A video posted on Instagram by Indian content creator Shivee Chauhan, who lives in the US, discussing "how to not smell like curry," has sparked an online debate. In the now-viral clip, Ms Chauhan addresses the racial stereotype in the West that people from India often smell like curry.
Ms Chauhan shared the steps she takes to ensure her clothes don't carry the aroma of the Indian dishes she prepares at home.
"I love Indian food, but I also don't like smelling like it when I go out," she explained, detailing her efforts to avoid the lingering scents of Indian spices and onions on her clothing.
She revealed that she has a set of "cooking clothes" that she wears while preparing meals and always changes out of her work attire as soon as she gets home.
"The smell of onions, garlic, and spices really sticks to your clothes. That's why I have dedicated cooking clothes and always change out of my office clothes when I get home," Ms Chauhan said.
She also mentioned that she changes clothes before going out to avoid any lingering cooking smells.
Ms Chauhan advised against wearing jackets near the kitchen, warning, "If the smell sticks to your jacket, it's not going away until you dry clean it. And even then, it might not come out."
She suggested keeping jackets in closed closets during cooking sessions to prevent them from absorbing food odours.
See the video here:
The video has accumulated 7.8 million views on Instagram. The clip triggered a wave of reactions, with some appreciating the woman for the tips while others slammed her for reinforcing racial stereotypes tied to Indian culture.
A user commented, "I think this is a white people concept."
Another user wrote, "Have you ever tried going back to India?"
"Why do we have to change so much for their comfort, hygiene is important ofc but why all the extra precautions, New York smells like weed and fentanyl all over the street what bout that?"
However, several users thanked Ms Chauhan for her simple yet practical tips.
A user wrote, "In addition to everything you've stated, another thing to note is that one has to make sure to turn of AC/Heat temporarily, especially when the return air vent for the HVAC system is close to the kitchen, which is pretty common in apartments."
"Great content," another user commented.
"Thank you for the tips! My coworkers have been complaining that I have been smelling like curry," the third user wrote.
