Over the past decade, concerns have steadily grown among Hindu communities over the systematic imitation and appropriation of Hindu religious symbols, rituals, music, and attire during Christian celebrations, particularly Christmas. What is often projected as cultural harmony or inclusivity has, in several instances, crossed into blurring of religious boundaries, raising uncomfortable questions about intent, respect, and asymmetry. While Hindu traditions are frequently subjected to legal scrutiny, restrictions, and public criticism, their sacred elements are increasingly seen being replicated within non-Hindu religious events without acknowledgment or consent.
Between 2017 and 2025, multiple incidents from different parts of Bharat point to a recurring pattern where distinctly Hindu ritual forms, temple percussion, traditional dress, procession styles, and symbolic practices, were adopted during Christmas celebrations. A recent and striking example emerged on December 24, 2025, when visuals from Karnataka showed a Christmas procession using Chande Vadya and participants dressed in panche and shallya, elements deeply rooted in Hindu temple and folk traditions. These incidents have reignited a broader debate: why are Hindu customs borrowed for religious messaging, even as those same traditions are often questioned, regulated, or delegitimised in their own sacred spaces? This article documents ten such instances to examine the pattern, context, and implications of this growing anti-Hindu phenomenon.
1. Christmas procession in Karnataka featured chande vadya and Hindu traditional attire
On December 24, 2025, a video from Karnataka triggered widespread outrage after a Christmas procession was seen openly adopting core Hindu ritual elements. The visuals showed musicians playing Chande Vadya, a percussion form deeply rooted in Hindu temple festivals, jatres, and Sakti worship, while the performers themselves were dressed in panche and shallya, traditional attire worn during Hindu religious ceremonies and sacred cultural occasions. These are not generic cultural markers but ritual-specific expressions of Hindu dharma, historically tied to temples, deities, and folk worship across coastal and Malenadu regions.
What has angered many is not cultural exchange, but the selective appropriation of Hindu sacred traditions during a Christian religious celebration, while the same Hindu practices are routinely questioned, regulated, or even criminalised in their original religious contexts. When Hindu rituals are performed within temples or village festivals, they are labelled regressive, illegal, or in need of reform. Yet, when those very symbols are repackaged for Christmas processions, they are suddenly celebrated as local flavour or inclusivity. This double standard exposes a deeper ideological problem, Hindu traditions are acceptable only when detached from Hindu faith itself.
2. ‘Jesus Kirtan’ on roads: Missionaries imitate Hindu naam sankirtan in West Bengal
On November 27, 2025, a deeply controversial event unfolded in Nadia, where Christian missionary groups organised a public Jesus Kirtan on neighbourhood roads, deliberately mirroring the sacred Hindu Nagar Naam Sankirtan tradition. Participants moved through the streets in organised processions, singing devotional verses about Jesus in a call-and-response bhajan format, accompanied by mridanga and kartal, instruments inseparably linked to Vaishnava bhakti, Chaitanya parampara, and Sanatan street worship. This was not accidental resemblance; it was a conscious replication of a living Hindu spiritual form.
Let us be clear: this is not bhakti, it is appropriation. Nagar Naam Sankirtan is not a musical style or performance format that can be borrowed at will; it is a sacred civilisational expression, rooted in centuries of dharmic philosophy, theology, and lived devotion. Rebranding it as Jesus Kirtan strips the tradition of its spiritual lineage while exploiting its emotional and cultural familiarity for religious messaging.
Hindu Dharma is not a playlist to remix, nor are its traditions open-source templates for religious outreach. When Hindu rituals are performed by Hindus, they are questioned, regulated, and mocked as outdated; when the same forms are copied for missionary activity, they are suddenly called inclusive or creative. This double standard reveals intent, not coexistence, but cultural hijacking. True respect demands boundaries. Borrowing Hindu bhakti forms while undermining Hindu faith itself is not unity, it is erasure dressed up as devotion.
3. Jesus on a Chariot, Kanwar Yatra style
On October 16, 2025, yet another instance of deliberate imitation of Hindu religious traditions surfaced when a Christian group organised a procession of Jesus on a chariot, closely mirroring the format and visual style of the sacred Kanwar Yatra. The structure of the procession, the manner in which participants moved together in disciplined groups, and the overall symbolism bore unmistakable resemblance to Kanwar Yatra practices that are deeply rooted in Shaivite devotion, penance, and Hindu spiritual discipline. This was not incidental similarity, it was a conscious borrowing of a distinctly Hindu religious expression.
