NextSharkNextShark.com

Swiss Company Offends Hindus Everywhere After Naming $6,000 Leather Boots After Sacred Deities

Swiss Company Offends Hindus Everywhere After Naming $6,000 Leather Boots After Sacred Deities

September 25, 2017
SHARE
Hindus are calling out Swiss fashion label Philipp Plein Group to change the name of some of its shoes named after Ganesha and Kali, two important deities in the Hindu pantheon.
Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed that the inappropriate use of Hindu deities, concepts and symbols for commercial or other untoward purposes offends practitioners.
In addition, Zed pointed out that linking the shoes made of 100% cow leather with Hindu deities was very improper, the Punjab News Express reported.
For those who may not know, Ganesha is an elephant-headed Hindu god of beginnings whose name both means “Lord of the People” and “Lord of the Ganas.” Ganas are the goblin hosts of Shiva, a main deity represented in various forms.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

Ganesha, also called Ganapati, is also believed to be a remover of obstacles.
via Flickr / Vinoth Chandar (CC BY 2.0)
Kali, on the other hand, is a goddess of time, doomsday and death. She is often characterized as being blue or black, with multiple arms holding decapitated heads, and may or may not be fully naked. Shiva is her husband.
Check out the shoes in hot water and their corresponding prices below:
High Heels High “Ganesha” Boots comes at €7,400 (approx. $8,761)
Open Toe Hi-Heels “Ganesha” comes at €1,800 (approx. $2,131)
Mid Heels High “Kali” Boots with crystal decorations comes at €3,180 (approx. $3,765)
Mid Heels High “Kali” Boots with heart patterns comes at €960 (approx. $1,136).
It is unknown whether Philipp Plein would be willing to rename the shoes.
Featured Images via Philipp Plein Group
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Carl Samson

      Carl Samson is a Senior Editor for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.