(edited version appeared in UCA News)
A little known Bussa Krishna in Telangana made news, unfortunately though, in his death.
Krishna's worship of Trump was elevated to a different level when it was reported that the US President Donald Trump was hospitalized with COVID-19. Krishna shut himself in his room, refused to eat or drink, and on Oct. 11, 2020 he collapsed and expired.
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| The two demi-Gods ?? |
Was Krisha's adulation locally in his hometown and the state of Telangana and in general sense in India viewed as normal? It is more often usual for Indians to see a God in their hero; and there is no male chauvinism in it. There are a lot many 'Goddesses' too.
Krishna was a great devotee of the US President. He had built a six-feet statue of Trump at his house in Konne village in Bachannapet block of Janagaon district.
Many decades back, religion was described as the opium of people. This was a truism for all, it was a global phenomenon. But when it comes to hero worshiping of 'God and even living Man and Women' and the blind admiration; South Asians and specially Indians can easily outdo others. No wonder, political chamchagiri is a given minimum qualification !
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's admirers are mocked as 'Bhakts - meaning devotees'.
A ready reference to all these is the life and death of Bussa Krishna, otherwise the death of the 33-year-old man could have gone unreported.
Krishan's adulation was locally viewed as normal. Several popular politicians and film personalities are worshiped, and even temples have been built for them in states like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. And, guess what; everyone is unfazed !
Krishna used to 'regularly worship' the statue and even bathed it with milk. Which American voter in the world's 'most powerful' democracy can match such dedication and admiration?
Krishna was hardly 33 and according to his family sources, the man had collapsed of a heart attack at his parents’ home at Toopran in remote Medak district in Telangana state in the Deccan plateau in India. One of his kins, Vivek said - “Krishna was feeling depressed after coming to know that Trump and Melania had tested positive for Covid-19".
Such a thing may be rare in the US or in the western world, but hero worship and unprecedented dedication and adulation vis-a-vis films stars and other celebrities often make Indians 'unique'. Among all, cine star Rajinikanth's fan following in the southern state of Tamil Nadu is huge. Some years back, Rajinikanth had fallen sick and hundreds of his fans ate food from the floor with the belief that such a gesture would bring back the star to his normal health.
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| NTR in Andhra Pradesh |
"A reason for people treating MGR and Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu as demigods is their 'Robin Hood image' - robbing the rich and handing over doles to poor like mid day meal scheme in schools, Amma canteens providing good lunch at nominal payment or issuing of cycles to female students and laptops to students and also television sets for poor," says a senior Tamil journalist K R Sudhaman.
He further says, "In the 1990s, Jayalalitha admirers even printed life-size posters showing her as Virgin Mary, but when Christian community protested, the party cadres withdrew and removed those posters".
The poor and hapless Indians, suffering civic indifference, poor health facilities, and living below the poverty line, often take film worlds and lifestyles of the celebrities, something like an escape route from the merciless slavery of daily existence. They can think of such a lifestyle as heavenly, and those who enjoy it are gods.
Perhaps this is why film heroes often are seen performing 'extra-human' antics on screen. With Rajinikanth, a scene using pistol fire to light his cigarette was such a big hit, and common people would clap in cinema halls, without ridiculing the gestures rationally.
Most such hero worship is seen in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana states.
Poverty is one reason. For example, between the 1960 and 1980s, almost half of Tamil Nadu were constantly below the poverty line. Statistics show even today, in some districts of Tamil Nadu, more than half of the population live below the poverty line—meaning not enough to have a full meal a day.
The social psychology of the Indian poor helps look at politicians as a demi-god. Politicians or the 'doers' are seen as dream merchants. None other India's current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is hugely popular, used these people's aspirations as part of his political thought process.
In 2014, when Modi campaigned with a slogan: Achhey din ane waley haen (Good days will be here soon) if he is elected to power. He and his party won with a thumping majority. And he was re-elected in 2019, with some people thinking five years are too short of bringing in the good days.
Good days, come to think of it. Does it sound like the 'land of honey and milk'?
Like the kingdom of God, or Ram Rajya, the ideal kingdom when Hindu God Ram is king?
Perhaps, every Indian has been longing for good days for decades. They never had good days during the British colonial days, neither when the British left and India gained independence in 1947.
