Upset Hindus are urging Poltrona Frau & Giobagnara, high-end Italian luxury brands, to immediately withdraw their yoga mat made from premium cow leather, calling it highly inappropriate.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that this “Giobagnara X Poltrona Frau Yoga Mat” seemed ridiculing and offending two serious concepts of Hinduism—cow and yoga—and was hugely insensitive to Hindu feelings.
Scenario of yoga (profound, sacred and ancient discipline; introduced and nourished by Hinduism) being performed on a mat made from a killed cow (the seat of many deities, which was sacred and had long been venerated in Hinduism) was painful to Hindu sentiments; Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated.
Prestigious, heritage‑driven brands like Poltrona Frau & Giobagnara should not be in the business of religious appropriation, sacrilege, mocking serious spiritual practices and ridiculing entire communities; Rajan Zed noted.
Zed also urged Poltrona Frau CEO Nicola Coropulis and Giobagnara CEO Giorgio Bagnara to offer a formal apology and be serious about their ethical responsibility.
Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.3 billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously. Practices/concepts/traditions of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be ridiculed at; Rajan Zed stated.
Yoga, which found reference in world’s oldest extant scripture Rig-Veda and other early Hindu texts, is considered union with God, one of the six systems of Hindu philosophy, and mean for transforming consciousness and purification of the Self and attaining liberation. It involved withdrawal and its objective was the state of blissful liberation, Zed pointed out.
Giobagnara X Poltrona Frau Yoga Mat with Holder is available at London‑based luxury e‑commerce company ABASK for $1,735. Rajan Zed also urged ABASK (which states: “cultural and historical provenance of design is at the core of everything we do”) and other retailers to discontinue carrying this cow leather yoga mat.
Poltrona Frau, an iconic luxury house of leather craftsmanship, launched in 1912, positions itself as “ultimate aspirational Brand” and which claims to “work to make the World better”. Giobagnara is an ultra-luxury design house known for refined, design‑forward leather craftsmanship.