Guernica Remembered
April 26, 1937 – Guernica Y Luno – bombardment by Germans – devastation – one-third of the population killed or wounded - … Do these fragments mean anything? Yes- these were the sperms that triggered the fertilization, giving birth to one of the greatest works by Pablo Picasso, the monumental oil painting – “Guernica”. Sounds interesting? What do these fragments mean? Is it denoting some warfare? What was the cause? … To find answers to innumerable questions, let us set out for a journey to Spain, Spain of the 1930’s...
Guernica Y Luno, a town in Northern Spain is the cultural capital of the Basque people. Peace prevailed. However, on July 18, 1936 the Spanish Civil War begins resulting in the formation of two zones – a rebel held Nationalist zone and a Republican or Loyalist zone. A long civil war ensued. Both sides received help from abroad. Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany sent troops, arms and aircraft to aid the nationalists. USSR furnished military equipment to the Loyalists.
The Nationalists tried to conquer Madrid, but were defeated. Following failure at Madrid, Nationalist forces launched a difficult campaign (April to October 1937) to conquer the Basque Country, Austrias and other industrial areas of Northern Spain. The infamous German bombing of Guernica occurred during this campaign.
The bombardment started in the afternoon of April 26, 1937 and lasted for three hours. One-hundred pounds of high explosive and incendiary bombs were dumped over the city of Guernica. It was market day and the majority of the population was present there. Almost one-third of the total population of Guernica were killed or wounded.
By May 1, the news of the massacre reaches Paris, where more than a million protestors flood the streets to condemn against the massacre. Eyewitness reports fill the front pages of Paris newspapers. Picasso, who was in Paris at that time, goes through the stark black and white photographs. He is stunned at the happenings at his motherland and he was stimulated to paint “Guernica”.
The painting “Guernica” was completed in less than two months. The painting was completed in less than two months. The painting does not portray the event, rather, Picasso expressed his outrage by employing such imagery as a bull, a dying horse, a fallen warrior, a mother and a dead child, a woman trapped in a burning building, another rushing into the scene and a figure leaning out from the window and holding out a lamp. Despite the complexity of its symbolism and impossibility of definitive interpretation, “Guernica” makes an overwhelming impact in its portrayal of the horrors of war. It now hangs in Madrid’s museum of the 20th Century Art, the Reina Sofia Art Centre.
This is the seventieth anniversary year of the painting “Guernica”. We cannot contain war at any stage, only the extinction of the World will make it possible. Therefore, until that day “Guernica” will remain communicating silently to the world about the atrocities and aftermaths of war. However, is anyone seeing it, is anyone hearing it, is anyone understanding it? Even if they do, they simply pretend…
Sabarinath Bahuleyan.
sabarinathbahuleyan@gmail.com
Thursday, 12 April 2007
REPEAL SECTION 377 OF THE IPC
Repeal Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code…?
“Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and also shall be liable for fine”. This is Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code-the law against homosexuality.
In India, homosexuality still is considered as a taboo subject, religiously as well as culturally. Recently, writer Vikram Seth wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister requesting to repeal Section 377. He was backed by Amartya Sen and many other celebrities. A sexual health NGO Naz Foundation filed public interest litigation in this matter. They demanded equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Many countries have declared homosexuality legal. But is it feasible in India? Should Section 377 be repealed? No would be the best answer. There are a lot of social, religious and above all psychological problems that will crop up if the law is repealed. Let us watch closely our home state-Kerala.
“Guys4Men” is a popular gay dating web site. According to their recent statistics over 30% of their members in India are Malayalees - thanks to literacy and tech savoir-faire. You can post your profile in this website. The most interesting thing is that almost 40% of the profiles contain photographs of he person. The modern youth have mutated that they don’t hesitate to reveal that they are gay or bisexual. Where is the society heading for?
A recent study done by the Malayala Manorama on the case of missing children divulged strange conclusions. It brought into light the activities of many sex rackets in the state, especially in the northern parts of Kerala. Their activities included kidnapping children below the age of fifteen and supplying them to clients. The children are drugged before indulging in sex. The children loose their mental rhythm and become drug addicts. Many of these children abducted in their early teens never reach back home. In the process they transform into agents. This is the state when the law against homosexuality holds. Just imagine a condition if the law is taken off. The condition is unimaginable.