Kanwar Yatra is not a cultural parade or a logistical template; it is a living act of tapasya, faith, and surrender to Bhagwan Shiva, preserved through centuries of Hindu dharmic tradition. Replicating its form to carry a Christian religious figure strips the ritual of its sacred meaning and reduces it to a mere tool for visibility and outreach. What makes this especially troubling is the larger pattern: Hindu traditions are repeatedly copied for missionary activity, even as Hindu practices themselves are routinely questioned, regulated, or portrayed as problematic within their own religious spaces.
The irony is stark. Christianity was brought to Bharat by colonial powers, yet today, instead of respecting Bharat’s civilisational boundaries, its Bharatiya adherents appear intent on recasting Jesus through Hindu ritual frameworks. This is not harmony or coexistence, it is cultural appropriation bordering on erasure. Hindu dharma is not a costume to be worn for convenience, nor are its sacred journeys open for theological repackaging. Respect begins with restraint. Until that line is acknowledged, such acts will continue to deepen mistrust rather than foster genuine interfaith understanding.
4. ‘Jishu Puja’ at Belur Math: Christmas observed using Hindu aarti, mantras, and prasad
On December 26, 2024, Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, marked Christmas through a ceremony described as Jishu Puja, drawing immediate attention for its close resemblance to Hindu temple worship. Visuals and reports showed offerings of candles, flowers, fruits, and sweets, chanting of Jesus’ name, devotional singing, and the distribution of prasad, elements that mirror aarti, mantra chanting, and naivedya central to Hindu ritual practice. While the focus of the observance was Jesus Christ, the form, structure, and symbolism unmistakably followed Hindu devotional templates rather than distinct Christian liturgy.
The event has reignited a broader debate on religious boundaries and cultural appropriation, why Hindu ritual frameworks are repeatedly adopted for non-Hindu religious observances even as Hindu practices themselves face scrutiny elsewhere.
5. Christmas procession adopts Sikh and Hindu traditions, featuring langar and turbaned participation
On December 25, 2024, a Christmas Shobha Yatra was taken out in Kharar, drawing attention for its deliberate adoption of local religious and cultural forms traditionally associated with Sikh and Hindu practices. The procession featured band music, decorated camels as visual highlights, and a large public gathering. Notably, a significant number of participants from the Sikh community, wearing turbans, were seen taking part in the event, giving the procession the visual and organisational character of a traditional religious shobha yatra rather than a conventional Christian celebration.
What has raised questions is the organisation of a langar alongside the Christmas procession, an institution deeply rooted in Sikh religious tradition and also familiar within Hindu community practices of free food distribution during religious events.
6. Christmas procession in Jalandhar mirrored Hindu shobha yatra and Sikh bhangra traditions
On December 24, 2024, a Christmas procession in Jalandhar drew attention for closely resembling Hindu Shobha Yatra formats while also incorporating Sikh cultural elements such as Bhangra, alongside DJ and band music. Visuals from the event showed an organised street procession, typically associated with Hindu religious observances, combined with energetic Bhangra performances that are culturally rooted in Sikh tradition. The overall structure and presentation stood apart from conventional Christian liturgical practices, instead echoing local religious-cultural forms familiar to Hindu and Sikh communities.
The incident has reignited debate over selective adaptation of indigenous religious expressions for Christian celebrations. Hindu and Sikh traditions are frequently scrutinised or regulated in their own contexts, their symbols and formats are increasingly adopted to add familiarity and appeal to non-native religious events.
7. Hanuman Chalisa recited during Christmas celebration in school
On December 25, 2024, a video surfaced showing a Christmas celebration inside a school where students and teachers were seen reciting the Hanuman Chalisa, a sacred Hindu devotional hymn dedicated to Bhagwan Hanuman. The recitation took place as part of a Christmas programme, blending a core Hindu prayer, traditionally chanted in temples, homes, and religious gatherings, with a Christian religious occasion. The visuals quickly drew attention because the Hanuman Chalisa is not a generic moral song but a consecrated Hindu text with specific spiritual significance.
Incorporating a Hindu prayer into a Christmas event risks stripping it of its religious context and normalising the idea that Hindu sacred texts can be used interchangeably in unrelated theological settings. Many also pointed out the contradiction wherein Hindu rituals are often scrutinised or discouraged in formal institutions, yet the same traditions are selectively invoked during non-Hindu celebrations.
