We have received complaints from several Hindus about a play ‘Ganesh versus the third Reich’ to be showed at the Theatre Junction Grand, Calgary, Canada from 22nd May 2013 to 25th May 2013. The play’s website and poster depicts a man dressed like a Sumo wrestler, wearing an elephant head, posing as Hindus’ revered Deity, Ganesh poised against Hitler. This portrayal of Lord Ganesh is contrary to the way Hindu Scriptures describe the Deity’s form or how the Deity is depicted in Hindu temples. In this play, our revered Deity is being used in a fictitious context and trivial manner. The portrayal of Lord Ganesh in this play is highly objectionable to the Hindu religious sentiments.

Kindly find below, some of the objections in the play which upset the Hindu community.

Forum for Hindu Awakening’ strongly believes that the very theme of this play is flawed; as it denigrates Hindu deities by humanizing them. The play uses descriptions of Hindu deities that are contrary to those in Hindu Scriptures.

Lord Ganesh is shown captured by the Nazis and is threatened by a knife.

Lord Ganesh is trivialized as He is shown talking about His relationship, where He ate and drank wine.

He is compared with fictitious comic characters such as ‘Spider-man’ and ‘King Kong’.

The character within the play (Brian) who plays Lord Ganesh, frequently takes off the Ganesh mask and utters obscenities like suck my d**k etc.

The play has an obscene innuendo surrounding Lord Ganesh, wherein one character asks another, whether the length of Lord Ganesh’s trunk is long enough, and the audience laugh.

A man with board shorts, no shirt and a garland plays Lord Vishnu in the play
Lord Shiva is portrayed in poor taste and there is a scene where he plucks a human being into two

Please read more about this denigration and protest at,

http://forumforhinduawakening.org/dharma/campaigns/2013/05/21/protest-denigrating-play-ganesh-versus-the-third-reich-at-the-theatre-junction-grand-calgary-canada/