CHICAGO: A majority of Indian Americans across USA have expressed dismay and anger over the defiling of the image of Lord Shiva by a North Carolina brewery which has branded its beer on the name of the deity.
It is not only Hindus who are upset but they have been supported by members of other faiths too, says Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism. “In a remarkable interfaith gesture, Christian-Buddhist-Jewish leaders have backed Hindus upset over Indian Pale Ale beer brewed in Asheville (North Carolina, USA) carrying the name-image of Hindu deity Lord Shiva,” he said in statement in Nevada.
American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD), sponsored by World Hindu Council of America (VHPA) has launched a protest campaign against “Whip In” a restaurant and bar in Austin, TX, USA for caricaturing Hindu deities to sell alcohol.
Madhu Patel, founding President of NRI Press Club here, said that it has become a fashion for a host of western companies to use and misuse the names and images of Hindu deities while marketing their products and “Hindus now need to unite and wage a strong protest over their nefarious activities the same way that members of other faiths do when their revered deities or prophets have their names smeared.”
Subscribing to this view, Nand Kapur, former president of Association of Indians in America said that Lord Shiva is highly revered in Hinduism, meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling beer for mercantile greed. He decried this beer, named as “Shiva”, displaying the image of Lord Shiva in Nataraja form.
Sohan Joshi, President of National Federation of Indian Americans along with Rajan Zed and hundreds of other Indian Americans across USA, have appealed to the Asheville based Asheville Brewing Co. to apologize and withdraw its Indian Pale Ale beer bearing the image of Lord Shiva, calling it highly disgusting and inappropriate.
Rajan Zed said that the enlightened souls in other religions have sided with Hindus voicing their disapproval of this act. Father Stephen R. Karcher, prominent Greek Orthodox Christian clergyman in Nevada and adjoining California, in a statement said, “I sympathize with our Hindu friends who are distressed to see their revered Shiva portrayed on the side of a beer can. This shows a complete absence of cultural sensitivity and religious awareness, and is degrading not only to Hindu people but to all who take faith seriously and practice it freely in our great nation.”
Richard L. Smith, a highly respected United Church of Christ pastor, in a statement noted: “I support the protests of Hindus who are offended by the name and image of the god Shiva being used to sell ale, just as I would be if a winery decided to name one of its products ‘Sangre de Christo.’ I urge the Asheville Brewing to find another approach.”
Well known Buddhist minister Jikai’ Phil Bryan, in a note to Rajan Zed, said: “I agree completely with your objection to the use of Lord Shiva as the name of a beer…It will be to the great credit of the brewing company to honor your request and change the name of the beer. I trust they will hear your message and respond sensitively to it.”
Rabbi Elizabeth W. Beyer, Jewish leader in Nevada and California, argues that inappropriate placing of a religious group’s deity is a serious affront to the many Hindus who worship Shiva. “We fully back Zed’s initiative on this issue.” Luther James DuPree Junior, a Bishop in the Church of God in Christ, has also supported Hindus disturbed over the trivialization of their revered deity.
Asheville Brewing, launched in 1995, offers three locations in Asheville; which besides brewery, also includes restaurants and Dine-In Theater; and distributes its beers in stores and restaurants in Western North Carolina. It describes Shiva beer as “crisp, citrusy” and adds “Your palette will be lifted to higher planes of consciousness”. It is also available in 12 ounce cans and 22 ounce bottles. Asheville, incorporated in 1797, has reportedly reigned as the champion “Beer City USA” each year from 2009 to 2012.
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