The story with post-2014 days also remains the same. Indians are waiting for good days to come.
In November 2016, when Modi enforced demonetisation, commoners had to wait in long queues to collect some Rs 2000 cash from ATMs and bank branches; yet common people did not punish their ruler.
With regard to GST, the uniform tax reform, Rahul Gandhi even called it 'Gabbar Singh Tax' - named after Hindi film's worst known negative protagonist and yet people are still with Modi. They think 'Good Days' are coming and they do not mind making these small or big sacrifices !
Coming back to our subject, the demi-God image helps politics. Tushar Bhadra, who lives in Modi's parliamentary constituency of Varanasi says the 'good days' have "different connotations for different people."
Having a Ram temple built in a controversial mosque site is part of that promised 'good days' to crores of Hindus, who believed that Islamic rulers had razed hundreds of temples over the centuries and subjugated Hindus and even deprived Hindu God Ram his place in his birthplace, Ayodhya, he said.
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| Part of Good Days 'package' |
In many cases, the fan following actually crosses religious and caste barriers. Actress Khusbu Sundar was born Muslim but her silverscreen career both in Hindi films and in southern movies made her immensely popular.
Khusbu (screen name) retained her name and fame. Her fan following is so much that the pro-Hindu BJP is now banking on her popularity as she was given primary and active membership in the saffron party last week. If it is a risk, it is definitely a well thought out strategy by the Hindu radical party.
However, there are issues as well. If ordinary lesser mortals hail someone as 'Goddess' or 'God', the living deity has to be pious, virtuous and even virginal.
In Tiruchi district in Tamil Nadu, fans had built a temple for popular actress Khusbu and called it ‘Khusbambigai Deivalayam’ (Shrine for Goddess Khusbhoo)' but the same was reportedly razed in 2006 following a row over the star's reported remarks on pre-marital sex.
The 'adulation' goes beyond Indian boundaries as well. Pooja Umashankar has a temple in her name in a foreign country, Sri Lanka.
But, it would be still erroneous to 'judge' the faceless Indian voters as 'naive'. They could be simpleton, but when it comes to the crux -- the same voters and fans keep aside their adulation either for film stars, cricket players and even political masters.
In the 1980s, popular film star Amitabh Bachchan was handed over a piece of paper at a public meet. The missive was very very categorical, "I am your huge fan and so are my brothers, cousins and friends. But we do not approve of your joining the Congress party. Come what may, we will not support your political line".
Such events actually throw up lessons for public figures. Politicians have drawn the same 'lessons' through bitter ways at times. Many celebrity-political stars have been humbled from time to time.
Leaders like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee were humbled for different reasons of course.
In 1999 parliamentary elections, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his sons lost multiple elections in Karnataka.
That Indira Gandhi was hailed as Goddess Durga, for leading a successful war against Pakistan in 1971 did not help electorally when her popularity fell due to imposition of Emergency.
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| Goddess Indira and son Sanjay |
The communists ruled the state of West Bengal in eastern India with iron fist and populism for 34 years but in the same province the Communists Party of India (Marxists) were voted out of power in 2011 and could not win a single seat in 2019. The Leftists are no longer important from an electoral point of view in this state for the battle of 2021. This was unthinkable even in 2011 !
Sports stars also face people's indifference. In 2015 World Cup cricket, after India lost badly in the semi final match against Australia, cricket star Virat Kohli was ridiculed for his 'love affairs' with actress Anushka Sharma.
One Twitter message even said: "Kohli misunderstood skipper's instruction... spend more time with sharma.... He thought of Anushka Sharma instead of batsman Rohit Sharma"
Kohli is otherwise immensely popular and a flamboyant batting sensation.
In November 2006, a group of people vandalised the house of cricketer Mohammad Kaif after his poor
show in the series against South Africa.
Psychologists often say, blind adoration of celebrities and successful politicians help commoners to distract their minds from anxious moments, challenges and failures.
But it is also a matter of concern that at times people who suffer from depression and low self-esteem are more vulnerable to extreme forms of celebrity obsession.
These people need medical care at times.
Yes; may be the right medical care could have saved a dedicated Indian fan of Donald Trump.
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