From Rajan Zed:
Upset Hindus have urged Lafayette (Colorado, USA) based Odd13 Brewing, Inc., to apologize and withdraw its "Hanuman" beer, calling it highly inappropriate.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) 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, stressed that Lord Hanuman 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 for mercantile greed.
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. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Rajan Zed argued.
In Hinduism, Lord Hanuman is known for incredible strength and was perfect grammarian. Moksh (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism. There are about three million Hindus in USA.
Odd13 Brewing, Inc., founded by Kristin Scott and Ryan Scott, claims: “Our beers have character, and are characters” and adds that their “every beer has a personality”.
Giving the "story" behind "Hanuman", which is styled as "Single Hop IPA", it states: "Hanuman is a kind shapeshifting super-monkey”. It describes Hanuman beer as: Hanuman is an American IPA with a light malt character that showcases robust hopping.
Lafayette, incorporated in 1890, is known for Thomas Open Space Barn and Oatmeal Festival. Christine Berg is the Mayor.
UPDATE 10 June 2014:
Odd13 Brewing, Inc., of Lafayette (Colorado, USA) reportedly withdrew “Hanuman” beer within hours of the first Hindu protest.
On the brewery’s website, all the references to Hanuman have been removed. Single Hop IPA seems to have taken the place on the website where “Hanuman” beer once existed. Single Hop Australian Summer shows up where once Hanuman Australian Summer was mentioned.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who spearheaded the protest, calling identifying of the beer with Lord Hanuman as “highly inappropriate”, has thanked and commended the “Odd13 Brewing” for having an understanding for the hurt feelings of Hindu community and for showing responsibility, respect and maturity by taking quick action in withdrawing “Hanuman” beer. It was a step in the right direction, Zed added in a statement in Nevada (USA) today.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, had stressed that Lord Hanuman 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 for mercantile greed. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda was not okay.
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. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Rajan Zed had argued.
Zed further says that such trivialization of Lord Hanuman was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus are for free expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more, but faith is something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the devotees, Zed points out and adds that businesses should be respectful to various faith traditions.
Before the protest, “Odd13 Brewing” described Hanuman beer as: Hanuman is an American IPA with a light malt character that showcases robust hopping. Giving the "story" behind "Hanuman", which was styled as "Single Hop IPA", it then stated: "Hanuman is a kind shapeshifting super-monkey”.
Ryan Scott, brewery’s co-founder, was quoted in the media today: We didn't mean for it to be offensive… the name for the beer originally came from a Facebook contest.
In Hinduism, Lord Hanuman is known for incredible strength and was perfect grammarian.
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