A Hindu group in the United States has objected to American singer and actor Selena Gomez for getting an “Om” tattoo on her “upper left thigh” and called it highly “irreverent and disrespectful”.

President of Universal Society of Hinduism Rajan Zed said in a statement that Hindus usually start and end their prayers with “Om”, the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism was used to introduce and conclude religious work.

This is the second time that Gomez finds herself attracting the ire of Hindu groups in the US. In 2013, Zed had criticized her for being “insensitive” when she wore a bindi at an award ceremony.

Zed’s statement comes after the media reported on Tuesday that Gomez had a new tattoo on her left hip. He claimed that “such trivialization of ‘Om’ is upsetting for Hindus and it is inappropriate for Selena to place such revered and sacred symbol of Hinduism with high religious significance on her thigh”. 

Rajan Zed suggested that as a renowned performer, Selena should get acquainted with the basics of world religions.

Zed said that Hollywood needs to understand that Hinduism, with about one billion adherents, was oldest and third largest religion of the world with a rich philosophical thought. Its concepts and symbols had well-defined meanings and purposes and these were not created just for Hollywood’s usage to add dramatic effects as sanctity and spirituality are attached to these, Zed stated.

He urged Hollywood and celebrities to take Hinduism seriously and not just use it for “indecorous showing of Hindu symbols and concepts to advance their selfish agenda. Casual flirting sometimes resulted in pillaging serious spiritual doctrines and revered symbols and hurting the devotees”.