As regular readers of B&T would know, we probably give way too much coverage to a US-based group called Universal Society of Hinduism whose job it seems is to have anything and everything banned that may feature icons from the religion.
The latest retailer to feel its wrath is US-based Enlighten Clothing Company (ECC) who has had to apologise and remove a ‘Ganesh Balance Mini Skirt’ carrying images of Hindu deity Lord Ganesh.
President of of Universal Society of Hinduism, Rajan Zed, called the skirt “highly inappropriate” and thanked the company for removing the “insensitive” garment.
Zed had 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 hips, groin, buttocks, genitals, waist, crotch, thighs, and pelvis for mercantile purposes.
ECC described the dress as “meant to sit on hip” and was priced at $US34.99.
Zed again added that companies like ECC should send their senior executives for training in religious and cultural sensitivity so that they had an understanding of the feelings of customers and communities when introducing new products or launching advertising campaigns.
In a statement, ECC founders Justin Chamberlain and Melanie Bodnarsaid: “We are very sorry and whole heartedly apologise for anyone we might have upset. Our goal is to create a clothing line that is environmentally responsible and to shine a light on the shared spiritual and artistic nature of humanity not to misuse them in ways that are offensive or hurtful to the native cultures from which they came.”
