in this manner create great adharma for themselves and can never have good motive. Christ is revered in Sanatana Dharma as a great Rishi and a Guru. We worship him in our temple, have specific Samskrit mantras for His worship and have countless bhajans and hymns that are sung as part of a Hindu ceremony during Christmas along with a Latin mass prayer. We refer to ‘Christ consciousness’ and chant ‘I am in my Father and my Father is in me’ because we understand it to be equivalent of ‘सो ऽहम्’. All great teachers taught peace, love, acceptance and tolerance. Music is the universal language of love and there can not be a more pure offering of love towards God by dedicating music sung in one of the oldest classical traditions of the world!
I humbly request you to kindly not abuse the Sanatana Dharma tradition and instead spread your propaganda of religious hate without impacting those who are actually serious seekers of God.
May Shiva bless you with increased consciousness and better motives in this lifetime.
Please don’t devise your own sanatan dharma.
Hinduism accepts all forms of gods and all gods but not those who call Hindu gods as devil gods or evils.
We know our dharma and we have to save it.
Go and preach about Sanatan dharma and it’s great values to north east countries and to coastal areas where Hindus are converted in mass.
Then come here to advice.
The songs were not plagiarised. They are lyrics set to carnatic ragas not imitating compositions by anyone else. The intentional use for conversions though a possibility is protected by the Constitution of India. Art is a medium. Preventing artists from expressing themselves is a challenge to freedom of speech and expression. I understand the problem of proselytization in India but the right wing backlash is misdirected. Rather than prove conversions are being made through coercion and bring those attempting such activities to task , this action challenges the nature of Hinduism and it’s values as a philosophy that supports diverse thought. While it would be right to demand that tmk should only sing certain type of songs at this venue, cancelling it all together is an action meant as a political statement. I call those supporting freedom of speech and expression to arrange another concert with named singers singing any songs they please! Art requires patronage and if moderates don’t speak up then hindutva, with the political extreme Hindu views becomes the face of Hinduism!
Who says Carnatic form of music is only for prayer songs. We use it in our love songs, pop songs, and where not. How is it limited to just Hindu. Who are you declare its just for hindu GODs. Shame on you for using this as excuse.
The Carnatic form is not, but the songs sung by these singers were reworded compositions of many stalwarts. More importantly the originals were Bhakthi evoking ones. So these singers have not just plagiarized, but have done so with an ulterior intent.
There are innumerable songs, that have used Carnatic, but are beyond Hindu religion.
Well done Manga…
Very good job. We need more ppl like this
Mangaji, Hindus need many more gutsy men and women like you to boldly stand up for Dharma, the righteous cause. We have assimilated many cultures and races due to intrinsic strength of Sanatan Dharma protected zealously by our Rishis and Mahatmas. In the best interest of mankind , each one of us has to actively safeguard the eternal values of Hinduism manifested in various forms of our culture from erosion by attackers of single book believers army .
does it include casteism?
Well done! Our may help if the momentum now built to protect Hindu culture is proactively used to lobby with all temples/sabhas in the US to blacklist these singers
Thank you, Manga. We are behind you.
US is a predominantly christian country, we are being fanatics here, they are watching us. It will but take a moment for our neighbours around here to make this a big issue and make us look like fools. TMK is a talented singer, has taken carnatic music to places where it has never been before, he part of our culture very much with all it’s differences
Sorry… TMK has not taken Carnatic music anywhere. Carnatic music has taken him to places that he now doesn’t deserve.
Well Said. It is Carnatic Music which took him to this height and he has started abusing everyone who is coming on his way towards achieving more Magsasays
What if ? What if they think of you as fools?
Right to safeguard Hindu culture should be there in every hindu.
Please don’t suppress such Hindu awareness by your stupid thoughts.
Thulasi n om namo Narayana is being told as belonging to Christianity n Narayana is replaced with their gods chants.
How long do you want us to keep mom.
USA is not a place out of the world.
If you are sacred of christians then be like that.
Indic Culture and tradition have to be saved.
How many of you went to north east when it was converted to Christianity n how many of you opposed christian expansion along coastal areas.
The world is not only for Christians.
One commenter below, thought of this protest to be due to “narrow mindedness”. The context for this protest is not just in-appropriate use of the art, but the bigger problem proselytization. Most of the protesters, if I may hazard a guess, would not mind sending their children to Catholic schools, rejoice their children singings carols in day care/kindergarten, and wish their Christian friends “Happy Christmas”, against the current secular diktat from western organizations’ management. Unfortunately, they are also contextually aware with regards to proselytization in India. Conversions are based on narrow minded claim about superiority of one’s god / faith. If the non-Hindu religious heads/organizations were to forbid conversions in India, there would not be any religious tensions, let alone such protests on inappropriate use of art. Such forbiddance would not violate one’s freedom of religion to propagate, when propagation is limited to interpretation of their holy texts and guidance of the followers of that particular faith. This single act will be more humane and positively impactful than the monetary aid that these organization clamor to send to India. Yet, this is unlikely to happen and such tensions are bound to increase – a scary proposition indeed.
