When Everything Needs a New Label

The name Pashupatinath literally means “Lord of Animals”, a title of Lord Shiva, and has been part of the Hindu spiritual tradition for centuries. The meaning is neither hidden nor ambiguous; it is deeply rooted in Sanskrit and in the religious heritage surrounding the revered Pashupatinath Temple.

Yet there seems to be a modern tendency to repackage old things with new labels, often stripping them of their cultural context in the process.

The Indian dupatta becomes a “Scandinavian scarf.” The bindi is reintroduced as a “forehead gem.” The lehenga suddenly transforms into a “Western skirt.” Even a humble paratha finds itself rebranded as “stuffed bread.”

Of course, cultures have always borrowed from one another, and cultural exchange is a normal part of human history. Food travels, clothing evolves, and ideas cross borders. The frustration usually arises not from sharing, but from forgetting—or ignoring—where something came from in the first place.

There is a difference between appreciating a tradition and renaming it as though it appeared out of nowhere. Acknowledging origins does not diminish anyone's enjoyment of it; if anything, it enriches the story behind it.

At times, watching centuries-old traditions receive fresh marketing labels can feel amusing. One begins to wonder what remains untouched. If everything old is given a new name, perhaps the next step will be discovering ancient wisdom and announcing it as a revolutionary modern invention.

Some things, however, do not need rebranding. They already have names, histories, and identities of their own.