'Stop Butchering South Indian Culture': Bengaluru Startup Faces Backlash For Adding Chapati To Onam Sadya

Bengaluru-based food delivery startup Swiggy has found itself in the midst of a social media backlash for adding chapati to the Onam Sadya it offered.

The Onam Sadya, a vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf, is an indispensable part of Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala. The traditional Sadya consists of over 25 dishes, including rice, sambar, rasam, thoran, and payasam.

The inclusion of chapati, a flatbread native to North India and Pakistan, has angered many South Indians, who took to social media to express their displeasure. Many people accused Swiggy of "butchering" the traditional Sadya.

“This is nothing but cultural appropriation. It is unacceptable,” wrote one Twitter user.

“Swiggy should be ashamed of itself for disrespecting our culture,” wrote another.

Swiggy has since apologized for the addition of chapati to the Sadya and promised to remove it from the menu.

“We sincerely regret the mistake and apologize to everyone we have offended,” Swiggy said in a statement. “We will take immediate steps to remove chapati from our Onam Sadya offering.”

The backlash against Swiggy highlights the importance of respecting cultural traditions. Food is an integral part of culture, and changing it can be seen as a sign of disrespect.

In this case, Swiggy's decision to add chapati to the Sadya was seen as an attempt to appeal to a wider audience, but it ended up alienating many South Indians.

The incident also serves as a reminder of the importance of research. Swiggy should have done more research on the Sadya before making the decision to add chapati.

By understanding the cultural significance of the dish, Swiggy could have avoided the backlash that it faced.