A clothing brand named ‘Sahara Ray Swim‘ has courted controversy by printing images of Hindu deities on its new collection of swimwear. The brand is owned by Sahara Ray, a young surfer turned Only Fans model.
The brand had released a new line of swimwear called the ‘Aura Collection 2022’. Comprising mostly of thongs and micro string tops, the new collection features images of Hindu deities on top of them. The contentious images have now gone viral on social media.
While sharing images of models flaunting the objectionable swimwear, a Twitter user (@TheTrid_Ent) wrote, “So, now in the name of Aesthetics, they are using Hindu Gods as prints on Bikini Bottoms & Tops. This is Sahara Ray’s swimwear company, Justin’s ex. Is this just for the design or they’ve a motive behind? Or If they are too religious? They should start it with Jesus, isn’t it?”
So, now in the name of Aesthetics, they are using Hindu Gods as prints on Bikini Bottoms & Tops.
— The TridEnt (@TheTrid_Ent) April 23, 2022
This is Sahara Ray’s swim wear company, Justin’s ex.
Is this just for the design or they’ve a motive behind? Or If they are too religious? They should start it with Jesus, isn’t it? pic.twitter.com/6K0qCEqi4D
Another Twitter user pointed out how the West is using Hindu Gods and Goddesses as ‘fashion design’ and ‘aesthetic material’ for their bikini tops and bottoms. “Why don’t they try to put Jesus as their aesthetic design?” she asked.
This is sahara Ray’s swim wear company..
— Shobna Raman (@shob3101) April 24, 2022
So now in the name of asethetics they using Hindu gods as fashion design on their bikini tops and bottoms .What was thier motive behind it ? Why dont they try to put jesus as thier asethetics design😏😏😏😏 pic.twitter.com/o2fFAQ1ziK
A user Procasians remarked, “Imagine having your head this far up your ass in 2022? Sad. Going private on Instagram won’t do anything. Hinduism is not a joke or an aesthetic for you to profit off of.” It must be mentioned that Sahara Ray had turned the Instagram handle of her clothing brand ‘private’ in the hopes of avoiding a social media backlash.
@SaharaRay imagine having your head this far up your ass in 2022? Sad. Going private on Instagram won’t do anything. Hinduism is not a joke or an aesthetic for you to profit off of. #hindu #Hinduism pic.twitter.com/U4tsbonhmc
— pocasians_ (@pocasians_) April 24, 2022
Another Twitter user said, “Stop profiting off Hinduism and printing deities on your bikinis. And whenever someone calls you out or asks you to apologise stop blocking them it’s giving clown behaviour”
Stop profiting off Hinduism and printing deities on your bikinis. And whenever someone calls you out or asks you to apologise stop blocking them it’s giving clown behaviour 🤡🤡@SaharaRay pic.twitter.com/BqSjwnhHOi
— wood addiction (@woodaddiction) April 23, 2022
One Akshansh Tiwari lamented that insulting Hindu deities has now become a fashion.
INSULTING HINDU GODS AND GODDESSES IS NOW A FASHION…#ShameOnYou @SaharaRay Hurting Hindu’s Sentiments Its Not COOL… pic.twitter.com/43U2teEkmv
— AKSHANSH TIWARI 🇮🇳 (@AKA_NATIONALIST) April 24, 2022
One Ananya wrote, “Sahara Ray, what the f is this? The disrespect and audacity are frankly shocking. Get my Gods out of your ass crack. You’re an actual disgrace I swear.”
@SaharaRay wtaf is this. The disrespect and audacity is frankly shocking. Get my Gods out of your ass crack. You’re an actual disgrace i swear. pic.twitter.com/qOdIFGFoif
— Ananya (@playbhaicarti_) April 24, 2022
Popular Twitter user, Madhur Singh, informed that the Instagram handle of ‘Sahara Ray Swim’ first blocked users who questioned the objectionable swimwear collection. “Later they turned the comments off and posted yet another set of photos of the same lingerie. Kinda their way of saying we are superior, we’ll do whatever we want,” he had added.
On Instagram, first they blocked people who commented under their post showing this is inappropriate, later they turned the comments off and posted yet another set of photos of same lingerie. Kinda their way of saying, “we are superior, we’ll do whatever we want” @AshwiniVaishnaw
— Madhur Singh (@ThePlacardGuy) April 24, 2022
In a tweet, the Hindu IT Cell informed, “We have taken cognisance of this matter. It’s absolutely derogatory and defamatory act against Hindu ideals. We are not going to tolerate this and our team will legally proceed in this matter.”
Past instances of Hinduphobia by companies
This is however not the first time that a brand has resorted to an open display of Hinduphobia. Earlier in May 2019, floor mats and toilet covers, bearing images of sacred Hindu Gods and Goddesses, were being sold on Amazon.
There are many more @amazon, @AmazonHelp, Remove this immediately.
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) May 16, 2019
Here are the links:
1. https://t.co/R0EGoUVEgE
2. https://t.co/PicNkDs1Pz
3. https://t.co/c4pyWKPpx6
4. https://t.co/LYoJnm8jmx pic.twitter.com/H5lEwVOkfI
In October 2018, a Non-resident Indian named Ankita Mishra was forced to write to the ‘House of Yes’ nightclub in Bushwick in New York after discovering paintings of Hindu deities on the walls.
“The walls were papered with bejewelled images of Hindu gods like Ganesha, Saraswati, Kali and Shiva. This is the price of silence. The scales will always tip back to favour the status quo, the inherent whiteness of the spaces we enjoy,” she had remarked.
“Our Hindu holidays and festivals, our grief and history, will only ever be presented as an accessory to American and European conquests — forever owned and forever used as if there are no consequences,” Mishra had added.
