CHICAGO: Amparo (Sao Paulo, Brazil) based “award-winning” Cervejaria Ashby brewery seems to have removed beers carrying images of Hindu deities Ganesha and Vishnu within few days of protest from members of Indian community at large. Beer with images of deities were not seen on its website on December 28, 2016.
“GaneshaAmbar IPA” and “Vishnu Red IPA” beers, when available on Ashby website, carried the picture of respective Hindu deity.
The protest spearheaded by Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hinduism, and backed by NRI Press Club Chicago as well as Nand Kapur of AIA, strongly pitched for the withdrawal of objectionable Ganesha and Vishnu beers.
Zed however feels that a formal apology from Cervejaria Ashby would go a long way to soothe the feeling of Hindu community.
Lord Ganesha and Lord Vishnu are highly revered in Hinduism and they are meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling beer for mercantile greed. Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking. Lord Vishnu is “preserver” in the Hindu triad with Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva as the destroyer aspect of the Supreme.
Cervejaria Ashby, describing itself as “Brazilian breakfast tradition since 1993,” laid claim to be the “first microbrewery in Brazil”. When available on website, Vishnu Red IPA, with 45 IBU, was stated to have alcohol content of 5.8%; while GaneshaAmbar IPA, with 40 IBU, was shown with alcohol content of 5.4%. Amparo, known for its Winter Festival, is the seat of Roman Catholic Diocese of Amparo.
India Post News Service
