Indian celebs attain divine status

http://broadband.indiatimes.com/indepth/2155799.cms

Film stars and politicians from all over the world ought to envy their Indian counterparts. For, our Desi actors and leaders not only enjoy the adulation of the masses, but are also venerated by their fans. They're treated as Gods, worshipped with pious chants, incense sticks and even prasad. Whoever heard of a church dedicated to Abraham Lincoln or even Marlon Brando for that matter!

From depicting Sonia Gandhi as the eight-armed goddess Durga slaying the "demon of terrorism and corruption," to performing yagnas for Amitabh Bachchan's speedy recovery, Indians are going that extra mile to prove their adulation. Whether one dismisses these fans as overzealous sycophants or politely calls them 'admirers', they are very much a part of the Indian social fabric.


Politicians being equated to deities can be traced back to the days of Indira Gandhi. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee once called her ‘Goddess Durga’ for displaying astounding diplomatic-military skills during the liberation of Bangladesh. The recent instances of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi portrayed as Goddess Durga and now as Maharani Laxmibai of Jhansi are classic examples of how celebrities are worshipped in our country. It’s strange that in a country in which people slit each other’s throats at the mere suspicion of blasphemy, such strange acts are somehow gaining popularity.