Mischievous opinion and ulterior motives
Communication
has been the most dominant means of influencing and shaping a society.
Approximately in and around 720 BC the Greek alphabet reflected on the
Greeks to mull over and acquire astuteness. Writing allows the author of
a story to register what he writes in a reader’s mind exactly he intends
it to be. Thus, communication media have influenced human existence from
time immemorial.
A media turbulence did surface during the last few days out of a
statement apparently made by the Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural
Affairs about a ‘request received from an unnamed group proposing a
dress code in public holy places’, especially for women. This appeared
to have been submitted to the official committee machine to mull over
it.
Dress code
An AFP correspondent quite successfully managed to bring a hornet’s
nest upon journalists in general by making a meal out of this news item,
layered with his ‘imagination’ making a mockery of the Sri Lankan
Government policies.
A proper dress code when visiting religious places is important.
File photo |
Catching it halfway, some in this country have magnified the issue by
publicising statements to the effect that the ‘Government is going to
disallow females wearing miniskirts altogether, prohibit walking on
streets bare-foot, prevent people chewing bulathvita (pan-rolled betel
leaf) and most anomalous of all, to prohibit wearing sarongs sans
underwear’ (which jerked my memory on the ‘virginity tests’ imposed on
Asian fiances’ on entry to UK at the Heathrow airport by a Labour
administration some years back).
Even some newspapers jumped the gun in putting the fear of Moses into
the general public by stating that such alleged ‘proposals might bring
about ‘Talibanism’ to Sri Lanka.’
Existence of dress codes is not new or an isolated issue reflected on
Sri Lanka alone. In many sanctified environments the world over,
especially in Italy and France, scantily dressed women are not permitted
to enter places of worship. India’s holy places attract more and more
foreigners every year. There are some basic rules to visiting India’s
religious sites that tourists should pay attention to. Like in Sri Lanka
shoes have to be
removed prior to entering a holy place.
There are dress codes for professionals and office staff. The reason
for introducing a dress code for women particularly in consecrated
environments could be that the human eye automatically gets attracted to
some parts of the human anatomy to distract and dispel tranquillity in
one’s mind in such surroundings.
Public outcry
Whatever the reasons and demands that boosted the latest quandary and
public outcry on a ‘proposal to ban women wearing miniskirts in public’,
one need not go overboard or too obsessed by paying attention to a
nit-picking group, representing religious or cultural interests who by
their own deed and actions, becomes denuded sometimes on social issues.
Undoubtedly those who have managed to arouse a public unrest which
automatically has dampened the credibility of the government, even
temporarily, should have realised that Sri Lankan people, in the past,
generally went topless, or draped part of their clothing over their
chests and shoulders only when needed. Rodi) men and women were
compelled to go bare bodied and forced to reside in Kuppayam (separate
villages). With the advent of the Portuguese later, widespread European
type Christian ideology gave people the idea that ‘the sight of women’s
breasts was sinful’. From the natural topless Rodi women and men in
Amude (loin cloth) we have become unnaturally dressed and now proceeding
to be paranoid about it. Miniskirt is a worldwide phenomenon except in
Islamic-countries. Sri Lanka is not governed by Islamic Shariah.
Sigiri frescoes
While discussing this topic with my good friend Tony, he suggested
that the so-called pundits who have come up with bizarre and
hair-splitting suggestions ‘should have first and foremost thought of
covering the boobs of the Sigiri frescoes without showing the world that
once our women were topless even before modern day female emancipation
hit America’.
Looking at beauty naturally soothes the eye and is harmless, but the
carnal perspective one presupposes and creates in others’ mind would be
the most dangerous and sinful exploit in a society.
With thousands of tourists expected (Western females in particular)
by the year 2012, are we to dictate terms to them on a dress code and
say: “Hey lovely, no bikinis or swim suits please” in open beaches and
hotel pools. Imagine all women tourists wearing sleeved long frocks
frolicking in the sea in baggy long pants or ankle length long skirts!
What a preposterous suggestion?
Wearing Sarongs sans underwear, or walking barefoot is one’s personal
choice, if at all, why should a State be bothered about such
trivialities.
If we want to comply with a sole idea of forming moral and Dharmistic
society we need to ban horse-racing, casinos and close down the
lotteries board as well, pin point critics, as gambling too is immoral.
As long as we are governed by a secular government that does not have
religion based dress codes like in non-secular countries, even to
suggest to the State to impose such codes on its citizens would be
unacceptable.
Development process
Although the latest alleged suggestion or the proposal is ridiculed
by cynics, the authorities categorically deny that there is no such
pretence on the part of the Government and the news item that appeared
in the media was totally incorrect.
Confirming to this effect, a special statement issued by the
Government Information Department stated: “It is regretted to note that
at a time the government has embarked upon an accelerated development
process especially in the area of tourism, these types of mischievous
ideas are propagated with ulterior motives”.
For all that matters, in certain circles, the whole saga is viewed as
a storm in a teacup which has only given ammunition to a starving
opposition!
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