What’s all the buzz about? Today, it’s about Mike Myers’ new film, Love Guru, set to open in theaters on June 20. The comedy features Myers as Guru Pitka who wears saffron robes, is raised in an ashram in India, carries prayer beads, and discusses karma and (obviously) love. Though some (like Deepak Chopra) have claimed the film is meant to be purely satirical, others are now speaking out against it — some calling for a pre-screening by Hindus and others calling for a complete ban. The issue is, according to Hindus interviewed by BBC News today, that all the religious symbols used by Myers in the film do not point to some made-up religion, as Myers claims. No, it points straight to Hinduism, they say. And it’s just portraying stereotypes that will hurt the religion’s image in the States. Are these symbols really Hindu though? Let’s define some of the words and symbols used in this film.

Guru: While “guru” has come to mean any sort of master teacher in either the religious or secular realm, it got its start in the religious or spiritual worlds of Hinduism and Buddhism; thus, a guru is a spiritual teacher. Often in Hinduism, that spiritual guru guides his students to be liberated (or to achieve moksha) out of the cycle of death and rebirth (reincarnation) by understanding that he is one with God/the universe (Brahman).

Mark on forehead: The mark (or “tilaka”) often found on the foreheads of Hindus is usually made up of something like soot or clay; the way it is applied (e.g., a u-shape, one dot, etc.) shows which Hindu religious tradition is followed. The mark is sometimes also used by married women to designate their marriage status.

Prayer beads: As with most other religions, prayer is an integral part of Hinduism. When Hindus pray, they often repeat prayers found in their sacred scriptures. This repetition creates a need for a system of tracking and counting the number of prayers that have been said; prayer beads meet that need.

Saffron cloths: Saffron is the color that symbolizes Brahman and the giving up of the material world. Hinduism is not the only religion that uses saffron as a symbol (e.g., Buddhists wore saffron robes after the death of the Buddha), but the color is sometimes viewed as one of the main symbols of Hinduism.

Sari: the female clothing typically worn by women in India and surrounding nations; it consists of one cloth draped around the body

What do you think? When Myers portrayed a “love guru,” was he unknowingly (or knowingly?) offending followers of Hinduism and perpetuating religious stereotypes? Do you plan to see the film? Has the negative press changed your opinion about the film? Leave your comments.

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