Several Hindus in United States have expressed displeasure over trivialization of Hindu deities at the launch party of “Rosé Vintage 2004†champagne of prestigious French brand Dom Pérignon in New York City on March 27.
According to reports, at this invitation only chic and grand cabaret soirée hosted to fete the launch of this newest Dom Pérignon iteration and attended by many celebrity guests from fashion, film-making, hoteling, modeling, cooking, television, art, etc., fields; performers dressed and painted as Hindu gods, including Lord Ganesh, took to the stage in slow motion. This cabaret included a topless performer also. Some termed it as “Champagne Circus†and “wild, loud, decadent showâ€.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that Hindu deities were meant to be worshipped in temples and home shrines and it was highly inappropriate to unnecessarily parade them in loud cabarets.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, is urging the Chairman of Paris headquartered LVMH Companies Bernard Arnault, and head of its subsidiary Dom Pérignon, to offer formal apology, understanding the hurt feelings of Hindu community.
A company like LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which claimed to be “world leader in high-quality products†and which recorded revenue of €30.6 billion in 2014, should have shown some maturity and responsibility before permitting such a show, which was highly insensitive and hurtful to the devotees, Rajan Zed indicated.
Zed further said that inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it was disturbing to the faithful. Hindus were for free expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more, but faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it tormented the devotees, Zed pointed out and added that businesses should be respectful to various faith traditions.
Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Rajan Zed noted.
Dom Pérignon, said to be the “most famous champagne on earthâ€, is named after a Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon (1638–1715). It has set records at wine auctions and was reportedly chosen for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.
There are about three million Hindus in USA.