Why the West is Adopting Ancient Indian Practices While Indians Ignore Them
Riya Kumari | Jan 14, 2025, 23:53 IST
Yoga, meditation, Ayurveda—these timeless traditions are now trending harder than the latest celebrity gossip, but somehow, the country that gave them to the world is more focused on its latest tech startup than chanting mantras at sunrise. It’s a little like watching someone else throw a party in your own backyard, and you're still hunting for the perfect Wi-Fi password. What gives?
Ancient India, where yoga was born, where meditation was a sacred art, where mindfulness wasn’t just a trend—it was a way of life. Now, fast forward to 2025. The West is out here casually sipping turmeric lattes, posting pictures of their “zen” moments on Instagram, and attending yoga retreats in Bali. And India? Well, it’s busy trying to find its own yoga class. Seriously. The country that invented this stuff is now treating it like it’s some obscure concept from a history textbook, while the rest of the world has turned it into the hottest trend since avocado toast. Welcome to the bizarre, twisted love story of ancient Indian practices and their new-found Western fandom. Spoiler alert: India isn’t exactly swiping right.
1. The West Loves Spiritual Fashion
There’s something incredibly chic about a sun salutation on a crisp morning in Los Angeles, surrounded by incense, lavender oil, and maybe a little avocado toast on the side. The West’s version of yoga? It’s basically a Pinterest board with a meditation app. But in India? Well, yoga's just another thing grandma does after breakfast—when she's not yelling at you to eat your vegetables. India gave the West the keys to enlightenment, and now it’s all about fitness selfies, not seeking enlightenment. Let’s be real: spiritual retail therapy, anyone?
2. India’s Busy Being Too Modern for Its Own Good
The modern world moved in, and the ancient practices got crowded out. Now India’s busy trying to “catch up” with the latest tech trends, fashion lines, and sleek skyscrapers, and suddenly, chanting mantras sounds about as outdated as a Nokia flip phone. The West? Well, they’re busy rebranding it as wellness—which is basically just a glorified, hashtag-friendly way to look like you're winning at life while sipping a turmeric latte.
3. The West Got the ‘Aesthetic’ Right
Let’s be honest. There’s something just... right about the Western approach. The crystals, the mindfulness, the carefully curated Instagram posts about how a full moon ritual changed their life. It’s like the West took the essence of ancient Indian practices, added a touch of sparkle, and made it appeal to the dopamine-driven, "I’m better than you because I’ve got my zen sorted" crowd. Meanwhile, back in India, people are asking, "Wait, what’s this mindfulness thing again? Is that a new kind of app?"
4. India’s Too Busy With Its 'Hustle' Culture
In case you haven’t noticed, India is thriving on the hustle. It’s all about working hard, staying connected, climbing the ladder—forgetting that even Buddha probably took a nap now and then. Meanwhile, Westerners are out here doing downward dog in the middle of the workday because self-care is now the ultimate flex. Guess what? The more you’re hustling, the more you need that “zen” thing the West is suddenly so obsessed with. Meanwhile, India’s just trying to make the next big IPO.
5. The West Doesn’t Need to Worry About Its Legacy
Here’s the juicy part. The West can borrow, adapt, and remix anything it likes because, for all their historical blunders (we all know about colonialism, right?), they’re not exactly in danger of losing their identity. They’re too busy setting trends to care. India? Not so much. The sacred practices are slipping away, but no one’s really noticing—because they’re too caught up in the business of now. You know what they say: when you don’t know what you’ve got, you tend to lose it. And India’s sort of lost track of what it handed over. The West? They're already printing T-shirts about it.
1. The West Loves Spiritual Fashion
Yoga
There’s something incredibly chic about a sun salutation on a crisp morning in Los Angeles, surrounded by incense, lavender oil, and maybe a little avocado toast on the side. The West’s version of yoga? It’s basically a Pinterest board with a meditation app. But in India? Well, yoga's just another thing grandma does after breakfast—when she's not yelling at you to eat your vegetables. India gave the West the keys to enlightenment, and now it’s all about fitness selfies, not seeking enlightenment. Let’s be real: spiritual retail therapy, anyone?
2. India’s Busy Being Too Modern for Its Own Good
Buildings
The modern world moved in, and the ancient practices got crowded out. Now India’s busy trying to “catch up” with the latest tech trends, fashion lines, and sleek skyscrapers, and suddenly, chanting mantras sounds about as outdated as a Nokia flip phone. The West? Well, they’re busy rebranding it as wellness—which is basically just a glorified, hashtag-friendly way to look like you're winning at life while sipping a turmeric latte.
3. The West Got the ‘Aesthetic’ Right
Crystals
Let’s be honest. There’s something just... right about the Western approach. The crystals, the mindfulness, the carefully curated Instagram posts about how a full moon ritual changed their life. It’s like the West took the essence of ancient Indian practices, added a touch of sparkle, and made it appeal to the dopamine-driven, "I’m better than you because I’ve got my zen sorted" crowd. Meanwhile, back in India, people are asking, "Wait, what’s this mindfulness thing again? Is that a new kind of app?"
4. India’s Too Busy With Its 'Hustle' Culture
Work
In case you haven’t noticed, India is thriving on the hustle. It’s all about working hard, staying connected, climbing the ladder—forgetting that even Buddha probably took a nap now and then. Meanwhile, Westerners are out here doing downward dog in the middle of the workday because self-care is now the ultimate flex. Guess what? The more you’re hustling, the more you need that “zen” thing the West is suddenly so obsessed with. Meanwhile, India’s just trying to make the next big IPO.
5. The West Doesn’t Need to Worry About Its Legacy
Spirituality
Here’s the juicy part. The West can borrow, adapt, and remix anything it likes because, for all their historical blunders (we all know about colonialism, right?), they’re not exactly in danger of losing their identity. They’re too busy setting trends to care. India? Not so much. The sacred practices are slipping away, but no one’s really noticing—because they’re too caught up in the business of now. You know what they say: when you don’t know what you’ve got, you tend to lose it. And India’s sort of lost track of what it handed over. The West? They're already printing T-shirts about it.