A controversy erupted online after American YouTuber Tyler Oliveira posted a video of himself participating in Karnataka’s traditional Gorehabba festival, where villagers throw cow dung at one another to celebrate the end of Diwali. The short clip, filmed in Gumatapura village and shared on X on October 23, quickly went viral, amassing over five million views. However, it also drew a wave of criticism from Indian social media users, who accused the 25-year-old content creator of mocking a deeply rooted cultural ritual and disregarding its religious importance.
The Gorehabba festival is believed to honour Beereshwara Swamy, a local deity said to have been born from cow dung. Each year, villagers gather in large numbers, collecting and throwing cow dung as a symbolic act of purification and devotion. Oliveira, dressed in a hazmat suit and goggles, joined the festival crowd for his video. In the footage, he can be seen walking through the slushy ground, visibly uncomfortable as participants hurl dung in all directions. At one point, he exclaims, “Spare me, so much s**t,” before being hit twice and quickly retreating from the area, saying, “I gotta get out of here.”
Following the backlash, Oliveira defended his actions on social media, claiming that his content was being mass-reported and censored by Indian users. “It isn’t racist to film a poop-throwing festival,” he wrote, insisting that his video merely documented a cultural event. He later uploaded another clip titled “I Survived India’s Poop-Throwing Festival,” showing himself barefoot, covered in cow dung, and walking along a road while drinking water.
Many online, however, were not convinced. Several users accused the YouTuber of intentionally ridiculing Indian traditions for shock value and foreign audiences. “Why do you have to come to India and record a cow dung festival just to insult it? You can find plenty of poop on California’s streets,” one user commented. Another said, “He’s not here to explore; he’s here to defame. It’s hard to believe this isn’t part of a planned smear campaign.” Others expressed disappointment that foreigners continue to focus on unusual or exotic aspects of Indian culture while ignoring its achievements and diversity.
As speculation spread that Oliveira’s video might have been AI-generated, he clarified that it was entirely authentic. “This is 100% real. I can’t wait to show you the 30-minute version. I travelled 10,000 miles and spent thousands of dollars for this,” he stated, also sharing screenshots alleging that X was restricting the visibility of his content. In a separate post, he sarcastically remarked that “Indians think Pakistanis funded my trip,” further fueling the online debate.
The incident has reignited conversations about cultural sensitivity and the responsibilities of foreign content creators documenting traditional practices. While Oliveira maintains that his intention was humorous and exploratory, critics argue that his portrayal of the Gorehabba festival trivialises a centuries-old custom and reinforces negative stereotypes about India.
