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Portland :
A controversy is brewing over a local beer maker’s newest label. It seems the name and the picture on the beer is offensive to a large worldwide religious community. And what’s most offensive, is that Hindus at a Portland temple believe “it wasn’t the only choice.”
“There are so many things that they could do on a marketing label,” said Ram Rajagopal at Portland’s Balaji Temple.
The label uses the symbol of the Hindu goddess Kali, one of several gods highly revered in one of the oldest religions in the world.
The Burnside Brewing Co., on Portland’s East Burnside Street, was about to release a new beer next week called Kali-ma. It’s a wheat ale flavored in part with Indian spices.
Owners of the small Portland brewery say they had an Indiana Jones movie in mind when they came up with the name Kali-ma.
However, self-proclaimed president of the Universal Society of Hinduism Rajan Zed called the beer’s identification with Goddess Kali — and its corresponding image — “inappropriate.”
“Goddess Kali is highly revered in Hinduism,” Zed said in a statement sent to KOIN from Nevada Friday night, “and is meant to be worshiped in temples or home shrines — and not to be used in selling beer…”
But on Friday, after learning of the Hindu people’s objections and getting criticism both locally and internationally, the owners told KOIN off camera they are postponing the release of the new wheat ale.
The company has posted on Facebook that it was never its intention to offend or alienate anyone:
“…It is NEVER our intention at Burnside to offend or alienate any race, creed, religion or sexual orientation … and we were unaware that it could be offensive to anyone. We are currently scrambling to re-name the beer and intend to release it soon afterward. To those who have been patiently waiting, we humbly ask that you wait just a little longer and to anyone we have offended we sincerely apologize…”
The brewing company will now rename the beer, change the labels already on the bottles, and release it shortly.
Zed, in Friday night’s statement received by KOIN, “thanked and commended the Company for showing responsibility, respect and maturity by taking quick action and for having an understanding for the hurt feelings of Hindu community.”
“It was a step in the right direction,” Zed said.
Source : Koinlocal6
