A clothing brand named ‘Sahara Ray Swim‘ has courted controversy by printing images of Hindu deities on its new collection of swimwear. The brand is owned by Sahara Ray, a young surfer turned Only Fans model.

The brand had released a new line of swimwear called the ‘Aura Collection 2022’. Comprising mostly of thongs and micro string tops, the new collection features images of Hindu deities on top of them. The contentious images have now gone viral on social media.

While sharing images of models flaunting the objectionable swimwear, a Twitter user (@TheTrid_Ent) wrote, “So, now in the name of Aesthetics, they are using Hindu Gods as prints on Bikini Bottoms & Tops. This is Sahara Ray’s swimwear company, Justin’s ex. Is this just for the design or do they have a motive behind it? Or If they are too religious? They should start it with Jesus, isn’t it?”

Another Twitter user pointed out how the West is using Hindu Gods and Goddesses as ‘fashion design’ and ‘aesthetic material’ for their bikini tops and bottoms. “Why don’t they try to put Jesus as their aesthetic design?” she asked.

A user of Procasians remarked, “Imagine having your head this far up your ass in 2022? Sad. Going private on Instagram won’t do anything. Hinduism is not a joke or anesthetic for you to profit off of.” It must be mentioned that Sahara Ray had turned the Instagram handle of her clothing brand ‘private’ in the hopes of avoiding a social media backlash.

Another Twitter user said, “Stop profiting off Hinduism and printing deities on your bikinis. And whenever someone calls you out or asks you to apologise stop blocking them it’s giving clown behaviour”

One Akshansh Tiwari lamented that insulting Hindu deities has now become a fashion.

One Ananya wrote, “Sahara Ray, what the f is this? The disrespect and audacity are frankly shocking. Get my Gods out of your ass crack. You’re an actual disgrace I swear.”

Popular Twitter user, Madhur Singh, informed that the Instagram handle of ‘Sahara Ray Swim’ first blocked users who questioned the objectionable swimwear collection. “Later they turned the comments off and posted yet another set of photos of the same lingerie. Kinda their way of saying we are superior, we’ll do whatever we want,” he had added.

In a tweet, the Hindu IT Cell informed, “We have taken cognizance of this matter. It’s an absolutely derogatory and defamatory act against Hindu ideals. We are not going to tolerate this and our team will legally proceed in this matter.”

Sahara Ray had turned the Instagram handle of her clothing brand ‘private’ in the hopes of avoiding a social media backlash

People have taken to Twitter calling out the company for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindu Religion

Sahara Ray - Hindu Deities pictures on undergarments by the company were shared on social media, and Boycott began to trend on social media platforms

Sahara Ray - Absolutely disgusted at how the company allowed religion to be showcased as nothing but a fashion design, that too swimwear and bikinis. Makers of such products need to be reprimanded

Past instances of Hinduphobia by companies

This is however not the first time that a brand has resorted to an open display of Hinduphobia. Earlier in May 2019, floor mats and toilet covers, bearing images of sacred Hindu Gods and Goddesses, were being sold on Amazon.

Time and again we have seen Hindu gods appearing in the most unimaginable of places. In the West, there have been incidents of Ganesha appearing on toilet seats and the face of Ram on shoes. In October 2018, a Non-resident Indian named Ankita Mishra was forced to write to the ‘House of Yes’ nightclub in Bushwick in New York after discovering paintings of Hindu deities on the walls.

“The walls were papered with bejewelled images of Hindu gods like Ganesha, Saraswati, Kali, and Shiva. This is the price of silence. The scales will always tip back to favour the status quo, the inherent whiteness of the spaces we enjoy,” she had remarked.

Wall paintings in the VIP bathroom of ‘House of Yes’ nightclub

 “Our Hindu holidays and festivals, our grief and history, will only ever be presented as an accessory to American and European conquests — forever owned and forever used as if there are no consequences,” Mishra had added.

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References:

opindia.com