Indian Representation is a ‘New Spice’
That cookbook on sale might not be the ambrosia you seek.
Over-spiced stereotypes lack substance and nuance.
Representational images collapse Hindu and Indian. The term Hindu refers to those who practice Hinduism or live in a culture influenced by it.
Indian refers to something from India, a secular, pluralistic, and democratic nation. India, though predominantly Hindu, includes people who identify as Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, Jewish, and atheists. Collapsing Hindu with Indian glosses over India’s rich diversity. People in India argue among themselves about the tension between these two words.
The discrepancy matters outside of India for a different reason.
Hindu religious symbols and images capture European and American imaginations to suggest ‘exotic’, ‘authentic’, and ‘real Indian’ (as if approved by a deity posing on a stack of books).
Delicious ‘shiny objects’ await the consumer, between the covers of recipe books, novels, and spice jars. Cultural images whet appetites for ‘real Indian’ tastes. Often, what’s offered is a blend of general knowledge and personal stories, lightly drizzled with stereotypes for good measure.
