Notes on a Public Beating

In 2012 a man stood for four days in a queue to get up close with the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh idol, the most famous pandal in Mumbai during the 10-day festival. He had a reason in wanting this deity to lend a helping hand in getting his sister married off. We, of course, have no idea whether the God rewarded him but despite the give-and-take involved, there is something to be said of a supplicant who is willing to endure suffering.

But what exactly accrues to one who saunters through a VIP line for the same glimpse? Is there anything there but the gratification of ego at having been able to cut a queue? In a place of worship, the VIP line is an absurdity, but one firmly drawn and enforced. Recently a video went viral of two women constables thrashing a girl because she tried to get in through the VIP gate of the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati. She had had enough of standing in the regular queue while watching others walk in through the other gate. When stopped, she is said to have abused the policewomen and got her just desserts.

The government has suspended the policewomen, but the root cause— the existence of the VIP line itself—is not up for debate. That is because the Chief Minister does not want to be in the line with ordinary people waiting for 90 hours to do his worship. But why shouldn’t he, when he always has the option of not going there at all?

At the Tirupati temple, they actually have a finely structured system with different categories of VIPs. Last month, at one of those days when crowds swell up, in the interests of the common man’s convenience, they put on hold something called VIP Break Darshan. But alas, with a rider that The Hindu reported as, ‘Only the VIPs who fall under protocol category will be entertained.’

If we must accept the inevitability of faith as wired into human beings, then at least allow for a difference between a higher and lower order of faith. Someone who believes in God as an immutable all-encompassing force is different from one who wears an amulet on his upper arm expecting to ward off diabetes. A VIP line falls in the latter category, a crass institution that is nothing but a mark of privilege and unashamedly flaunted as such.

Take this quote by the actress Kangana Ranaut to The Times of India after they interviewed her outside Lalbaugcha Raja: “When I first came to Mumbai in 2005, I was introduced to Lalbaugcha Raja ka Ganpati. People said it was auspicious and I must visit, but at that time, it was way out of my league. There would be long lines and VIP darshan queues that I had no access to. But ever since I have become an actor, I get invited. Anything good that happens in my life is preceded by this darshan.”

How fortunate that Kangana Ranaut became famous enough to get that invitation. And for the others who don’t want to get beaten up, they had better start taking acting lessons.

darshan queuesLalbaugcha Raja Ganpatiplace of worshipVIP queque