Still available; no apology yet.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Urban Outfitters has found itself in the crosshairs of the international Hindu community yet again, after it released a duvet that prominently features the God Ganesha on it.
Ganesha, the elephant-headed God that has become synonymous with the Hindu religion by people worldwide, is colorfully splashed across an otherwise white duvet that is being sold by Urban Outfitters for anywhere between $129 and $169. Now, Hindu advocates are calling on the company to stop making and selling the bedding product, saying it disrespects them.
The duvet is the creation of DENY Designs, and is sold exclusively through Urban Outfitters. In its description of the product on the Urban Outfitters website, the company says the following about the fancy comforter:
“DENY Designs is an ever-changing collective of talented artists who churn out fresh, statement-making pieces, all proudly made in the USA. These unique items are a fun and easy way to infuse an ordinary room with effortless originality, and a portion of each purchase goes toward supporting art communities worldwide. This woven duvet cover is crafted from soft n’ durable poly fabric + topped with a standout illustration by the talented Valentina Ramos. Duvet insert not included. UO Exclusive.”
Hindus consider the feet to be arguably the dirtiest part of the body, and one that should not come into contact with religious iconography in any way; in fact, Hindus consider it blasphemous to even point one’s feet in the direction of a deity or religious site. By putting Ganesha on a duvet, feet come into direct contact with the God, prompting the brouhaha.
This isn’t Urban Outfitter’s first run-in with the Hindu community. The home goods and clothing chain previously put Ganesha on a sock, as well as other religious figures like Jesus Christ, and issued an apology. They promptly pulled the socks off shelves, stopping sales in response to the backlash against them. The feet are considered impure in Hindu theology, therefore making a sock with a God on it one of the worst kinds of clothing offenses possible.
Neither Urban Outfitters nor DENY Designs has commented on the controversy, and have given no indication of retiring the controversial bedding item.