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Ganesha cufflinks on sale again on Neiman Marcus site
The $940 cufflinks, made of sterling silver and hand-painted, depict Lord Ganesha, a deity worshipped by Hindus.
Ganesha Cufflinks. / Neiman Marcuus
Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus has come under fire for reintroducing cufflinks featuring the likeness of Lord Ganesha, a revered Hindu deity, after having removed them in 2021 following widespread protests.
The $940 cufflinks, made of sterling silver and hand-painted, depict Lord Ganesha, a deity worshipped as the god of wisdom and remover of obstacles in Hinduism. The product, which reappeared on the company’s website recently, has drawn fresh criticism for its perceived insensitivity toward religious sentiments.
In 2021, Neiman Marcus had pulled the item after Hindu leader Rajan Zed and others protested, calling the use of Lord Ganesha’s image on a fashion accessory “highly inappropriate”, Dallas News reported. Dallas News further noted that the retailer declined to comment on the matter. At the time, Zed argued that religious symbols and deities should not be trivialized for commercial purposes.
Despite the backlash, the cufflinks have now been relisted on the retailer’s website.
Zed, who is the president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, reiterated his criticism in a statement issued from Nevada recently. “Lord Ganesha is greatly revered in Hinduism and is meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines, not to secure the cuffs of dress shirts, misused as a fashion statement, or thrown around loosely,” he said.
The controversy sheds light on broader issues of cultural appropriation and insensitivity. While Western cultures may casually use religious symbols in fashion, experts argue that this practice fails to account for the sacredness these symbols hold for other communities.
“Hindus regard Lord Ganesha as immensely venerated, and such trivialization is deeply painful to devotees,” Zed added. He urged Neiman Marcus to withdraw the product immediately and issue a formal apology to the Hindu community, stating that the inappropriate use of sacred icons for “mercantile greed” is unacceptable.
Neiman Marcus, which operates 43 stores under various brand names, has not yet commented on the controversy.
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