---

The Telegraph, Calcutta, India
Dec. 17, 2007
Subrat Das
www.telegraphindia.com

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 20242 • Posted: Tuesday December 18, 2007  

---

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 17: Anticipating devotees’ anger over printed pictures of Lord Jagannath on undergarments, being marketed by an US-based online retailer, the Orissa government today decided to take up the matter with the American Embassy and the Centre.

“The matter has come to our notice as it has hurt the sentiments of many devotees. We will draw the embassy’s attention to the matter and seek its intervention,” said the law minister, Biswa Bhusan Harichandan. The government has also decided to urge the Centre to impose a ban on selling such products. “We are examining the legal aspects and contemplating action,” he added.

The site offers, among many other items, custom-made “Hindu” T-shirts, doggy dresses and underwear with pictures of Ram, Kali, Ganesh or Mahatma Gandhi.

“People should boycott products, which represent gods, goddesses and national heroes in such a drogatory manner,” said Harichandan.

The matter came to the fore when Sri Jagannath Sena, a Puri-based social organisation working for the “protection” of Jagannath culture, filed an FIR at Puri town police station against the website — CafePress.com — for a “vulgar representation” of Lord Jagannath.

CafePress.com specialises in providing customised products on demand.

The Sena convenor also said: “Such representations hurt our religious sentiments.” Puri inspector Alekh Chandra Pahi said the police have registered the FIR.

In a related development, the administration at Jagannath temple has decided to take up the matter of “untimely” rath yatras by Iskcon devotees both here and abroad.

“The temple tradition and ritual does not allow multiple yatras round the year. It is held only on the second day of the fortnight of Ashadha (June- July). We will take up the matter with Iskcon authorities. If they don’t refrain from holding yatras round the year, we will be compelled to move the court,” said the temple’s chief administrator, S.C. Mohapatra while talking to The Telegraph.

The temple servitors would also organise a protest rally in Puri on December 14 in this matter.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Hinduism, Religious Merchandising Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Hinduism, Religious Merchandising Read Another Article Previous entry: Amsterdam promises to clean up world-famous Red Light District Next entry: Jews threaten to chain themselves to Vatican gates RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Hinduism Most Popular Today Church of Scientology told to drop Churchill images I know the dark side of Scientology…I almost lost my friend when she became obsessed with it

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.