Upset Hindus are urging Madrid (Spain) based online retailer MundoBuda for immediate withdrawal of yoga leggings 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. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged MundoBuda and its CEO to also offer a formal apology, besides withdrawing Lord Ganesha yoga leggings.
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.
The objectionable “Yoga leggings with image of Ganesha” and “Leggings for Yoga and Pilates with drawing of Ganesha” are priced at $42.54 and $22.40 respectively. Description of one of these leggings states: “The image of Ganesha is worshiped because it is the breaking of barriers and brings good luck. With these leggings, no obstacle will stand in your way and you can do whatever you set your mind.”
MundoBuda claims “we treat each person as we would like to be treated”, and sells accessories for yoga-Pilates, fashion, health-beauty, decoration, meditation; purses; sportswear; etc.
Source : From Our Correspondent
