Indurikar Maharaj

Nivrutti Kashinath Deshmukh (born 9 January 1972) is a comedian kirtankar, and social educator from Maharashtra, India. His shows typically involve humorous routines that poke fun of the sociatal ills and malpractices. Indurikar has attracted controversy for his misogynistic statements.

Indurikar Maharaj
Born(1972-01-09)9 January 1972
Indori, Akole taluka, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra
Spouse(s)Shalinitai
Children2

Early life and education

Indurikar was born on 9 January 1972 to a kirtankar father.[1][2][3] He grew up in Indori village in Akole taluka of Ahmednagar district and adopted the demonym Indorikar/Indurikar as part of his stage name.[4][5] Indurikar earned a B.Ed. degree from the Gokhale Education Society's College of Education in Sangamner, Ahmednagar district.[6][7] He initially worked as a teacher and started performing Kirtans at the age of 22.[2][8]

Kirtan style

Indurikar is known for interlacing humorous relatable examples in his kirtans and thus is able to quickly strike a cord with the audience. First cassette of his kirtan was released in 2003 and soon became famous over the social media.[9] Indurikar, along with a group of associates, employ musical instruments Taal and Mridang, but their usage is minimal.

According to Sadanand More, a historian as well as a kirtan writer, Indurikar does not fit within the hierarchy of Sant Parampara and Warkari sampradaya. He added that Indurikar's objectification of women and substandard jokes are indicative of base-level mediocrity.[10][11][12]

He has been accused of promoting superstition.[13]

Controversies

Teachers unions in Maharashtra expressed displeasure at swipes taken by Indurikar accusing teachers of being lazy.[8]

Indurikar has made several controversial statements about woman. Some examples of these statements are:

  • "The wife of a man who does love marriage calls her husband by name. What a great shortcoming this is. We are men, men. Husband is husband. If my wife calls me single, why won't she gnash her teeth?"
  • "No matter how heavy the sandals are, what do you wear around your neck? Where are the sandals? She is a wife. She must be of that size."
  • "The less clothes there are on the body of the child, the more the child should be beaten."
  • "Tell the maid's wives, what do you do? Shame on you."
  • "Pori started dancing in front of Navradeva. At the wedding, check the family, who are yours?"
  • "Parents, check your daughters' hands. See if there is a bangle. Or a drowned religion?"
  • "Poryalabi was not left alone. She started falling in love with someone. We were in the same class and they said they fell in love. Kanphad (face) should be broken."

February 2020 case

In February 2020, Indurikar received strong backlash for one of his statements that his made during his sermon in Ozar (budruk) in Ahmednagar. The preacher had reportedly said that "If a woman has intercourse on the even date, a boy is born. If a woman is on an odd date, a girl is born .... If intercourse is done at an inauspicious time, the child that is born would bring a bad name to the family. If the timing (of intercourse) is missed, the quality of output (child) will be sub-standard."[14][15]

An Anti-superstition NGO Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti sought to file case against Indurikar claiming his remarks on timing of intercourse and gender of child violated the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act as well as the anti Black-Magic Act.[16][17] His kirtan in Kolhapur was abruptly cancelled.[18][19] Women's rights activist Trupti Desai threatened to throw ink on his face if a case wasn't filed against him soon.[20]

Indurikar apologized in a handwritten note saying he was tendering an apology if anyone's sentiments were hurt by his remarks.[21][22][23] He added that some people unhappy with his work were causing additional trouble for him.[24] While answering a notice from the health department, Indurikar flip-flopped claiming that he made no such statements and there was no event held on dates in question.[25]

State minister Bachchu Kadu announced that there will be no charges filed against Indurikar.[26][27]

On 19 June 2020, a First information report was registered in a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in Sangamner, Ahmednagar.[14][23] He was summoned to be present in court in August.[28]

Personal life

Indurikar lives in Ozar (Bk) in Sangamner taluka in Ahmednagar district with his wife Shalinitai Deshmukh and two children.[2] He is the founding president of Dnyaneshwar Mauil Bahu-uddesiya Sevabhavi Sanstha in Ozar (Bk), Sangamner.[3][21]

In 2019, there was a brief speculation that he may join politics with the Bharatiya Janta Party,[29] but he quickly clarified that he won't ever contest in elections.[30][31]

