Sabyasachi Mangalsutra Ad “obscene”, “outrages Hindu marriage”: Legal notice to the fashion designer

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A legal notice has been sent to Sabyasachi Mukherjee, an Indian Fashion Designer, for putting out a promotional social media post that features a female model in brassieres wearing Mangalsutra with her head resting on a shirtless male model. 

The legal notice reads that Sabyasachi's this 'semi-naked models for a Mangalsutra ad" is outrageous to the entire Hindu community and Hindu marriage as Mangalsutra is an auspicious thread holding religious-cultural value for the community. 

Advocate Ashutosh J. Dubey, a practicing lawyer of Bombay High Court has called upon the fashion designer through this notice to take down his 'ad' and apologize to the public within 15 days of receiving the notice. 

Adv. Dubey has stated that failing the removal and apology, only Sabyasachi will be fully responsible for all costs, risks, responsibilities, expenses, and consequences thereof.  

The notice states that "semi-naked models for a Mangalsutra ad" is outrageous to sentiments of Hindu Marriage because a Mangalsutra is an auspicious thread that the groom ties around bride's neck on the day of their holy nuptial to signify that their relationship would be as auspicious as the thread.

"It symbolises that they will be mates for life until death separates them," notice reads. Therefore, Adv. Dubey has alleged that Sabyasachi's exhibiting the "Mangalsutra" in obscene way is outrageous and baseless.

Adv. Dubey further states that the term Mangalsutra is a combination of two words mangal and sutra that signifies an auspicious thread uniting the souls. "It is a symbol of marriage which the wife is meant to wear all her life indicating the love and commitment the husband and wife have towards each other," he adds.

Therefore, the lawyer contends that in his ad campaign, Sabyasachi has displayed a semi-naked couple for a Mangalsutra ad which is outraging Hindu Marriage.

The lawyer has further averred that in India majority of people associate mangalsutra with a religious custom and there is also a sound scientific justification behind it.

He says, "Hindu culture emphasises on wearing a mangalsutra made of pure gold and it is often advised that the mangalsutra should be hidden behind the inners." 

Therefore calling out fashion designers act,  Adv. Dubey alleges that Sabyasachi's promotional advertisement features heterosexual and same-sex couples posing for pictures dressed in intimate apparel and wearing The Royal Bengal Mangalsutra, which is a part of the designer's intimate jewellery collection which is outrageous and hurts Hindus' religious sentiments.