Upset Hindus urge California online retailer to withdraw Hindu Gods’ leggings
Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, Lord Ganesha, Lord Krishna and Goddess Kali were highly revered in Hinduism and were meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to adorn one’s legs, crotch and hips. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged Scarlet's Lounge and its CEO to offer a formal apology. There are about three million Hindus in USA.
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.
Scarlet's Lounge; whose tagline is “unique clothing & accessories”; sells clothing (tops, hoodies, pants, leggings, dresses) and jewelry (bracelets, rings) online. Founded in 2015, it believes that “fashion is a right, not a luxury”. Above-mentioned leggings sell for $58 each and the company suggests: “Wear them to hot yoga or a casual night on the town.”