Fidelity in homosexual relationships is another issue. This causes a lot of psychological problems. One of the partners becomes suspicious about the other’s relationship. This creates stress and many psychological problems. Recently in Malappuram a teenager was brutally murdered. His genitals were chopped off and defaced. The police started the investigation with a notion that terrorists were involved. But within days it was revealed that he was a gay and had a homosexual relationship with a friend and it was his feeling of insecurity that prompted him to kill his friend.
This is not a rare case. A significant cause of suicides can also be traced to homosexual relationships. The feeling of being dejected by family and the society puts them in a really tense situation. Nandu and Sheela, the lesbian couple had created waves in the capital city some years back. They received immense media attention. They said that they would never separate. Four years later, Nandu is alone. Sheela eloped with her boyfriend. A dejected Nandu now tries hard to start a new life.
Male sex workers are also very common now. According to the State AIDS Control Mission, these male sex workers are a high risk group. They indulge in sodomy, without any protection. The law if repealed will hit the current AIDS awareness programmes.
The government should think well and act. As Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said there would not be much appreciation for repealing the law in India. That itself is the right answer…..
Sabarinath Bahuleyan.
sabarinathbahuleyan@gmail.com
“Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and also shall be liable for fine”. This is Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code-the law against homosexuality.
In India, homosexuality still is considered as a taboo subject, religiously as well as culturally. Recently, writer Vikram Seth wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister requesting to repeal Section 377. He was backed by Amartya Sen and many other celebrities. A sexual health NGO Naz Foundation filed public interest litigation in this matter. They demanded equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Many countries have declared homosexuality legal. But is it feasible in India? Should Section 377 be repealed? No would be the best answer. There are a lot of social, religious and above all psychological problems that will crop up if the law is repealed. Let us watch closely our home state-Kerala.
“Guys4Men” is a popular gay dating web site. According to their recent statistics over 30% of their members in India are Malayalees - thanks to literacy and tech savoir-faire. You can post your profile in this website. The most interesting thing is that almost 40% of the profiles contain photographs of he person. The modern youth have mutated that they don’t hesitate to reveal that they are gay or bisexual. Where is the society heading for?
A recent study done by the Malayala Manorama on the case of missing children divulged strange conclusions. It brought into light the activities of many sex rackets in the state, especially in the northern parts of Kerala. Their activities included kidnapping children below the age of fifteen and supplying them to clients. The children are drugged before indulging in sex. The children loose their mental rhythm and become drug addicts. Many of these children abducted in their early teens never reach back home. In the process they transform into agents. This is the state when the law against homosexuality holds. Just imagine a condition if the law is taken off. The condition is unimaginable.
Fidelity in homosexual relationships is another issue. This causes a lot of psychological problems. One of the partners becomes suspicious about the other’s relationship. This creates stress and many psychological problems. Recently in Malappuram a teenager was brutally murdered. His genitals were chopped off and defaced. The police started the investigation with a notion that terrorists were involved. But within days it was revealed that he was a gay and had a homosexual relationship with a friend and it was his feeling of insecurity that prompted him to kill his friend.
This is not a rare case. A significant cause of suicides can also be traced to homosexual relationships. The feeling of being dejected by family and the society puts them in a really tense situation. Nandu and Sheela, the lesbian couple had created waves in the capital city some years back. They received immense media attention. They said that they would never separate. Four years later, Nandu is alone. Sheela eloped with her boyfriend. A dejected Nandu now tries hard to start a new life.
Male sex workers are also very common now. According to the State AIDS Control Mission, these male sex workers are a high risk group. They indulge in sodomy, without any protection. The law if repealed will hit the current AIDS awareness programmes.
The government should think well and act. As Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said there would not be much appreciation for repealing the law in India. That itself is the right answer…..
Sabarinath Bahuleyan.
sabarinathbahuleyan@gmail.com
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