Indian woman in Australia says ‘too desi’ at home becomes ‘premium’ abroad: ‘We call it old, they call it gold’

An Indian woman reflected on how Indian traditions were often ignored at home but valued as premium abroad.

An Indian woman living in Australia has sparked a conversation online after sharing how moving abroad changed the way she looked at things that were once considered ordinary at home.

An Indian woman said things called “too desi” in India were celebrated and sold at high prices overseas. (Instagram/kahaniandconversations)

Taking to Instagram, the woman, named Smidha, reflected on how several Indian traditions and everyday practices are often undervalued in India, only to be marketed as premium abroad.

“Living abroad made me realize something that honestly made me a little uncomfortable. There’s a café near me that sells turmeric latte for $8. People queue for it, I queued for it, and then it hit me: Mom roz haldi doodh banati thi jo hum peene se bhagte the (Mom used to make turmeric milk every day, which we would run away from drinking). Same ingredients, same warmth, we just called it gross. Ghar mein ek handmade dupatta hai, kabhi kisi ne touch nahi kiya (There’s a handmade scarf at home that no one ever touched). That same thing is now sold in shops here for $200. We don’t lose our culture to the West; we just stop seeing the value in it first. We call it old-fashioned; they call it gold. But I think it was the moment we decided ye sab purana ho gaya hai (all of this has become old),” she wrote.

‘Too desi’ at home, ‘premium’ abroad

Watch the clip here:

Social media reacts

Her post struck a chord with many social media users, especially Indians living overseas, who said the observation felt familiar.

One user wrote, “This is so true. We realise the value of our culture only when someone else packages it beautifully.” Another said, “Haldi doodh becoming turmeric latte is the most perfect example of this.” A third commented, “Our grandmothers knew everything before it became a wellness trend.” Another reaction read, “This made me miss home and also made me feel proud of where I come from.”