Malayalam writer Paul Zachariah accused of the second crucifixion of Christ

D Jose in Thiruvananthapuram

The author is Christian, the publication is run by Hindus, the subject matter is sensitive -- and the upshot has been an uproar.

In brief, Malayalam novelist Paul Zachariah, whose writings in the past have inevitably attracted their share of controversy, did it again when, in the Mathrubhoomi weekly, he published a short story depicting Jesus Christ as all too human, and all too fallible.

The story centers on a period of personal epiphany undergone by Christ before he choose the path of divinity --- and the way the story has been narrated has angered certain sections of the Church. Bishop of Thiruvananthapuram Dr Soosapkayam in fact has described the story as the second crucifixion of Christ.

Zachariah's story, Kannadi kanmolavum (Until you see the mirror), was in fact inspired by Louis Bunuel's classic film The Milky Way. In his story, Zachariah has used the symbols of an overgrown, unkempt and stinking beard, and a hand mirror, to describe Christ's epiphany.

This mental crisis is presented, in the story, via a Hamlet-style monologue, in which the central figure debates the question about whether or no he should get rid of the beard. Unable to arrive at an answer, he then approaches his mother, Mary, and his sister -- both of whom advise Christ not to remove the beard. Still uncomfortable, Jesus then walks over to the barber's, who advises him to look at his face in the mirror and make up his own mind. The barber then presents Jesus with a mirror he habitually uses to shave the private parts of the wife of a Roman commander.

Terrified at the prospect of using that mirror, not quite sure why, he breaks down, sobbing.

The narrative places this moment of personal crisis at a period two years before Christ first began life as a prophet. In his story, Zachariah portrays Christ as a prophet whose time has not yet come, but who has already begun getting the first intimitations of his own immortality.

The story carries, intrinsically, the seeds of objection from the Church -- but what is surprising about the brewing storm is that only one section of the Church has attacked the narrative, while another, equally powerful section has maintained an ominous silence.

It could, of course, be that this silence is prompted by a desire to prevent the author from attaining undue publicity. In fact, Archbishop Ciril Mar Baselios argues that to join issue with the author will only benefit the latter. And the Roman Catholic bishops, perhaps motivated by similar feelings, have also chosen to stay silent.

Dr Soospakyam and his followers however demand that the author, and the editor of the weekly magazine that published it, carry a retraction and tender a public apology for having hurt the sentiments of the people.

Meanwhile, the protest bandwagon gets increasingly crowded. The Catholic Welfare Association, based in Thiruvananthapuram, has appealed to people of all sections to register their protest against the story and its author. The Centre for Social Development has called for salutary punishment to be meted out to the author, who has also been at the receiving end of anonymous death threats.

Zachariah, as usual, remains unfazed. "The current outburst by a section of the Church is the result of misinterpretation of the story," he told Rediff On The NeT. "I had no intention of hurting anyone's feelings -- it is merely a sign of our poisoned times that my story is being misinterpreted as an insult to Jesus."

As a writer, Zachariah said he was fascinated by the real personality of Jesus, the one hidden "under mountains of theological and religious writing. And in any event, I don't believe that the Jesus who withstood history needs any protection from the Church. As a writer who has had a very Catholic childhood, I cannot help but revert to the theme of Jesus time and again. And my favourite theme has always been the essentially human-ness of Christ, covered though it is by 2,000 years of pious pontification."

Admitting to some surprise at the virulent reaction from sections of the Church, Zachariah said, "I thought the Church was trying to acquire a modern face? Anyway, I personally rate this as one of the most satisfying literary works I have created in my career."

The Church, of course, has another word for it -- blasphemy!