Hindus slam model’s Kali costume

Hindus slam model’s Kali costume
Subashni Naidoo Published:Nov 09, 2008

PARTY PIECE: Heidi Klum dressed as goddess Kali for Halloween
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Heidi Klum branded as ‘vulgar and revolting’ for dressing as revered goddess for Halloween party

South African Hindus are demanding a public apology from international supermodel Heidi Klum, whose Halloween costume depicting the Hindu goddess Kali caused a worldwide stir.

The German celebrity, who hosted her annual Halloween bash at 1-OAK nightclub in New York last week, came clad in a blue catsuit to which fake arms had been attached. She also wore a belt of decapitated heads, bloodied hands and a gold headpiece.

Her singer husband, Seal, was dressed as Angulimaal, an Indian mythical character known to chop off people’s fingers and wear them as a necklace.

Klum, who visited India with Seal last year, told reporters at the party that her secretary had suggested that she dress as goddess Kali.

Klum told the US publication The National Ledger: “My husband and I were in India last year, so my secretary said, ‘Why don’t you do an Indian goddess — like a scary Indian goddess?’ And I said OK.”

Her secretary then searched the Internet for images of the goddess.

“I loved it because she’s so mean and killed all these different people and had fingers hanging off her and little shrunken heads everywhere,” said Klum.

The 35-year-old supermodel is said to be a lover of Indian culture and even invited a Hindu priest from Varanasi, India, to Mexico six months ago when she renewed her marriage vows to her husband.

However, South African Hindus have slammed Klum’s choice of costume.

A Randburg woman, Ashina Chumanlall, said she was so disgusted that she was appealing to Hindus in South Africa to sign a petition condemning Klum’s “disrespectful” portrayal of a revered goddess.

“I was horrified that someone could do this. Klum made Mother Kali out to be some freak creature out of a horror story,” said Chumanlall.

She has initiated an e-mail campaign which is receiving tremendous support. “We hope to bring this woman to book for disrespecting and dishonouring our culture and religion.”

The president of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, Ashwin Trikamjee, said legal action should be taken against Klum to send a strong message to the rest of the world.

“More and more non-Hindus appear to fl agrantly undermine Hindu beliefs and practices by treating them in an absolutely callous manner. They need to be stopped, and this has to be translated into action to ensure that it does not happen again,” said Trikamjee.

The president of the Indian Academy of South Africa, Dr Tholisiah Naidoo, urged Hindus worldwide to boycott everything Klum promotes.

“This should teach her a lesson. I think the model has no knowledge of the susceptibility or the respect for other religions. Hindus worldwide would find it vulgar and revolting that someone should take so much liberty to abuse Mother Kali,” said Naidoo.

“Call the Hindu whatever you like, but he believes very strongly in the goddess of strength and energy. To depict her in such a hideous manner is unacceptable.”

A Nevada-based Hindu priest, Rajan Zed, demanded in a statement to The National Ledger that the supermodel tender a public apology.

“Goddess Kali is highly revered in Hinduism. She is meant to be worshipped in temples, not used in clubs for publicity stunts or thrown around loosely for dramatic effect ,” said Zed.

Klum’s publicist was not available for comment. — naidoosu@sundaytimes.co.za

http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/News/Article.aspx?id=880038