Guest column | When reverence becomes an offence: The politics of manufactured outrage

The legal notice to Kareena Kapoor Khan over her Ayatul Kursi pendant raises a larger question: Why should expressions of faith and cultural pride invite suspicion rather than understanding?

Must every expression of cultural pride and religious reverence become an occasion for taking offence?

What was disrespectful about Kareena’s gesture? The ornament was displayed prominently as part of an ensemble honouring its royal provenance. (ANI Photo)

The legal notice issued to Kareena Kapoor Khan for wearing a 30-carat emerald pendant inscribed with Ayatul Kursi, one of the Quran’s most revered verses, raises questions about our increasingly narrow understanding of religious respect.

This was no ordinary fashion accessory. The emerald is an heirloom of the erstwhile royal family of Bhopal, inherited through her husband Saif Ali Khan’s lineage. Kareena wore it with a traditional turban and a 200-year-old royal kalgi, celebrating a heritage that is hers by marriage as well as part of her family’s history.

Ayatul Kursi, verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqarah, is widely recited by Muslims seeking divine protection. Its inscription on jewellery and amulets has a long history, although Islamic scholars differ on the propriety of wearing Quranic verses.

What, then, was disrespectful about Kareena’s gesture? The ornament was displayed prominently as part of an ensemble honouring its royal provenance. There is little to suggest that she intended to trivialise the inscription. Rather, she appeared to acknowledge its spiritual significance and historical legacy.

Sacred words as personal adornment

India has a long tradition of weaving sacred words and blessings into personal attire. Deepika Padukone’s wedding veil carried the Sanskrit blessing Sada Saubhagyavati Bhava, wishing her enduring marital happiness. Priyanka Chopra’s wedding gown incorporated Om Namah Shivaya, alongside family names. Both were seen as personal expressions of faith and identity.

Why, then, should Kareena’s choice be judged by a different standard?

The instinct to police such expressions reflects a broader discomfort with the everyday ownership of revered symbols. Consider India’s historical restrictions on displaying its own national flag. Until the Flag Code was liberalised in 2002, citizens faced stringent curbs on its use. The Supreme Court subsequently recognised the right to fly the Tricolour respectfully as an expression of constitutional freedom.

In the United States, by contrast, the Stars and Stripes adorns homes, T-shirts and caps. Flag etiquette demands respect, but its everyday presence reflects a culture in which national symbols are embraced as extensions of personal identity.

Proximity is not disrespect

Perhaps India needs a similar evolution in its attitude towards sacred and national emblems. Reverence does not always require distance. It can also find expression in wearing a cherished symbol, incorporating it into one’s attire or keeping it close to one’s heart.

Religious sensitivities deserve consideration, and legitimate theological debates exist over how sacred inscriptions should be handled. But disagreement over religious practice is not evidence of deliberate disrespect.

The legal notice reportedly demands an apology and removal of the photographs. Yet nothing in Kareena’s choice, as described, establishes an intention to demean Islam. One cannot help wondering whether such notices serve publicity more than the protection of faith.

Reverence, not grievance

India’s cultural richness has always rested on traditions coexisting, overlapping and finding expression in everyday life. Turning respectful cultural participation into a grievance risks hollowing out that inheritance.

A sacred verse exists not merely to be guarded against perceived misuse, but to comfort, inspire and connect people with the divine. If wearing an inscription allows someone to hold its meaning close, we should recognise the possibility of reverence behind the gesture. Faith is not diminished by respectful familiarity; it is strengthened by it.

punamsidhu@gmail.com

(The writer is a Chandigarh-based former Indian Revenue Service officer. Views expressed are personal)