Upset Hindus are urging Clifton (New Jersey) headquartered apparel label Customon for immediate withdrawal of a thong and panty carrying image of Hindu deity Ganesh; calling it highly inappropriate. Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that Lord Ganesh was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to adorn one’s crotch. 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 “Customon” to offer a formal apology, besides withdrawing Lord Ganesh underwear. 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 for the Hindus. 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 Ganesh is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking. Both, Ganesh Thong and Ganesh Pantie for women, were priced at $18.64 each. Ganesh Thong’s “Product Info” stated that “you can be sexy with this well-formed under garments”. Customon, which claims to be “one of the leading custom t-shirt digital printing and embroidery services in the industry”, has another office in Eatontown (New Jersey). Its products include t-shirts, tank tops, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats/caps, underwear, phone-cases, mugs, etc.
Source: Universal Society of Hinduism