Take a look:
The infamous chai tea latte
Perhaps the most (in)famous example of the West appropriating Indian culture is the Starbucks chai tea latte. The drink, popular in the US, translates literally to 'tea tea latte', and is modelled after the Indian masala chai.
Hi @Starbucks. Chai Tea Latte is basically 'Tea Tea Latte'. Lose the extra Tea na please? #Starbucks #Fail #Desi
- Sumedha Bharpilania (@Sumedha157) July 9, 2015
you know you have to hand in your Desi card if you drink chai tea latte.
- 5igh. (@5aad) March 22, 2017
Handmade, woven 'Mohinders'... or jootis
For approximately Rs 10,000, you can order 'ethically handmade leather slip-on shoes'. Or you could buy the same thing for 1/10th of the price at any local artisans fair.
Mohinders: $ 150. Also known as Kamla Nagar jootis for Rs 2000 pic.twitter.com/JMaI1UeTLg
- IndiaExplained (@IndiaExplained) October 12, 2017
Traditional Indian daybed 'charpoy'
Or, as we know it, the humble khatiya. An Australian ad selling a 'traditional Indian daybed charpoy' for 990 Australian dollars - approximately Rs 50,000 - recently left Indians stunned. You can read more about it here.
Who would have thought that we would need a copyright on khatiya/charpoy.. we better file IP claims for Indian 'lota' asap. #charpoy pic.twitter.com/79tql92i1T
- Kanchan Ray (@kanchanray) October 6, 2017
The charpoy bed is also available in the US
#India has really arrived in the #US. @Target now sells this #Charpoy called #DayBed pic.twitter.com/hJ1Kdqv8qn
- (@bhuchungtsering) May 21, 2017
Biodegradable leaf bowls
Found with almost every street vendor in India, the 'biodegradable leaf bowl' or the doona was 'developed' last year by a research team at Naresuan University in Thailand. The 'invention' caused quite a furore on Reddit.
Since this tweet has been deleted I am reposting it, We call it "" pattal , using them for centuaries . https://t.co/DV9ttIjWLn... pic.twitter.com/zgzVwu1DBj
- Meenakashi Lekhi (@M_Lekhi) September 27, 2017
Raw toothbrush or Miswak
The Miswak twig has been around in India and South Asia for over 7,000 years and has traditionally been used as a toothbrush. Now, however, a Czech company has repackaged it as a trendy raw toothbrush and is selling each twig for approximately Rs 300. No kidding. You can read more about it here.
Rebranded a miswak and selling for £4 lolhttps://t.co/oBEa2fu60U
- (@IslamMoses) April 12, 2017
rawtoothbrush???? BRUH did they just gentrified the miswak pic.twitter.com/MFenaEXGoG
- Abu Vimto (@IspeakG) April 12, 2017
A mooda or a woven side table
The traditional cane 'mooda' or stool, sometimes available for as low as a 100 bucks, has also been repackaged by the West as a woven side table. You can buy them for Rs 12,000.
I saw a mooda the other day packaged as a "woven side table" for $54. (Moda? Something.)
- Meenakshi Madhavan (@reddymadhavan) May 7, 2017
Turmeric latte
Another example of desi drinks going global. Most of us have been forced to drink up our haldi doodh to cure every ailment from common cold to minor cuts, but the drink has now received a trendy makeover. Anybody up for Instagramming a turmeric latte?
What are our grandmother's used to give us at home as haldi doodh now the west is Marketing as Turmeric Latte. #healthtips @SriSri pic.twitter.com/wOBHXfGKiy
- Abhiram Viswanathan (@abhiram_v) September 15, 2017
So Starbucks is putting haldi in coffee & calling it "turmeric latte" for their fall menu #punjabisbreaktheinternet pic.twitter.com/sm5fbpPhm3
- yourfavedhesigirl (@_akdhesi) September 7, 2017
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