Upset Hindus urge Russian brewery to remove Lord Ganesh image from beer & apologize

From Rajan Zed:

Upset Hindus are urging Saint Petersburg (Russia) area based Mookhomor Production microbrewery to apologize and not use Hindu deity Lord Ganesh’s image on its White Illusion IPA beer, calling it highly inappropriate.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that Lord Ganesh was highly revered in Hinduism and he was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling beer. Moreover, linking a deity with an alcoholic beverage was very disrespectful, Zed added.

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.

It was deeply trivializing of immensely venerated Hindu deity Lord Ganesh to be portrayed on a beer label, Zed added.

In Hinduism, Lord Ganesh is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking.

Label on year-round White Illusion India Pale Ale (IBU 50, OG 16, ABV 7; Hops—Columbus, Cascade, Citra, Chinook) bottle displays Lord Ganesh with sitar.

Slogan of Mookhomor Production microbrewery, with a capacity of 25000 liters and

founded in 2016, is “Craft your mind”; and it features “classic beer styles and experimental brews with fruits, berries and spices”. Its other beers include “Kissin and Twistin”, “Milky Dreams”, etc.; and its products are available in various outlets in Saint Petersburg, Leningrad, Moscow, and other regions of Russia.

For immediate release

Upset Hindus urge England brewery to withdraw Veda beer & apologize

Upset Hindus are urging Woodford (Northamptonshire, England) based Three Hills Brewing to apologize and withdraw its “Veda” (single hop India Pale Ale) beer; calling it highly inappropriate.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that inappropriate usage of Hindu scriptures or deities or concepts or symbols or icons for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, stated that Vedas were revealed Sanskrit texts considered as eternal-uncreated-divine-direct transmission from Absolute. Vedas were foundation of Hinduism and included Rig-Veda, world’s oldest extant scripture.

Using Vedas to sell beer was highly insensitive and trivializing of the immensely revered body of sacred and serious knowledge, Rajan Zed pointed out.

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, Zed noted.

Rajan Zed further said that Hindus were for free speech and expression as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the devotees.

Mission of Three Hills Brewing is to “produce high quality experimental ales and unconventional lagers”. Its stockists include shops, online, pubs-bars and restaurants in London, Nottingham, Northampton, etc.

Upset Hindus urge Oregon brewery to rename Shavasana beer & apologize

Upset Hindus are urging Newport (Oregon) based Rogue Ales & Spirits brewery to apologize and rename its “Shavasana” (Imperial, Granola Blonde Ale) beer; calling it highly inappropriate.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that inappropriate usage of Hindu concepts or symbols or icons or scriptures or deities for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, stated that Shavasana, a highly important posture in yoga, was the ultimate act of conscious surrender and was also used in Yoganidra meditation. Yogis slipped into blissful neutrality in Shavasana. It found mention in Hathayoga-pradipika, a text reportedly composed in the 15th century CE.

Yoga, an integral part of Hinduism, was considered Union with God and was a mean for transforming consciousness and attaining liberation. It found mention in ancient Hindu scriptures Upanishads and took many forms in sacred Bhagavad-Gita. Using yoga to push beer was highly insensitive and trivializing of the immensely revered body of sacred and serious knowledge, Rajan Zed pointed out.

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, Zed noted.

Rajan Zed further said that Hindus were for free speech and expression as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the devotees.

“Shavasana” (ABV 8%, IBU 13, SRM 7.5), releasing in March and described as “a cool-down beer”; is brewed with granola, coconut and sweet oats.

Awards-winning Rogue Ales & Spirits, founded in 1988 “as one of America’s first microbreweries”, claims to be “the only farmer-brewer-distiller-cooper in the United States”. It is said to be “available in all 50 states as well as 54 countries”. Dharma Tamm is President.