Mag showing Obama as Nataraja irks Hindus
Nov. 21: Hindus are upset over the cover of November 22 edition of American newsweekly Ne-wsweek which depicts US President Barack Obama in Nataraja pose, saying that it trivialises their venerated deity Siva.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada USA Today, said that Lord Siva was a highly revered major deity in Hinduism meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used indecorously or thrown around loosely in reimagined versions for dramatic effects.
How a mortal could be depicted as Siva, who is the director of our destinies, Mr Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, asked and added that inappropriate use of Hinduism concepts and symbols for pushing selfish agenda or mercantile greed was not okay. Rajan Zed argued that it was unnecessary dragging of a Hindu deity in American political wrangles by Newsweek to prove their point of view and urged Newsweek to publish a disclaimer about this on its website and the next issue with proper explanation of Nataraja, Siva, and Hinduism. Mr Zed stressed that Hinduism was 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. No faith, larger or smaller, should be ridiculed at.
Rajan Zed pointed out that Hindus understood that the purpose of Newsweek in this case apparently was not to denigrate Hinduism, but casual flirting like this sometimes resulted in pillaging serious spiritual doctrines and revered symbols and hurting the devotees. Humour was a part and parcel of Hindu society, but there were certain convictions in every tradition, which were not meant to be taken lightly.
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