On June 12 of this month, an advertisement by ‘Amazon India’ surfaced. The advertisement depicted India’s great mathematician and astronomer, Aryabhatta, in a modern setting. Children were asking him, “Who are you?” and “Uncle, what goods have you brought?” The narrative then centers on ‘Shunya’ (Zero), which Amazon links to its commercial offers, ‘zero delivery fee,’ ‘zero handling fee’ and ‘zero search fee.’
The question arising from the depiction of the great mathematician Aryabhatta is: is it right to turn the discovery of ‘Shunya’ into a tool for sales? Since when did our great scientist become ‘Chachaji’ (Uncle)? Undoubtedly, by portraying one of India’s most revered mathematicians and astronomers in a commercial advertisement, his legacy was trivialized, and Amazon insulted India’s scientific and cultural heritage. This amounts to transforming a great symbol of India’s scientific heritage into a mere instrument for boosting sales!
Now, the question arises: was this the first time Amazon faced accusations of disregarding Indian cultural or religious sensitivities? A look at the record of the past twelve years reveals a much broader picture, in which Indian icons, Hindu faith and Indian culture have been repeatedly insulted. They have been targeted in various ways to demean them in comparison to others.
When Faith and the Marketplace First Clashed
Looking back, this saga began in 2014. In January of that year, products named “Ganesh Dream Hot Pants” and “Ganesh Dream Bell Bottoms” were found listed on Amazon. These items featured the name and image of Lord Ganesha. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindu Sanatani organizations were the first to protest, arguing that displaying the image of a deity worshipped by millions on such garments was incompatible with religious reverence.
VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal stated emphatically, “This is a direct affront to Hindu faith. It disparages the entire Sanatan Dharma; it is an insult.” The controversy escalated, and eventually, Amazon removed the products. At the time, it was viewed as an isolated incident, but that perception began to shift just months later. Far from learning any lesson from the episode, Amazon persisted with a narrative that appeared hostile to Hindu sentiments.
Images of Deities Turned into Fashion Statements
In October 2014, Amazon introduced leggings from the brand ‘Yizzam’. The same pattern of behavior was repeated. These leggings featured printed images of Hindu deities such as Lord Ganesha, Shiva, Rama, Radha-Krishna and others. Once again, Hindu faith was demeaned. Critics questioned why symbols revered in temples and home shrines were being displayed on garments worn on the legs and lower body. Naturally, Hindu organizations were compelled to step forward and protest once more.
Viewed in this light, these two incidents from 2014 signaled for the first time that the global e-commerce model was indifferent to Indian religious and cultural sensitivities. Its narrative is fixed and it is anti-Hindu (Sanatan).
An affront to national honour and a direct warning from the Government of India
Then came 2017, and the scope of the controversy expanded beyond India to the international stage. In January 2017, doormats featuring the Indian national flag were found being sold on the Amazon Canada website. This issue was no longer confined to Hindu culture or religion; it was a direct assault on India’s national identity. Naturally, the then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj took a firm stand on this matter concerning national honor and publicly warned Amazon; only then did the company acknowledge its mistake, though Amazon was hardly one to simply back down!
When images of deities ended up on underwear and skateboards
In February of that same year, the company once again hurt the sentiments of India’s Hindu majority. This time, products such as underwear, skateboards and doormats featuring images of deities like Ganesha, Shiva, Hanuman, Kali, Vishnu and Lakshmi were found listed on Amazon. Notably, Amazon displayed women’s underwear featuring the image of Lord Ganesha on its platform, which naturally sparked a sharp backlash.
Revered symbols trampled underfoot!
Despite all this, Amazon persisted with its anti-Hindu mindset. It continued to push a narrative of hostility towards Hinduism, and by 2019, the resulting discontent had become widespread. In January 2019, doormats printed with images of Ganesha, Lakshmi, Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Saraswati, Durga and other deities were found for sale on Amazon. First, the Indian Tricolour had been printed on doormats; now, India’s Hindu majority was the target. People questioned how permission was granted to display, on items meant to be stepped upon, figures that are otherwise enshrined in home prayer rooms. Who authorized this? And why did Amazon deem it acceptable?
Religious images reached the bathroom!
Barely two months later, in May 2019, reports emerged regarding the sale of bath mats, toilet seat covers and other bathroom products featuring images of Lord Ganesha. The issue was not confined to India alone; Hindus across the globe launched online campaigns. A petition garnered over 150,000 signatures, as people sought to understand why Amazon harboured such animosity towards Hindus. Why does Amazon repeatedly trifle with the faith of Hindus, a community that has played a pivotal role in driving the company’s multi-thousand-crore business growth?
Controversy moves beyond products; questions now raised regarding content
When the events spanning 2014 to 2019 are viewed collectively, a clear pattern emerges. At the heart of almost every controversy lay the commercial use of Hindu deities or religious symbols in a manner deemed inappropriate by a vast number of people; however, the nature of the controversy shifted in 2021. The issue was no longer about a physical product, but rather about content.
Nationwide protest against ‘Tandav’
In January 2021, the Amazon Prime Video web series ‘Tandav’ was released. Protests erupted across the country over certain scenes. In one scene, actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub is seen portraying Bhagwan Shiva while engaging in contemporary political dialogue. It was evident that this portrayal hurt the religious sentiments of the Sanatan Hindu community.
Amazon found itself embroiled in controversy once again in January 2023. This time, the cause was a book titled ‘Deadly Bhagavad Gita’. The book portrayed the Bhagavad Gita as a text that fosters social division and discrimination, an attempt to directly discredit the Indian tradition of knowledge. The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita has long inspired countless people worldwide to achieve success in life; it bears witness to the journey from the self to the Divine, from worldly attachment (moha) to liberation (moksha). Despite this, Amazon propagated falsehoods regarding the text.
A New Debate on the Depiction of Goddess Kali and Freedom of Expression
This debate intensified in 2024. The cover of a book titled ‘Kali Maa,’ listed on Amazon, sparked controversy. The cover depicted Goddess Kali hanging from a noose. It drew sharp reactions on social media.
A Twelve-Year Pattern and Now the ‘Aryabhatta’ Controversy
Then came the ‘Aryabhatta’ controversy of June 2026. This differs somewhat from previous disputes. While no deity, religious symbol, or scripture is involved here, Amazon has insulted India’s intellectual tradition, scientific achievements and cultural pride.
In fact, viewing these events over the past twelve years reveals a clear pattern: while the subjects of the controversies may vary, ranging from Ganesha, Shiva, Goddess Kali and the Bhagavad Gita to the Indian flag and Aryabhatta, the core issue remains virtually the same each time. The question now arises: are global corporate entities truly grasping the cultural sensitivities of a civilizational society like India with sufficient seriousness?
This series of events, spanning from 2014 to 2026, clearly demonstrates that Amazon, as a digital platform, is leveraging its global reach to propagate a narrative of Hindu opposition. From ‘Ganesha dream pants’ to the ‘Aryabhatta’ advertisement, it fuels controversies that pit faith, culture, the market and globalization against one another. Time and again, the faith, culture, and civilization of India and its majority Hindu society, find themselves in the crosshairs.
