The Indian Weekender, 2 April 2021
Weekly Kiwi-Indian publication printed and distributed free every Friday in Auckland, New Zealand
Weekly Kiwi-Indian publication printed and distributed free every Friday in Auckland, New Zealand
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8 NEW ZEALAND<br />
Friday, <strong>April</strong> 2, <strong>2021</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Indian</strong> <strong>Weekender</strong><br />
Concerns raised with Shakti Mat<br />
distributors in NZ about use of Hindu<br />
religious symbols on yoga-mats<br />
SANDEEP SINGH<br />
Concerns have been raised with the local<br />
New Zealand distributors of Shakti<br />
Mat – an acupressure mat for relaxation<br />
and healing - about the inappropriate depiction<br />
of traditional Hindu religious symbols for the<br />
marketing of the product.<br />
Responding to a query by the <strong>Indian</strong><br />
<strong>Weekender</strong> on a concern raised by a member<br />
of the public, Jonathan Heslop, director Shakti<br />
Mat said, “We are aware of this complaint and<br />
are taking it very seriously.”<br />
Earlier, a member of the public has raised<br />
concerns and had been in constant touch with<br />
Shakti Mat distributors in New Zealand after<br />
he found the use of Hindu religious symbols<br />
– OM and Shri Yantra – on the yoga mats as<br />
inappropriate and disrespectful to his core<br />
religious sentiments.<br />
Lalit Sharma, a Christchurch resident, is<br />
offended by the manner in which NZ based<br />
company is marketing yoga mats on their<br />
website with traditional Hindu religious<br />
symbols displayed on the foot mats.<br />
Aum is one of the deeply religious and most<br />
revered symbol of Hindu religion.<br />
“This company is selling foot mats and other<br />
products with OM and Shri Yantra symbols on<br />
them. People stand on them with their shoes<br />
which I find completely inappropriate.”<br />
“I have contacted the firm and expressed<br />
my anguish on what I see as cheap marketing<br />
gimmicks at the cost of our religious beliefs and<br />
<strong>Indian</strong> culture.”<br />
“<strong>The</strong>re are other creative ways of marketing<br />
a product,” Lalit said exasperatingly.<br />
“I haven’t seen a generous display of religious<br />
symbols of other religions say Christianity or<br />
Islam being depicted on foot mats or other mats.<br />
Notably, the use of Hindu religious symbols<br />
for marketing, or just satire in public spaces, has<br />
long been a frivolous practice in many regions<br />
of the global West, including in New Zealand.<br />
In Nov 2020, global online marketing<br />
giant Amazon came under fire for selling<br />
products such as underwear and doormats with<br />
Hindu sacred symbols, causing a furore on<br />
social media.<br />
Near our shores, a few years ago, an<br />
Australian brewer has come under fire for using<br />
"<br />
This company is selling foot<br />
mats and other products<br />
with OM and Shri Yantra<br />
symbols on them. People<br />
stand on them with their<br />
shoes which I find completely<br />
inappropriate.I have contacted<br />
the firm and expressed my<br />
anguish on what I see as<br />
cheap marketing gimmicks at<br />
the cost of our religious beliefs<br />
and <strong>Indian</strong> culture.<br />
images of Hindu gods (Lord Ganesha) on its<br />
ginger beer bottle labels.<br />
In that regard, Lord Ganesha - known most<br />
commonly in the West for his elephant face –<br />
is the most common inappropriately-depicted<br />
Hindu deity for the sake of product-marketing.<br />
Shakti Mat came into existence in 2009 when<br />
Swedish Yogi Om Mokshananda, earlier known<br />
by the name of Jonathan Hellbom, invented a<br />
spiked-mat based on an ancient <strong>Indian</strong> practice<br />
of “bed of nails,” which is believed to provide<br />
some health benefits.<br />
Two young Kiwi-lads had a chance encounter<br />
with the Swedish yogi in Thailand many years<br />
ago and got introduced to the Spiky mat, who<br />
immediately plunged upon the idea of bringing<br />
the product in New Zealand.<br />
<strong>The</strong> duo secured rights to sell the mats in<br />
Australia in 2016 and soon got distributing<br />
rights for New Zealand. <strong>The</strong> Shakti Mat is a<br />
Swedish company, but the product is made<br />
in a charity workshop in the holy <strong>Indian</strong><br />
city of Varanasi. <strong>The</strong> design on the product,<br />
though, is of the proprietor Swedish Yogi Om<br />
Mokshananda.<br />
Acknowledging the social connection with<br />
the product, New Zealand director Jonathan<br />
Heslop said, “As distributors of <strong>The</strong> Shakti<br />
Mat, we were drawn to this product because<br />
of its connection to India and the socially<br />
responsible way that it is manufactured in<br />
India. Our purpose is to celebrate and honour<br />
this connection.<br />
“We understand now that the design of the<br />
product is not fulfilling this purpose and are<br />
working towards a solution,” Jon said.<br />
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