News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Feb. 17, 2021: Upset Hindus are seeking an apology from Barbados-born star Rihanna after she donned a Lord Ganesha pendant in a topless photo posted on Twitter.
Rihanna posed with the Lord Ganesha pendant on a long necklace covering her belly-button and posted it on her official Twitter handle on February 15th with her hands covering her breasts and wearing only a silky short pajama bottom. The post from Rihanna added: “when @PopcaanMusic said “me nuh wan ya wear no lingerie tonight fa me girl” @SavageXFenty.”
The post came on the same day that happened to be Ganesha Jayanti or Ganesha’s birthday.
Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that Lord Ganesha was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used as a fashion statement to push a sexy lingerie line or become a tool for sexy fashion.
Inappropriate usage of sacred Hindu deities or concepts or symbols or icons for commercial or other agenda is not okay as it hurt the devotees, he added.
Many devotees do wear a Lord Ganesha pendant on short necklace on a regular basis to express their reverence/devotion in Lord Ganesha but wearing it as a fashion accessory in a one-time photo-shoot in this disrespectful manner for commercial agenda is quite out of line, Zed said.
Besides apologizing to the worldwide Hindu community, Zed is also urging Rihanna to immediately remove the objectionable picture from her Twitter account.
Zed also suggested Rihanna undergo training in religious and cultural sensitivity so that she has a better understanding of the feelings of communities and customers.
Other Hindus slammed the star on Twitter.
A N Bajpai posted: “This lady is abusing our deity lord Ganesh and hurting one Billion Hindus” while Reecha added “@rihanna Cultural appropriation, you definitely know her” with a nauseated face.
Pranjal Pachori added: “Who the hell do u think u r??? U can’t insult our religion like this. Lord Ganesha is Not A Piece Of Jewelry, he’s beyond your imagination. Seems like your doing this for purpose …. U have to pay it off some day…. Karma does exist.”
ًkani | H☀BIUARY posted: “rihanna!! stop using my religion as an aesthetic !! that ganesh figurine at the end of the chain:( is a holy and sacred figure for us hindus” While veduBlue added: “We are so tired & if we raise voice against this cultural appropriation so we are labelled as hindu extremist. For you all hinduphobics it is just necklace but for us he’s god. Please stop telling us wht is offensive & whts not. Audacity of these ppl “hinduphobia doesn’t exist.”
Hinduism is the one of the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.2 billion adherents. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Zed added.
Rihanna has so far not responded to the criticism.