References
  1. Gaikwad, Anand (10 January 2019). "इंदुरीकर महाराजांचा वाढदिवस पंकजा मुंडे, थोरात, जानकरांनी केला 'एन्जाॅय'". Sarkar Nama (in Marathi). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  2. "Kirtankar Indurikar Maharaj Biography in marathi (इंदुरीकर महाराज्यांचे जीवन चरित्र)" (in Marathi). 9 June 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  3. "WRIT PETITION NO. 4255". Indian Kanoon. 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  4. Murumkar, Ashok (30 August 2020). "आपल्या हाटके स्टाईसाठी प्रसिद्ध असलेल्या इंदुरीकर महाराजांच्या गावाची माहिती जाणून घ्या". www.esakal.com (in Marathi). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  5. Joshi, Nandkumar (23 February 2020). "इंदोरीकरांच्या समर्थनार्थ अकोले तालुक्यात कडकडीत बंद". Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  6. "Prestigious Alumina: LIST OF SOME OF THE PROMINENT ALUMNI OF THE SOCIETY TILL 2018". gesociety.in. Gokhale Education Society. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  7. "Eminent Alumni". gescoledusgm.org. Sangamner, Maharashtra: College of Education. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  8. नेब, वेदांत (14 February 2020). "इंदुरीकर महाराजांची शिक्षकांची खिल्ली उडवणारी क्लिप व्हायरल, शिक्षक संघटनाची नाराजी". ABP Majha (in Marathi). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  9. Temghare, Shankar. "इंदुरीकर महाराजांना सोशल मीडियाने दिला आधार अन्‌ केले बेजारही". www.esakal.com (in Marathi). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  10. ""महाराष्ट्राच्या संत परंपरेत इंदुरीकरांचं कीर्तन बसत नाही; त्यांचे विनोदही कमी दर्जाचे"". Loksatta (in Marathi). 18 February 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  11. "इंदोरीकर महाराजांची शैली कीर्तन परंपरेला बाधा आणणारी ; सदानंद मोरे". Lokmat (in Marathi). 19 February 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  12. More, Sadanand. "इंदोरीकरांवर चर्चा यापूर्वीच व्हायला हवी होती". Facebook (in Marathi). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  13. "Majha Vishesh: इंदुरीकर महाराजांचं कीर्तन की अंधश्रद्धेचा बाजार?". ABP Majha (in Marathi). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  14. "Complaint filed against Indurikar Maharaj for 'violation' of PCPNDT Act". The Indian Express. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  15. चौकर, निखील (11 February 2020). "स्त्रीसंग सम तिथीला झाल्यास मुलगा आणि विषम तिथीला झाल्यास मुलगी होते, इंदुरीकर महाराजांचं वादग्रस्त वक्तव्य". ABP Majha (in Marathi). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  16. "Anti-superstition NGO wants FIR against Indurikar Maharaj". Outlook India. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  17. Joshi, Nandkumar (17 February 2020). "कीर्तनकार इंदुरीकर महाराजांवर गुन्हा दाखल करा; 'अंनिस'ची मागणी". Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  18. Kadam, Ganesh Pandurang (28 February 2020). "इंदोरीकरांचा शिवाजी विद्यापीठातील कार्यक्रम रद्द; वेळेत पोहोचणार नसल्याचं कारण". Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  19. Banerjee, Shoumojit (29 February 2020). "Kolhapur varsity cancels controversial Marathi kirtankar's talk". The Hindu. Pune. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  20. "Activist threatens to blacken preacher's face". The Asian Age. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  21. "इंदुरीकर महाराजांचा माफीनामा; वाचा दिलगिरीचं सविस्तर पत्रक". Loksatta (in Marathi). 18 February 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  22. "Preacher Indurikar Maharaj apologises for remarks". Press Trust of India. Aurangabad. PTI. 18 February 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  23. Banerjee, Shoumojit (26 June 2020). "Case filed against Marathi preacher over 'odd-even' remark for girl-boy child". The Hindu. Pune. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  24. "People unhappy with my work troubling me: Nivrutti Maharaj". Outlook India. PTI. 17 February 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  25. "'मी तसं बोललोच नाही'; इंदुरीकर महाराजांचा त्या वक्तव्यावरून यू-टर्न". Loksatta (in Marathi). 21 February 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  26. "No Case Against Preacher Indurikar Maharaj On Odd-Even Theory For Boy-Girl Child: Maharashtra Minister". NDTV. PTI. 18 February 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  27. शेख, अजहर (18 February 2020). "इंदुरीकर महाराजांसंदर्भात बोलले बच्चू कडू". Times Now Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  28. गाडेकर, मनोज (7 August 2020). "मुला-मुलीच्या जन्माबाबत इंदोरीकर महाराजांचे वक्तव्य, संगमनेर कोर्टाने सुनावणी पुढे ढकलली". TV9 Marathi (in Marathi). शिर्डी. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  29. "इंदुरीकर महाराजांचे राजकीय 'किर्तन'; थोरातांना शह देण्यासाठी भाजपचा डाव". www.esakal.com (in Marathi). 14 September 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  30. "'समाजसेवेचे व्रत हाती घेतले आहे, राजकारणात कधीच उतरणार नाही', निवृत्ती महाराज इंदुरीकरांचे स्पष्टीकरण". Divya Marathi (in Marathi). 14 September 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  31. "मुख्यमंत्री भेटीबाबत इंदोरीकर महाराजांनी केला खुलासा, म्हणाले..." www.esakal.com (in Marathi). 14 September 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
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