CHICAGO: A Philadelphia based firm has denigrated Lord Ganesha by marketing a product that places his image on socks. The socks are sold by Philadelphia Urban Outfitters, Inc. Following protests by leading members of the Indian community, the firm has apologized and promised to remove the Ganesha socks “immediately” from its website and stores.
Taking initiative to voice the feeling of the Indian community, Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, had urged Richard A. Hayne and Tedford Marlow; President of Urban Outfitters, Inc., and Chief Executive Officer of Urban Outfitters Group respectively to offer an apology.
Madhu Patel, president of NRI Press Club joined by Nand Kapoor former president of Association of Indian in America, had said, “We should not only make our point of view clear to the company chiefs but also boycott all the products marketed by the company.” Those who indulge in this type of practice seem to have pervert minds, said Kapoor
In a statement in Nevada, Rajan Zed said that Lord Ganesha is highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be wrapped around one’s foot. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurts the devotees.
Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Rajan Zed argued.
Madhu Patel said that trivialization of Lord Ganesha was disturbing to the Hindus not only in this country but all over the world. Artistic expression and freedom of speech would be one thing but transcending the limit by desecrating the images of deities or prophets revered by other faiths is something that needs to be deprecated, he said.
The object that Hindu devotees were finding objectionable was a crew-length cotton sock topped with a Lord Ganesha graphic at the trim, which was being sold at $8 on website. Urban Outfitters website describes it as “Awesome” and “UO Exclusive”. In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking.
Urban Outfitters, Inc. is a retail company which offers a variety of lifestyle merchandise in Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain and BHLDN brands through stores in USA, Canada, and Europe; besides garden center, catalogs, websites and wholesale. It boasts of its “established ability to understand our customers and connect with them on an emotional level” and calls its brands “both compelling and distinct”.
The Apology
It is learnt that the Urban Outfitters company has apologized to Indians, Hindus in particular, over its marketing of socks carrying image of Lord Ganesha and offered to remove it from stores and website immediately.
In an email to Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, Crystal Carroll, Public Relations Manager of Urban Outfitters, wrote: “We sincerely apologize if we offended the Hindu community and our customers. We appreciate this matter is brought to our attention and for helping us understand the cultural and religious sensitivities this product carries. We will remove the Ganesha socks immediately from our website and stores.”
The company response came in the wake of the huge protest that members of the Indian and Hindu community made over denigrating their deity. “We welcome this development” said Madhu Patel, president NRI Press Club “and hope that this serves as a curtain raiser for many others who resort to cheap marketing this way.”
Surendra Ullal
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