NEW JERSEY: Upset that a Ventnor City (New Jersey) headquartered online retailer ZayzeActivewear is marketing various leggings carrying images of Hindu deities Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha, huge number of Indian Americans across the country have pitched for ending the practice calling it highly inappropriate.
Led by Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, they contend that Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha were highly revered in Hinduism and were meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be adorned on legs, crotch and hips. Inappropriate usage of these deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees. Zed also urged ZayzeActivewear and its CEO to offer a formal apology.
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.
Products of Zayze, which claims to be “high end line of activewear”, include capris, jackets, leggings, shorts, sports bras, tops, tanks, men’s tights, onesies, outfits and bike shorts. With tagline “Where Fit, Fashion, and Function Come Together”, Zayze states: “You can be sexy and active at the same time.” Its description of “Shiva Geometry Compression Legging” ($ 89) says: “Shiva, the auspicious one, adorns the leg”.
Neela Pandya
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