SRINAGAR: Videos of fashion models strutting on snow in the ski resort of Gulmarg were pulled down from social media after a backlash led by J&K’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq over what he termed an “outrageous” and “obscene” display that had hurt the “sensitivities of the local population” in the middle of Ramadan fasting.
Designer duo Shivan & Narresh, who staged the show on March 7 to mark the 15th anniversary of their label, proffered an apology after a 0.35-second reel shared by Elle India on its Instagram handle was removed.
“We deeply regret any hurt caused by our recent presentation in Gulmarg during the holy month of Ramadan. Our sole intention was to celebrate creativity and the ski & après-ski lifestyle, without any desire to offend anyone or any religious sentiments,” the designers said.
“Respect for all cultures and traditions is at our heart, and we acknowledge the concerns raised. We sincerely apologize for any unintended discomfort and appreciate the feedback from our community.”
The Mirwaiz – from “mir”, denoting chief, and “waiz”, meaning preacher – questioned how a fashion show of this nature was allowed “in the valley known for its sufi culture and the deeply religious outlook of its people”.
He said “such obscenity in the name of tourism promotion will not be tolerated”.
National Conference MP and Shia cleric Aga Ruhullah Mehdi described images from the Gulmarg show circulating on social media as “shocking”, linking the event with what he called a “cultural invasion in the disguise of tourism”
Former vice chancellor of Islamic University of Science and Technology, Prof Siddiq Wahid, described the show as “less naked conspiracy and more veiled threat by the uncivilised in this country”.
“Surely, even the limited local government can condemn this freshly insulting encroachment, unapologetically? Loudly? Dare we hope?” he said.
The frisson of outrage coursed through the J&K assembly, too. “How is it possible that the govt doesn’t know anything about it (the show)? This nudity is neither acceptable in Hinduism nor in Islam,” said PDP MLA Wahid Parra.
BJP’s J&K president Sunil Sharma held CM Omar Abdullah for the show. He alleged that the models and designers stayed in a hotel owned by relatives of Omar and that the show was in “preparation” for his visit to Gulmarg.
Omar distanced himself and the National Conference-led govt from the show. “The controversial fashion show at the famous ski resort of Gulmarg was organised by a private party at a private hotel, with no involvement of the govt at any stage,” the CM said.
He blamed the organisers for failure to exercise “sound judgment, disregarding the sensitivities of the people, the significance of the location, and the timing of their event”.
“There have been concerns that such an event should not have taken place during Ramadan. I completely agree. Such an event should not have been held at any time of the year in a place, given the cultural and social ethos of our region,” Omar said.
Kashmiri Pandit organisation Panun Kashmir took the opposite stand, calling the backlash “a blatant assertion of religious supremacy in J&K”. Its chairperson, Dr Ajay Chrungoo, said the controversy surrounding the event “exposes the enduring grip of theocratic diktats in the region and raises serious questions about the claim of secular governance”.
(With inputs from Sanjay Khajuria in Jammu)