Madhu Patel
CHICAGO: The Luxury hotel chain Kempinski offered “most sincere apologies” and “deepest regrets” and renamed its bar carrying the name of Hindu deity Hanuman in its Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok after protested calling it “highly inappropriate”.
Richard Schestak, General Manager at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, in an email to Rajan Zed who spearheaded the protest wrote: “…on behalf of the Siam Kempinski Hotel and Kempinski Group, I would like to express my most sincere apologies for any offence caused… it was never our intention to cause any upset to anyone in the community… We have changed the name of the bar and removed any reference to Hanuman to avoid any confusion or potential upset…please accept our deepest regrets…”.
Its “Hanuman Bar” is now called “1897 Lounge”. A martini concoction of Hanuman Bar called “Hanumantini”, which included Vodka and which Hindus also objected; has also been renamed as “1897TINI”.
Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, thanked Kempinski Hotels for understanding the concerns of Hindu community.
Rajan had said that Lord Hanuman was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not for selling liquor and beef. Inappropriate usage of sacred Hindu deities or concepts or symbols or icons for mercantile greed or other agenda was not okay, as it hurt the devotees.
Selling beef and liquor in the name of a Hindu deity was a desecration. Cow, the seat of many deities, was sacred and had long been venerated in Hinduism. Kempinski, which claimed of “people-centered principles”, should have shown some maturity when naming a bar; Rajan Zed had indicated.
Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.2 billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled; Rajan Zed had noted.
In Hinduism, Lord Hanuman is known for incredible strength and was a perfect grammarian.
Menu of “Hanuman Bar” at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok included wagyu beef tartare, grilled beef, angus beef burger, beef ragout, beef khao pad; besides various kinds of vodka, gin, tequila, whisky, rum, liqueurs, beer, brandy, etc.
Headquartered in Geneva and Munich, Kempinski, hoteliers since 1897 with reportedly about 81 hotels around the globe, claimed to be “Europe’s oldest luxury hotel company” and also claimed that their bars “are the epitome of elegance”. Bernold Schroeder is the Chief Executive Officer. Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok described itself as “five-star luxury resort-inspired haven”.
