30-sec summary
Recently, Bharat Matrimony, an online matrimonial platform, faced criticism due to its advertisement that was released in celebration of the Holi festival. The ad sparked controversy as some individuals found it to be anti-Hindu, leading to many netizens requesting that Bharat Matrimony take down the ad and apologize for it. In this blog, we will delve into the incident and explore what exactly happened to cause this significant backlash.
What happened?
Bharat Matrimony made a video for International Women's Day and Holi, which are on the same day this year (March 8th). In the video, a woman's face is covered in Holi colors, but when she washes it off, we see bruises and wounds from the harassment women often face during Holi. The video explains that this harassment can cause immense trauma, and as a result, one-third of women who have experienced it have stopped playing Holi.Before we continue, let's take a moment to understand why we celebrate Holi.
Why we celebrate Holi
Holi is a festival in India with different traditions. One story is about a demon king who tried to kill his son, a worshipper of Vishnu, with the help of his sister. But she burned instead and the son was saved. This is celebrated by lighting a pyre in some places.
The second story associated with Holi is about the Hindu god Krishna, who fell in love with a Radha. Krishna was embarrassed about his dark skin color while Radha had a fair complexion. So, to rectify this, he playfully colored Radha's face with different colors. This act is believed to be the origin of the tradition of throwing colored water and powder during Holi festivities. The story symbolizes the breaking of social norms and boundaries, as love is not constrained by differences.
Our Opinion
In our opinion, while the message behind the advertisement is very good and shows a positive message, it is not appropriate to link it with the festival of Holi. The issue of harassment against women is not limited to Holi or any other festival. It is happening throughout the year. Some people with a certain mentality can find a reason to justify their actions, not just during Holi.
If we look at the data, the National Commission for Women had received 30,957 complaints in 2022. The percentage of women harassment cases during Holi is less than 1%, which leads towards the question of why we need to connect it with Holi in the first place. We should focus on changing the laws and our mindset towards women, rather than just trying to blame it on one festival. It is not right to associate the joyful festival of Holi with such a negative aspect. Instead, we need to work towards creating a safe environment for women throughout the year.
What do you think?
