India’s Muslim Youth Draw Inspiration from Ertugrul's Exemplary Loyalty and Sacrifice In Order To Fight for Their Own Rights and Dignity
Ikramul Haque
By Ikramul Haque and
Saheed Meo
Sep 28,
2020
Since
October 2017, when Dirilis: Ertugrul (Resurrection: Ertugrul), began streaming
on Netflix, the Turkish historical drama has become immensely popular in India
– especially among young Muslims. The drama first aired in Turkey in December
2014 and ran for 448 episodes over five seasons.
Scenes
from 'Dirilis: Ertugrul'. | TRT Turk via Facebook.
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In Kashmir,
several babies have been named after the protagonist Ertugrul. During the
winters, Ertugrul-style caps with claret-coloured fur have become popular in
the Valley. In May, Riyaad Minty, a senior official at TRT, the Turkish
broadcaster that produces the show, took to Twitter to express his excitement
at the dramatic increase in the number of Indians searching for the show on
YouTube. Facebook.
Filled with
captivating plots, religious overtones, heroic fights, mysteries and myths,
Dirilis is a fictional drama that traces the prehistory of the formation of the
Ottoman Empire. It tells the story of the 13th-century Oghuz Turks led by the
legendary hero Ertugrul, father of Osman who is considered to be the founder of
the Ottoman Empire.
Political Controversy
However,
the show has been banned in Saudi Arab, United Arab Emirate and Egypt because
of a controversy around the political message and cultural meaning of the
drama. In February, the highest fatwa council of Egypt issued a statement
accusing Turkey of trying to create an “area of influence” for itself in the
Middle East using its soft power.
Critics in
Turkey claim that Dirilis reinforces a message of Muslim nationalism that has
helped President Recep Tayyeb Erdogan legitimise his power. The fact that the
writer and producer of the series, Mehmet Bozdag, is linked to the President’s
Justice and Development Party and the President Erdogan has publicly lauded the
series and its cast seems to strengthen this claim.
The show is
also extremely popular in Pakistan. The TRT Ertugrul PTV YouTube channel, which
is airing the Urdu dubbed episodes of Dirilis, has 8.8 million subscribers. In
June, there were reports that two statues of Ertugrul had been erected in
Lahore. Perhaps the appeal for Pakistani Muslims lies in the fact that they are
trying to construct a sense of the past that is attempting not to dentify
itself with the history of the subcontinent but instead takes pride in being
part of the wider Muslim ummah.
In India, Dirilis has a large following too. Some viewers appreciate it for its production values, the brilliant performances, master story-telling and gripping action. For others, there is the unbiased portrayal of Muslim characters, a refreshing departure from the stereotypical depictions of Muslim historical figures in Indian cinema as barbarians and ruthless murderers.
But is the
popularity of the series in India driven by the same factors that underlie its
success in Turkey or Pakistan? Are Indian Muslims motivated by the identity
crisis or moved by the pan- Islamic political movements shaping the imagination
of Muslims in other countries?
In May, the
Hindutva website OpIndia argued that the series is popular among Indian Muslims
for the same reason that Pakistani Muslims are devouring it. OpIndia accused
Indian Muslims of “denying their Hindu heritage” and of looking to the Turks
and the Arabs “to satisfy their identity crisis”.
This is a
faulty assessment. Unlike Pakistani Muslims, Indian Muslims have chosen a
secular democratic Indian Republic over Islamic state of Pakistan. Historically
speaking, they are not only rooted in a distinctly subcontinental identity that
is different from the Arab cradle of Islam, Indian Muslims have played a vital
role in creating the culture shared by all Indians.
As if to bear this out, the 1988 Indian TV series Mahabharata, which became the second-most watched programme in India during the Covid-19 lockdown after the Ramayan, was scripted by an Indian Muslim – the noted Urdu novelist and poet Rahi Masoom Raza.
The reasons
for Dirilis’s popularity among Indian Muslims are actually very local: they
have emerged from India’s contemporary socio-political crisis. It is no secret
that Muslims have been rendered voiceless in national political discourse, and
their very existence as citizens is seemingly under threat after the
introduction of Citizenship Amendment Act 2019.
The Supreme
Court judgment in November regarding Babri Masjid-Ram temple dispute left many
Muslims disappointed. The Delhi riots in February that targeted Muslims exposed
the helplessness of the community and hollowness of political parties that
claim to be their protectors. The arbitrary arrests of several young Muslim
students, activists and scholars under charges as serious as Unlawful
Activities (Prevention) Act and sedition during the lockdown to prevent the
spread of the coronavirus has added to their frustration.
Against
this background, Indian Muslims seem to have found the series a refuge from
their dire political reality. It appears that they draw inspiration from the
characters in the series exemplifying courage, chivalry, loyalty and sacrifice
in order to fight for their own rights and dignified existence.
There
should not be any misgiving that the series is creating some sense of
separatism among Indian Muslims. Instead, it offers them a visual space to
re-imagine themselves, and re-activate their struggle for justice and rights.
It provides momentary solace for them. Indian Muslims, ethnically different and
culturally diverse groups, do not identify with the characters of the series
because they are Turks or “original” Muslims, but because they represent
political change, hope and narrate a story of success.
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Ikramul Haque teaches history at Maulana Azad
National Urdu University, Hyderabad.
Saheed Meo teaches sociology at the same
institution.
Original Headline: Why a Turkish historical
drama has become wildly popular with India’s Muslim youth
Source: The Scroll
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/india’s-muslim-youth-draw-inspiration/d/123020
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