'Jhoola, not gothic living room swing': Foreign artist faces backlash for cultural gaffe

What once was turmeric milk has been rebranded as turmeric latte. Traditional Indian flatbread became “naan bread,” and masala chai is now popularly called “chai tea.” The dupatta has been reinvented as a minimalist “Scandinavian scarf,” and high-end brands have turned kolhapuris into a symbol of global luxury. The latest Indian heritage object being recast under a new Western label is the jhoola—the traditional wooden swing found in Indian homes for generations.

The Viral Swing Controversy

A recent post by an American artist who goes by the name Anne Chovy on social media has stirred conversations about cultural appropriation. She shared an image of a traditional wooden swing and described it as a “hand-carved antique solid wood Gothic living room swing.” The ornate piece, deeply rooted in Indian domestic aesthetics, particularly from older homes, was presented with a label that many felt erased its actual cultural significance.

The swing she showcased is commonly known in India as a jhoola in Hindi or oonjal in South India. With more than 1.5 million views, the post attracted strong reactions from Indian users who believed that renaming the swing as a "Gothic" furniture item reflected a broader pattern of diminishing South Asian cultural identity under fashionable Western terminology.

please do join me on the hand carved antique solid wood gothic living room swing pic.twitter.com/VJqmqI8PQG

— Anne Chovy (@AnneChovy2) July 6, 2025

Voices of Resistance

Many Indian social media users voiced their discomfort, pointing out that the description completely ignored the swing’s cultural roots. Some recalled how common it was to see such jhoolas in their grandparents’ homes, where they weren’t symbols of luxury but rather everyday comfort, family bonding, and simple joy. To them, labeling such a personal cultural artifact as "Gothic" not only removed it from its Indian context but also contributed to a cycle where Western labels are seen as more valuable or sophisticated.

Another user went viral for compiling a list of renamed Indian items now being claimed as fashionable trends—such as turmeric lattes, “golden milk,” and “Christian yoga”—to highlight how South Asian traditions often get rebranded without acknowledgment of their roots. This user criticized the tendency to dress up these items in ornate Western phrases like “celestial,” “antique,” or “renaissance era,” while ignoring their original names, origins, and cultural significance.

Patterns of Cultural Appropriation

A growing number of critics say that this is more than a one-off mislabeling—it is part of a larger issue where everyday Indian items are being reinterpreted through a Western lens, stripped of cultural depth, and sold back to the world as exotic or artisanal. They argue that using flowery language to describe what is clearly a jhoola reflects an unwillingness to acknowledge the cultural richness of South Asia.

What’s unfolding isn’t just about a piece of furniture—it’s about recognition, authenticity, and respect. The jhoola controversy brings to light the urgent need to celebrate cultural heritage as it is, without dressing it up in unfamiliar terms to make it more palatable for a Western audience.