“Om Namah Shivay” Chants Used in SNL Skit Featuring Lady Gaga Spark Outrage
Saturday Night Live (SNL) is known for its witty humor and parody skits, but its recent skit featuring Lady Gaga has sparked outrage among the Hindu community worldwide. The skit, titled “Catholic Scream Queens,” used the sacred Hindu chant “Om Namah Shivay” and mentioned Goddess Kali, leaving many feeling offended and disrespected.
The skit, which aired on October 17, 2020, featured Lady Gaga as a demon, along with other cast members playing Catholic nuns. The skit’s premise was to poke fun at the idea of demonic possession, but its use of Hindu chants and deities has been widely criticized.
The chant “Om Namah Shivay” is a sacred Hindu mantra that is often chanted as a greeting or as a way to pay respect to Lord Shiva. It is not a “demon chant” as the skit portrayed, but rather a revered phrase that holds great spiritual significance in Hinduism. Similarly, Goddess Kali is a powerful and revered deity in Hinduism, often associated with time, change, and destruction. Her depiction in the skit as a “demon” has been particularly upsetting for many Hindus.
The outrage was sparked by a post on Instagram by Congressional Briefer Utsav Sanduja, who said, “Misusing ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ as a ‘demon chant’ is deeply offensive to 1+ billion Hindus worldwide. Shame on you, @nbcsnl.” The post quickly went viral, with many others expressing their outrage and disappointment with the skit.
One Instagram user commented, “Shame on you for using a sacred Hindu chant and deity for your own entertainment purposes. You have no idea the significance and reverence that ‘Om Namah Shivay’ holds for us.” Another user wrote, “As a Hindu, I am deeply offended by this. Please do not use our sacred chants and deities to make jokes. It’s not funny, it’s disrespectful.”
The backlash against the skit has been widespread, with many calling for apologies and sensitivity training for the SNL cast and crew. Lady Gaga, who is known for her support of the LGBTQ+ community and her advocacy for social justice, has yet to publicly comment on the skit. However, her presence in the skit has been cited as a reason why many people are upset, as she is a respected public figure who could have potentially used her platform to raise awareness about the importance of cultural sensitivity.
The use of sacred symbols and chants from other cultures without permission or understanding is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. It’s not just a matter of “offending” someone, but rather a matter of disrespecting and trivializing the beliefs and practices of an entire community.
In conclusion, the SNL skit featuring Lady Gaga and the use of the Hindu chant “Om Namah Shivay” has sparked outrage and disappointment among the Hindu community worldwide. It’s a reminder that, even in the name of comedy, we need to be mindful of the cultural sensitivities of others and avoid using sacred symbols and chants without permission or understanding.
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