There has been condemnation over children being made to dance in saffron attire at the Natyanjali event held under the title “Ram Yatra” on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department.
The Tamil Nadu Tourism Department and the Abhinaya Natyanjali Trust jointly conducted a Natyanjali event on Sunday at Arichalmunai beach in Dhanushkodi, the point where two seas meet, to mark World Tourism Day.
At this event, more than 500 students, both boys and girls, wore saffron attire and participated in the Natyanjali program dressed as Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Anjaneya.
Although Natyanjali performances had been held in many places before, this was the first time a Natyanjali event was conducted under the name “Ram Yatra” on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department.
In this situation, strong criticism is emerging online over having children dance dressed in saffron robes.
In a condemnation statement issued by the leader of the Dravidar Kazhagam, K. Veeramani, it was stated as follows:
”On 27.09.2026, at Arichal Munai in Dhanushkodi, Ramanathapuram district, Natyanjali was conducted by the Tourism Department to celebrate World Tourism Day. In it, the event organized by the Tourism Department in association with the group called Abhinaya Natyanjali was named ‘Ram Yatra’!
What is the need to conduct Ram Yatra?
Hundreds of children have been made to suffer in the scorching heat without adequate arrangements. This event was conducted by dressing all the children in saffron clothes. What is the need for the Tamil Nadu government's tourism department to conduct a Ram Yatra while wearing saffron clothes? RSS and Hindu Munnani-type groups, which incite communal hatred, have also been trying to use Rameswaram as a site for communalism. The central BJP government is also trying to pave the way for that. Is the T.V.K. government now going down that path?
As far back as about 40 years ago, during M.G.R.’s rule, an attempt was made to write Ramanathapuram as “Raman Nadu” in English, but it was met with strong opposition and the effort was thwarted.
Using this same Ram story, the Sethusamudram Canal project, which should have greatly benefited Tamil Nadu’s economic interests, was stopped after thousands of crores of rupees had been spent.
Who were the officials who made children stand in saffron robes?
Who were the officials who made tiny children stand in saffron robes? Who were the tourism department officials who permitted this? It is said that the District Collector showed great interest in this—what is the background?
Anyone who cooperates with the BJP, which seeks to rule Tamil Nadu indirectly and turn it into a land of religious fanaticism, will not be accepted by the people of Tamil Nadu either — history will not forgive them,” he said.
In an X post released by Thirumurugan Gandhi of the May 17 Movement, he stated:
“In Dhanushkodi, the ‘Ramanathapuram Tourism Department’ conducted a dance performance for Tourism Day using children dressed as Lord Rama under the name ‘Ram Yatra’.
Similarly, will the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department conduct dance performances at the Nagore Dargah, the Velankanni Mother Church, the Bannari Mariamman Temple, the Thiruvalluvar statue in Kanyakumari, for Thanthai Periyar in Erode, and for Kannagi in Madurai based on the respective faiths/scriptures/ideologies? Or will they only stage events to appease the Hindutva gang?
Does the tourism minister of the TVK government know this Sanghi mentality? Or is this happening without even a basic understanding of it?
Dhanushkodi is neither for the Ramayana, nor is it property or land belonging to Rama. Dhanushkodi is an umbilical cord-like bridge of kinship for Eelam Tamils and the Tamils of Tamil Nadu. It is a land that tells the tragic history of Tamils who came seeking survival, and the scientific ingenuity of seafaring fishermen. The TVK government is turning Tamil Nadu into a garbage dump of mythology and epics. We warn that if such actions continue, the TVK government will have to face our strong opposition. The May 17 Movement will never allow Sangh ideology in Tamil Nadu,” he said.