8. Video shows Jesus aarti performed during Christmas in Hindu ritual style
On December 4, 2023, a video circulating online showed a Christmas celebration in which aarti was performed for Jesus in a manner identical to Hindu temple worship. The ritual involved the traditional circular waving of lamps, accompanied by devotional singing, closely mirroring the method, rhythm, and visual structure of Hindu aarti performed before deities in temples and household shrines. The form, symbolism, and execution left little doubt that the practice was directly inspired by Hindu ritual traditions rather than Christian liturgical customs.
The video sparked strong reactions, arguing that aarti is not a generic devotional act but a sacred Hindu ritual with specific theological meaning rooted in Hindu Dharma. Adopting it for a different religious figure, they contend, reduces a deeply spiritual Hindu practice to a transferable format, stripping it of its religious context. Observers also pointed out the growing contradiction where Hindu rituals are frequently questioned, regulated, or labelled regressive when practiced by Hindus, yet are freely adapted elsewhere under the guise of inclusivity. The incident has renewed concerns over selective appropriation of Hindu sacred practices and the erosion of clear religious boundaries in the name of celebration.
9. Christmas celebrations in Ludhiana blend Christian themes with Punjabi religious practices
On December 17, 2022, pre-Christmas celebrations in Ludhiana drew attention for merging Christian themes with distinctly Punjabi religious–cultural forms. Christmas carols were sung in Punjabi to the rhythm of traditional instruments such as dhol and chimta, while public processions were organised in a manner commonly associated with Hindu and Sikh festivals. The overall presentation, music, movement, and community participation, closely resembled local religious celebrations rather than conventional Christian liturgy.
The event also featured community langar, an institution deeply rooted in Sikh religious tradition and widely respected across Hindu–Sikh cultural life. Such practices are not neutral cultural add-ons but sacred community institutions with specific spiritual meaning. Repeatedly adapting these forms for Christian celebrations, they contend, reflects a broader pattern where indigenous religious expressions are repurposed for outreach, even as native traditions themselves face increasing scrutiny. The incident has renewed debate over whether such blending represents genuine cultural harmony, or the gradual dilution of clear religious and civilisational boundaries.
10. Christmas celebration in Chamkaur Sahib featured Jesus songs Sung in Hindu bhajan style
On December 24, 2017, a Christmas celebration held in Chamkaur Sahib came into focus after a YouTube video showed devotional songs about Jesus being performed in a style closely resembling traditional Hindu bhajans. The singing followed familiar bhajan patterns, including call-and-response renditions, melodic structures, and devotional expressions typically associated with Hindu temple and satsang settings rather than conventional Christian worship formats.
The incident drew attention for the adaptation of a distinctly Hindu devotional form for a Christian religious celebration. Hindu organizations argue that bhajans are not merely musical styles but are deeply embedded in Hindu theology and devotional practice, carrying specific spiritual and cultural meanings. Recasting them for Christian narratives, they contend, blurs religious boundaries and reflects a broader pattern where Hindu devotional expressions are repurposed for non-Hindu contexts, raising questions about respect for the sanctity and originality of Hindu traditions.
What emerges clearly from these repeated incidents is a systematic trivialisation of Hindu Dharma. Sacred Hindu rituals, bhajans, aarti, yatras, symbols, and devotional forms, shaped over thousands of years through tapasya, philosophy, and lived faith are being selectively borrowed, repackaged, and performed outside their dharmic context. When Hindus practice their own traditions, they are often questioned, regulated, or mocked as regressive. Yet the same rituals suddenly become acceptable, even celebratory, when detached from Hindu identity and used elsewhere. This double standard is a disrespect towards Hindu dharma and dharmic values.
Hindu Dharma is not a cultural toolkit, a performance format, or a convenience for outreach. It is a complete way of life, rooted in discipline, meaning, and sacred continuity. Bhajans are not just melodies, aarti is not just a lamp, and yatras are not just processions, they are acts of surrender, theology in motion, and living prayer. Stripping these practices of their dharmic core and redeploying them selectively amounts to erosion by imitation, where Hindu identity is diluted while appearing outwardly inclusive.
Hindu Dharma is an ancient, living civilizational tradition with its own sacred symbols, rituals, and philosophy, not a repository for selective imitation. When indigenous Dharmic practices are copied, diluted, or repackaged without respect for their spiritual foundations, it reflects cultural erosion. True coexistence demands respect for native Hindu traditions as autonomous, sacred, and non-negotiable, not as elements to be borrowed or trivialized.
