Lunch-boxes sporting colourful pictures of Hindu gods Krishna and Kali are the hottest-selling novelty item at What the Traveller Saw, an eclectic gift emporium in a shopping district in Oakland, California. But while such images may look like pretty pictures here in the US, their depiction on tee-shirts and mini-skirts has rankled Hindus in another part of the globe.

P Murugiah, chairman of the Sensitive Issues Committee of the Malaysia Hindu Sangam, has called for a halt to the gods-as-decoration fad, according to the monthly Hinduism Today, and has demanded a countrywide ban on clothing bearing the likenesses of Hindu gods. "The sale of these materials is not only offensive to Hindus but a cheap and degrading sales gimmick. It is using religion for commercial gain," he said.

Thanks to the expansion of the Internet, groups such as the Malaysia Hindu Sangam may soon be taking their crusade worldwide. In the US, the once-exotic images of Krishna, Shiva, Kali andother Hindu deities have become commonplace, as evidenced by the popularity of the lunch-boxes on the Internet and in gift stores. The tin boxes, which retail at between $10 and $17, were created by Accoutrements, a stylish novelty company based in Seattle. "They've become so popular that we're adding other Hindu items to our catalogue," company spokesperson Heather Conrad told the California newspaper India-West.

Accoutrements also sells the boxes on their Web site, Although Accoutrements takes a lighthearted look at religious imagery of all persuasions, they haven't received any critical comments on the Hindu items, she said, explaining that "some fundamentalist groups did protest our Catholic products. There was this punching nun puppet..."

The company, which now wholesales around 1,600 Hindu lunch-boxes per month and retails even more, had already been producing a variety of theme lunch-boxes when an India-based contact sent a couple of colorful deity posters to their creative team. AmongAccoutrements' future Hindu-theme items are a colorful Kali statue and a unique candleholder depicting a six-armed god of indeterminate identity-a sort of composite deity, if you will-holding a candle in each hand. "We were so caught by the images that one of us said, wouldn't this be fabulous on a lunchbox?" said Conrad.

India Abroad News Service/India-West

Kiddies all the way

Colgate-Palmolive has brought out a colourful series of toothbrushes to target kids. The brushes-My First Colgate-have extra wide grips with cute holders. The holders come in the shape of rabbit's feet, dinosaur feet and duck feet and the brush has a small diamond head. Priced at Rs 15, these brushes can sure catch the imagination of the kids, who want to brush their teeth over and over again.

Another product for kids comes from Johnson and Johnson, though it is meant more for protective moms. It has brought out a special soap to wash nappies. The liquid soap is a mild detergent which removes germs and does notleave behind any harmful residues. It is available in two sizes: 200ml for Rs 40 and 500 ml for Rs 85.

Jolen cosmetics now in India

Finally, Jolen International, a subsidiary of US company Laboratoire Nouveau, has arrived in India. You can stop depending on the fake Jolen available in the markets and your local beauty parlour. The company has come in with its complete range of skin and hair care products. It includes cold cream, bleach, all-purpose cream, styling gel and hair remover. The genuine products have a hologram and are moderately priced.