Tamil Poet Vairamuthu's 'Lord Ram Lost His Mind' Remark Sparks Political and Religious Backlash In Chennai

Chennai: Celebrated yet controversial Tamil poet-lyricist Vairamuthu has ignited a political and religious row with his recent claim that Lord Ram “lost his mind” after Sita was abducted by Ravan. Speaking at a Chennai Kamban Kazhagam event last Friday, in the presence of CM MK Stalin, Vairamuthu argued that Kamban’s Tamil Ramayana portrayed Ram’s killing of Vaali from behind a tree as an act committed in a state of mental instability.

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The lyricist, who faced multiple sexual harassment charges during the #MeToo movement, said Valmiki, Vaali, and the world refused to forgive Ram for the act, but Kamban “came to his rescue.” Invoking Section 84 of IPC, he suggested “a person of unsound mind can’t be punished for a crime” and concluded: “Ram, who was forgiven by Kamban, became a human and Kamban became ‘God’.”

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He cited the line “Deviyai pirindha pinnar thigaithanni polum seigai” from Kamban’s work to justify his reading. But, BJP functionary Asuvathaman countered “thigaithal” in Tamil meant “stunned,” not “losing one’s mind.”