Raipur: Ramnami, a documentary depicting the unique devotion of a Dalit community of Central India for Lord Ram, has been adjudged the best work in the section in Hindi at the 72nd National Film Awards.
In a sharp departure from the tradition of the prestigious event of the country, the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony was held at the foot of the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, instead of New Delhi.
President Draupadi Murmu conferred the honour on the documentary to its maker Bharatbala Ganapathy at the ceremony, held on September 22.
The honour put the spotlight on the Dalit community whose devotion to Lord Ram is inscribed in every inch of their skin in the form of tattoos.
The origin of the Ramnami movement traces back to around 1890, when Parsuram Bharadwaj, a Dalit man barred from entering a local temple due to caste discrimination, responded by tattooing the word ‘Ram’ across his entire body.
Members of the community then followed the tradition to demonstrate that they cannot be separated from the divine and by inscribing the sacred name in the entire body, they turned their physical selves into temples- a radical visually striking act of spiritual reclamation born out of social exclusion.
The community’s rich and profound heritage received widespread recognition when prime minister Narendra Modi broke the protocol to honour them last year.
Singer-composer Kailash Kher lent his voice to the film’s spiritual core through the track ‘Ram Hi Paar Lagavenge’.
The film maker dedicated the honour to the community, saying that “I see the honour as a recognition of the people who allowed us to enter their world and tell their story.
The community’s faith is not merely something they practice, it is something they carry on their bodies, in their lives and in their identity.”
Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai hailed the honour of the documentary, calling it a recognition of the rich culture and heritage of Chhattisgarh.
Culture minister Rajesh Agrawal congratulated the film unit of the documentary for the award.
