Upset Hindus urge Canadian apparel firm to withdraw Lord Ganesha pants and apologize
In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom
cityairnews
Apr 1, 2020 02:28
0
Upset Hindus are urging Kelowna (British Columbia, Canada) based brand “Set 4 Lyfe Apparel” for immediate withdrawal of pants carrying images of Hindu deity Lord Ganesha; calling it highly inappropriate.
Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Lord Ganesha was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to adorn one’s legs, buttocks, thighs, groin, genitals and pelvis. Inappropriate usage of sacred Hindu deities or concepts or symbols or icons for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged “Set 4 Lyfe Apparel” and its CEO to offer a formal apology; besides withdrawing “Sacred Ganesha Drop Pants” and “Sacred Ganesha Joggers” carrying images of Lord Ganesha from its website, online retailers, stores and future music festivals.
Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled; Rajan Zed noted.
Zed further said that such trivialization of Hindu deities was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the followers, Zed added.
In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking.
“Sacred Ganesha Drop Pants” and “Sacred Ganesha Joggers”, with “front and back design”, were priced at $69.95 and $64.95 respectively.
“Set 4 Lyfe Apparel”, formed in 2008, is a “trendsetting music festival lifestyle brand”. It claims to be “a trendsetting unisex lifestyle brand, delivering out-of-this-world patterns on some of the most desired all-over-print apparel in existence”. Mattaio, “a Canadian electronic music producer/DJ”, is the founder.
