Burger King regrets pairing Hindu goddess and hamburger

It’s another great moment in advertising history: Burger King bringing together a Whopper and a Hindu goddess.

Burger King has been forced to apologise to Hindus after it showed a revered Indian goddess with a ‘forbidden’ Whopper burger.

The fast food chain quickly withdrew the advertisement from its stores in Spain after Hindus across the world complained at the denigration of their religion.

The advertisement shows a picture of Lakshmi, the Indian goddess of wealth, above one of the burgers, which are forbidden under Hindu religion[…]

The goddess and the burger were placed under a slogan claiming ‘La merienda es sagrada’ – the snack is sacred. 

Though the main complaint is of course the implication that Lakshmi enjoys cow, it turns out the entire meal does not agree with the rules of strict Hindus:

It includes an all-beef patty, a beef chilli-con-carne slice, egg-based Cajun mayonnaise, all forbidden by strict Hindus. Some devotees would even be offended by the inclusion of onions which they believe inflame passions.”

Not to mention the fearsome power of onion breath. 

Miguel Villagran/Getty Images