Karnataka: US-based YouTuber Tyler Oliveira has come under heavy criticism for a viral video in which he participated in a traditional cow dung festival in Karnataka’s Gumatapura village, with many accusing him of mocking a sacred Indian tradition.
The video, shared on social media platform X, shows Oliveira taking part in the annual Gorehabba festival, where villagers throw dried cow dung at one another to mark the end of Diwali. The festival, deeply rooted in local belief, honours Beereshwara Swamy, a deity said to have been born from cow dung.
In the clip, the 25-year-old YouTuber can be seen wearing a hazmat suit and goggles while filming himself amid festival revellers covered in cow dung. His video quickly went viral, sparking outrage among social media users who accused him of disrespecting India’s cultural and religious heritage.
Many users said Oliveira had “mocked a sacred ritual” and failed to understand its spiritual importance. Responding to the criticism, Oliveira issued an apology on X, writing, “I’m sorry India.”
However, in follow-up posts, he claimed that his video was being censored and mass-reported by Indian users. Defending himself, Oliveira said, “It isn’t racist to film a poop-throwing festival.”
The video was originally posted on Thursday. Despite the apology, controversy continues to grow online, with some users alleging that foreign influencers are being funded to defame Indian culture. One X user claimed that “ISI-linked companies are sponsoring Western tourists’ trips to India to spread propaganda and tarnish the country’s image.”
In another post, Oliveira attempted to calm tensions, tweeting, “Study found that Indians are actually way more than people in the United States.”
The incident has reignited debate over cultural sensitivity, online content ethics, and the portrayal of Indian traditions by foreign creators.