I agree. Our people think it is narrowmindedness because they are blissfully unaware of inculturation, digestion and mass conversions.
T M Krishna thinks that he is a great composer. If really has guts and courage, let him go and sing the Lord Siva Song in a church or a mosque. Why steal the composition of great masters and fine tune to cater to the needs of Church activists and Islamic group, which dont believe in music and bhakthi. Krishna has guts only to shout at Hindus and mock at Hinduism.
Well said. Let him try to describe Alla as we do to our gods… We can then watch the fun… He will become anorher hiding salman Rushdi…
Great Job and Effort. Our culture and religion needs to be preserved. I am willing to join any efforts in this regard.
It is easy to rush to judgment: when having a hammer at hand everything looks like a nail. In this age where we have been learning lessons on power of social network and its negative potential to cloud thinking the other way – even the educated and cosmopolitan can falter. So take a deep breath and look at the big picture before pillorying sincere and ardent artists who have contributed to temples & Hindu causes immensely:
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-chronicle-of-collaboration/article24732325.ece
Moreover, boycotting one’s own is not ‘unification’ in the face of possible conversion threat from outside.
Real bravery lies in confronting (non-threateningly and non-violently) those threats – real or perceived. Let’s look inward.
Hindu groups should persuade the Pope and all other church fathers to recognize the fact that Jesus is none other than an avatar of Vishnu. That would require an intellectual leap of faith. But it is not impossible. Ask the Jesuits.
I heard a bhajan which had tunes from famous Nagoor Haniffa number iraivinadam kai yendhungal.is that ok with Hindus
in 2000, when missionaries wanted to hijack yoga from Hindu fold, then respected pm Vajpayeeji made sure to declare them as public knowledge. Why can’t we now do the same say declare all our saint works as intellectual property & no one should plagiarise or misuse them?
We should campaign for an enactment of Patent law covering our Music, Hindu deities ‘idols with the appropriate weapons of each deity as we have been worshipping for ages to prevent such misappropriation partly or wholly.
Shekharji, that project is already underway!!! I have few people who are dedicated, fully charged with positive energy came forward to help me with this project. While we are engaged in developing comprehensive document, I am also building strong cultural leaders and political allies to make this project a reality.
This is the only mission of my life… living and breathing…
I urge everyone to join me… ????
Best wishes mam.
We will ensure these folks dont sing in the Panguni festival at Kapali anymore by circulating pamphlets in advance and complaining to the Trustee and the EO
Great! So glad we are standing up to protect our culture. Keep it up.
Happy to witness the spontaneous reaction of our people in cancelling the program of TMK. Whoever have misused Carnatic kirthanas to help Christian missionaries in their pursuit to convert the poor Hindu gullible in India with money power, they should never be given chances in any Sabha around the world supported and managed by Hindus. These Carnatic exponents have stooped so low for the sake of money. Our Hindu Dharma have not taught them anything ? Particularly these happens to be brahmins in caste is saddening. TMK had the audacity of proclaiming that he will release songs on Allah and Jesus every month. He things he is above everything else. Time he learns lessons.
Interesting to read this article to find out how many hindus feel the way they have to voice anger in unison to what has been going on for many decades.It is poignant to note that when portugese landed in our west coast,started oppressing hindus so as to convert them to their cause,it was the brahmins who converted enmasse,,there is a streak in brahminism of obstinacy,rebelliousness,argumentativeness which by itself are not negative qualities but when taken to extreme becomes counter productive.In this hour of togetherness to fight this menace of conversion brigade,hindus need to become smart rather than angry.Someone should get close to these trio O.S.Arun/Nityashree/ArunaSairam,findout what were the inducements given to them and by whom.This will guide us to identify them and their game plan.It is game ,anger or disgust should not come into it.Just as they have right to propagate their cause, hindus have just reasons to protect our way of life.Finally it is important for all brahmin “caste” people to realise that hinduism has survived inspite of strong efforts to obliterate because of the staunch belief of not only their caste but all other castes.It is time,entire hindu community are given their due,respect.When hinduism survive and expand in the next 100 years, it is also due to collective beliefs/efforts of all.
Will Churches and Mosques permit singing of Hindu Bhakthi songs in there? I honestly welcome that day, if it were to happen. Then we can sing each one’s songs at each others places of worship.
TM krishna has sung in a church praising all hindu gods and also “allah”. There are many sufi saints who have sung praises of hindu gods.The greatest strength of hindusim is that it can transcend all narrow minded or constricting ideas of god, unfortunately hindus are just becoming as insolent as other fanatical religious groups…
Ms Manga Anantamulla _ hats off ; you have done an act of protecting hindu dharma.
