Face2News/Nevada
Upset Hindus are urging Artes-based microbrewery Societat Cervesera Artesenca (Barcelona, Spain) to apologize and remove the image of Hindu deity Lakshmi from its MandarIPA beer, calling it highly inappropriate.
Prominent Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that the improper use of deities or sacred Hindu concepts or symbols or icons for commercial purposes or others was not acceptable because it hurt the devotees.
Zed, who is the president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, said Goddess Lakshmi was highly revered in Hinduism and was supposed to be worshiped in temples or household shrines and not used to sell food. beer. Also, linking a deity to an alcoholic drink was very disrespectful, Zed added.
Lakshmi is the goddess of good fortune and beauty in Hinduism and is also known as the “mother of the world”. Moksh (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism. MandarIPA beer, whose ingredients include tangerines, is priced at €2.18 on the website of the Societat Cervesera Artesenca, whose history dates back to 2008
Breweries should not engage in religious appropriation, sacrilege and the ridicule of entire communities. It was deeply trivializing the immensely revered Hindu deity Lakshmi to be depicted on a beer label, Rajan Zed pointed out.
Also, showing Goddess Lakshmi holding hop fruits in her hand instead of the traditional lotus was offensive, Zed noted.
Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion in the world with around 1.2 billion adherents and rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly. Symbols of any religion, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled; said Rajan Zed.
Hindus were for freedom of artistic expression and speech as much as anyone else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts to trivialize it were insensitive, Zed added.
Lakshmi is the goddess of good fortune and beauty in Hinduism and is also known as the “mother of the world”. Moksh (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism.
MandarIPA beer, whose ingredients include tangerines, is priced at €2.18 on the website of the Societat Cervesera Artesenca, whose history dates back to 2008.