1. Most Telugu people are shocked at this award. The novel, Draupadi is scurrilous; Draupadi is reckoned as one of the Sadhvis, Pathivrathas by hundreds of millions of Bharatiyas. In his novel by the title Draupadi Sri Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad portrays her as sex personified. Maharshi Vyasa , Karna, Kunthi, Drutharastra and even Krishna are all portrayed as obsessed with sex . Every part of Draupadi's body has been described with titillating words. One chapter each is devoted to the enjoyment of Draupadi by each one of the Pandavas. Kunthi is supposed to ask Draupadi whether she has been pleasing every one of the Pandavas extremely well and whether each one of them was satisfied with her. There are many more unspeakable and unmentionable events like these, in the novel.
2. When Pauranika themes are to be matters in current literature, the purpose should be to interpret them as to ennoble the current generations by the great examples of the illustrious characters in the epics. There should be no violence to the sense in which those characters were held and described in the original epics. The thoughts and deeds could be interpreted so as to inspire the current generations to face complex situations in the wise and courageous way the epic characters have tackled. Instead, Sri Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad's novel Draupdi, degrades her character.
3. We are not worried about his writing a novel. In Bharat every one has got freedom of expression and writing and speech and publication but for a prestigious body like the Sahitya Academy to give an award for this scurrilous, blasphemous vulgar and outrageous book is unbecoming of Bharat and also of that august body.
4. Several meetings have been held and more will be held by literary people, by decent people, by people who know Mahabharata very well denouncing the award of the Sahitya Academy for this novel. Maybe Sri Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad deserves an award but surely not for this book. For much less an offence like a disrespectful cartoon about a prophet in far off land, people of a particular faith had gone on the rampage in this country and a Minister belonging to that faith in one of our States announced a reward of Rs. 50 cr for the person who beheads that cartoonist and publisher of that cartoon in Denmark. Hindus are not so violent. They are outraged but they can suffer the publication of the novel for such a dirty work will not have a lasting influence on the reader nor would it detract from the greatness of so illustrious a person like Draupadi, Yagnaseni, Ayonija and Dhirodatta who in an open court of the Kauravas dared to interrogate the great Bhishma himself. What we are worried is the award of the Sahitya Academy' and the respectability that it would give to the mean characterization of Draupadi by Sri Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad.
5. What is worse: as per the practice , this book in Telugu would be got translated by the Sahitya Academy into all the principal Indian languages thus disseminating the scurrilous characterization of Draupadi among not only the Telugu knowing people but all other Bharatiyas. This is most unfortunate and condemnable.
6. Sri Kalipatnam Rama Rao who is the jury for selection of this Novel is beneficiary of 1.5 lacs of money award given by the Author of this book in 2008. And other members of the jury are also one time executive members of the Trust promoted by the Author. Which are totally against the ethics of Sahitya Academy.
We are therefore request that you may kindly see that the award is canceled. After all, it is to be given from hands of our President of India and we do not want her clean hands to be sullied by giving of an award to a blasphemous book. Hence Kindly Write your protests to Sahitya ackademi rabindra nagar,35,ferozeshaah Road,Newdelhi 110001,secy@ndb.vsnl.net.in and also to our President of India Presidentofindia@rb.nic.in requesting the same.
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