Showing posts with label Rajan Zed. Show all posts

Belgium brewery apologizes to Hindus for using Lord Ganesha as beer icon

India 14 September 2016: Belgium brewery, The Musketeers, has apologized for using Lord Ganesha as icon representing its Jack's Precious IPA beer.

Google translation of brewery’s (headquartered in Ursel, East Flanders) statement in Dutch, responding to criticism by Hindu community, published on their website, said: “The brewery wants to apologize when they unwittingly hurts a community”; and added that the beer label “in no way intended to hurt anyone”.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who spearheaded the protest against the Lord Ganesha’s image on Jack's Precious IPA beer label, in a statement in Nevada today, welcomed the brewery’s apology, calling it a step in the positive direction.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that in the same spirit, the brewery should immediately withdraw image of Lord Ganesha from the beer label, which was highly inappropriate.

If the Musketeers brewery continued to use Lord Ganesha icon on their beer, they were thinking of approaching the Commission on Marketing and Advertising of Belgium chapter of International Chamber of Commerce, Rajan Zed pointed out.

Lord Ganesha's image carrying chef knife in one hand and sausage like object on the other and brewery's trade mark symbol on his head continued to be shown on Jack's Precious IPA beer label on brewery’s website today.

Zed had said that inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Rajan Zed had stated that Lord Ganesha was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling beer for mercantile greed. Moreover, linking Lord Ganesha with an alcoholic beverage was very disrespectful.

Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one 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, Zed had noted.

In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking.

Brewery claims that Jack's Precious IPA (Alcohol: 5.9%, EBC: 20, IBU: 50), launched in March last, “has the character of a floral bouquet with a citrus accent” and is available in Belgium, the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom.

Chinese researchers conclude yoga benefits diabetes patients

India 22 July 2016: Researchers at China’s Binzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Central Hospital and Donghua University have concluded that yoga benefits adult patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), said to be one of most frequently encountered metabolic syndromes worldwide.

n abstract of the article “Effects of Yoga in Adult Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis” published online at Journal of Diabetes Investigation stated: “A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy of yoga in adult patients with T2DM”.

Researchers (Jie Cui, Jun-Hong Yan, Li-Ming Yan, Lei Pan, Jia-Jin Le, Yong-Zhong Guo) summed up in this article accepted on June 29: Based on the evidence, yoga significantly reduces fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels and alters other significant clinical outcomes in patients with T2DM. These results support the idea that yoga-based training is a possible alternative exercise for T2DM management.

In this study, researchers performed a meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials involving 864 patients in United Kingdom, India, Cuba and Iran to determine the effectiveness of yoga in patients with T2DM. The available evidence suggested that yoga can significantly decrease patient FBG, postprandial blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and increase their high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Meanwhile, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, called the Chinese institutions looking into the efficacy of multi-faceted yoga among diabetic patients “a step in the positive direction”. Zed urged all major world universities to explore various benefits yoga offered.

Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, noted.

Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to a recently released “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image. Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.

Hindus want LaSalle Rd renamed “Om Street” in Connecticut’s W. Hartford

India 20 July 2016: Hindus are urging West Hartford (Connecticut) to permanently rename its LaSalle Road as “Om Street”; where the popular sixth annual “Om Street: Yoga on LaSalle Road” event is being held on July 23.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, urged West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, Deputy Mayor Leon Davidoff and Town Council to seriously look into renaming LaSalle Road as “Om Street” to honor the passionate yogis of the region who had been converging here in hundreds and informally converting it as “Om Street” annually for part of a day since 2011.

“Om” was the mystical and powerful Sanskrit seed syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism was used to introduce and conclude religious work, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out.

Moreover, renamed “Om Street” might inspire residents of West Hartford and neighboring towns to adopt yoga lifestyle; as, according to US National Institutes of Health; yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress; Rajan Zed indicates.

Zed further said that Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization.

Various yoga studios and allied businesses of Connecticut in Avon, Bristol, Brookfield, Collinsville, Danielson, East Hartford, Glastonbury, Hartford, Harwinton, Litchfield, Manchester, Middletown, Naugatuck, New Haven, Newington, North Haven, Old Wethersfield, Plainville, Simsbury, South Windsor, Southington, Torrington, West Hartford, Wethersfield; besides Vermont’s Northfield; are reportedly supporting/assisting in this event. Besides yoga display, it also plans to include live music on drums-gongs-didgeridoo. Two mats are suggested to protect knees on LaSalle Road (“it's still a road and not quite the cork, wooden, or carpeted floor of your regular yoga studio”, an announcement says). There will be few dozen instructors of the area on hand to lead the yoga practice.

According to reports, about 1800 yogis turned out for this free community event last year to celebrate yoga in the street in West Hartford. This year the expectations are of 2000 participants spread over a full city block.

Hindus worldwide shocked at frequent temple desecration in Malaysia

Hindus worldwide are highly concerned after reports of frequent desecration of Hindu temples in Malaysia recently.

Mumbai 4 July 2016: According to reports, vandals damaged the statue of a Hindu deity at Dewa Sri Mathurai Veeran Hindu Temple in Bayan Baru (Penang) on July two evening. This was said to be the third such case of vandalism reported since last month.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it was reportedly shocking for the hard-working, harmonious and peaceful Malaysian Hindu community; who had made lot of contributions to the nation and society; to receive such signals of hatred and anger.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged administration for swift action to regain the reportedly falling confidence of the Hindu community.

Rajan Zed also urged Malaysia Prime Minister Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak to constitute a multi-faith national task force headed by him to come up with an effective strategy to put an end to such reported desecration of religious centers in the country.

Zed further said that Malaysia Government and its various state governments should seriously consider providing adequate security measures to Hindu places of worship.

Lauding City of Compton offering free yoga, Hindus urge all California cities to follow

Mumbai, 1 July, 2016: Hindus have commended City of Compton in California for announcing free yoga classes for residents.

To be held in Burrell-MacDonald Park, these are open to all ages and experience levels, ranging from beginner to advance. Compton Mayor Aja Brown said: “A physically and mentally fit person strengthens the family unit and ultimately the Compton community”. “…community yoga classes are an important part of our continued efforts to create a healthier and more vibrant Compton…”

Calling it a step in the positive direction, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, applauded City of Compton for coming forward with this initiative and providing an opportunity to its residents to avail the multiple benefits yoga offered.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged California Governor Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. to work with various city councils and county commissions in California for offering free yoga classes to the residents in city/county parks, thus incorporating highly beneficial yoga in the lives of Californians.

Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Rajan Zed pointed out.

Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to a recently released “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image. Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Rajan Zed added.

Prominent people associated with Compton, incorporated in 1888 and located south of downtown Los Angeles, include former US presidents George W. Bush and George H. W. Bush; tennis champions Serena Williams and Venus Williams; actors Kevin Costner, James Coburn, Tiny Lister; football players Larry Allen, Mike Garrett, Anthony Munoz; Olympian gold medalists Bob Beamon, Charles Dumas, Quincy Watts, Ulis Williams; baseball player Eddie Murray; rappers Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Kendrick Lamar, Coolio, The Game, Tyga; besides rap group N.W.A. Isaac Galvan is Mayor Pro Tem, while Roger L. Haley is the City Manager.