We should stop teaching yoga to Americans which meant for salvation not sales
https://m.facebook.com/noconversion/
Please see and show these pictures and videos to the so called secular people to know what is really happening…
If a Nityasree or TMK sings Jesus songs..they are going to use that to influence people heavily…
O.S. Arun, Nithyasree or TM Krishna probably have scant regard for Sri Thiagarajar, Sri Muthuswamy Dikshidar, Sri Syama Sastry – the Carnatic Music மும்மூர்த்திகள் and it shows the three singers who are singing Carnatic Music for money do not have conscience and are an *insult* to their Gurus and the Society. MSS if alive would have disowned Nithyasree as her shishyai. Congratulations to the Sanadhana Team and it’s Lead.
Yeah thats right haha….the biggest classical singers who spent their entire childhood and entire adult life dedicating their lives to the arts have no regard for the mumoorthis but you do. You guys are a disgrace to the human race. A sad day for music and Hinduism.
Well said
O.S. Arun, Nithyasree or TM Krishna probably have scant regard for Sri Thiagarajar, Sri Muthuswamy Dikshidar, Sri Syama Sastry – the Carnatic Music மும்மூர்த்திகள் and it shows the three singers who are singing Carnatic Music for money do not have conscience and are an *insult* to their Gurus and the Society. MSS if alive would have disowned Nithyasree as her shishyai. .
Kudos
Kudos to your efforts! If he is going to be secular in music, using a music genre that was created for and held dear by a particular religion, then he should sing at secular places. Temples need not support him.
Koti koti Naman to Manga Anantatmula, Rajesh Gooty ,Krishna Gudipati and all those participated thru mails, messages ,phone calls and letters .
This act of yours has surely inspired many of us Sanatani to take a lead in such matters .
Great ?
Kudos to Manga Madam. I am a proud Hindu and today my joy today know no bounds
Please keep up the good work so that ou Sanathana Dharma can be protected from Evangelists and itls ilk.
Kudos to you Manga Anantatmula!
I put in a similar effort to extract a statement from Unnikrishnan during his concert at Atlanta last week.We had couple of discussions with the artist,he agreed to release the statement but in the last minute changes it to a victim’s narrative.He was worried about his engagements with other institutions and did not want to stand up for Hindu cause.
Congrats to Manga Madame n team. Wish this kind of activism was there in India. Won’t be surprised if Sabhas continue to invite Janab TM Krishna, a politician masquerading as an artiste. Hindus on foreign soil are more Hindu than Hindus in Hindustan.
Kudos to Manga Anantatmula for her great effort and excellent result of bringing Sanatan Dharmis together for a cause. We Sanatan Dharmis have to be ever vigilant at these breaking forces.
Why does this dishonest man not change his name to jesus?
Oh, I did say he is dishonest, didn’t I?
Superb slap .
u forgot about “Yesudas” one of the finest artist of our times
Wow. Wow. Wow. This was the response I was expecting to these rotten behavior by some if our carnatic musicians. The same treatment should happen in T. Nadu also. If you hit them financially, then discipline the Hindu society will be easier
I’m floored! Kudos! Those of us in India should also ensure such sickular artists are boycotted!
It’s not unusual for temples to insist on artistes singing songs that conform to their faith or sub-faith. For example, the Sri Ranganatha Temple in Pomona, NY insists that all concerts on their premises only feature pieces that are in praise of Vaishnava deities (Rama, Krishna, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Andal, Garuda, Hanuman, etc.). Even songs about Lord Ganesha are forbidden.
As such, it is not wrong for SSVT to ban TMK unless he was willing to sing only pieces on Hindu deities.
HOWEVER, it is wrong to say that Carnatic Music is ONLY for devotional pieces. If that were so, large numbers of film songs from the 1940s and even today, should engender mass protests, as many are based on Carnatic ragas and are clearly **light** music, NOT devotional in the least. Krishna is to be praised for being willing to point that out, and it is narrow-mindedness to suggest that he or OS Arun or Nithyashree should not also sing Christian or Islamic pieces in Carnatic music concerts that are in non-religious settings.
Mr. Srinivas, The issue here as stated in the article is “the problem was not about him singing on Jesus and Allah, but using Carnatic music which is used to express bhakti by the original composers”. You have conveniently ignore this in your reply. Why? UrbanNaxals, presstitutes and their sympathizers do this to confuse the public? I sincerely hope you are not promoting their agenda.
If you can read the article, you can clearly understand that anybody can sing their own carnatic compositions, but cannot steal from ancient composers. I am not sure that you did not understand this by reading the article…
Wonderful ::: these musicians also dont bring out youngsters too in support of singing, selfish will sing by themselves , make money and leave, bot transfer and share the knowledge of the singing.
Sri Shiva Vishnu temple in Maryland?
What is Suva
It was a typo. Fixed.
Thank you. I would love to help. I had no idea there was a concerted effort like this. I put up my own FB and Twitter protest. If you think I can help please let me know. facebook.com/10000265092443…
Fantastic. This guy may be talented but a mad idiot.
Kudos to you Manga Ma’am!