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Miss World foot-washing video at Telangana temple sparks outrage

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15th May, 2025 16:53 IST

Hyderabad: A viral clip that surfaced on social media shows local women helping Miss World 2025 candidates in a foot-cleaning ceremony at Telangana’s Ramappa Temple has fueled nationwide outrage and political criticism in India.

The clip that emerged online on Wednesday, May 14, features candidates sitting in traditional clothes with women pouring water over their feet using brass pots.

In a few cases, the women are witnessed bringing towels to the contestants, with one clip showing a contestant apparently waiting for a woman to wipe her feet.

The ritual was part of a cultural tour organised by the Telangana Tourism Department prior to the Miss World finale to be held in Hyderabad on May 31.

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The contestants toured heritage sites, including the UNESCO-recognised Ramappa Temple in Mulugu and the Thousand Pillar Temple in Warangal. The foot-washing was a traditional practice before entering the temple, officials said, with contestants taking part in the ritual using water-filled brass plates.

But the visuals have been harshly criticised on social media.

Journalist Sumit Jha criticised the act as a “masterclass in colonial hangover and white worship,” questioning its cultural legitimacy. Social media users voiced similar opinions, calling the act “disgusting” and “racist,” while others justified it as a traditional gesture of hospitality.

Another journalist, Revathi, also criticised the act, calling it casteist, colonial and racist.

Political leaders have also spoken out. Senior BRS MLA and former minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy called the act “wicked, shameful, and highly despicable” and called for an apology from the state government.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao took a dig at the Congress-run state government, saying, “Congress CM has officially lost his mind.” Senior BRS leader Y. Sathish Reddy called it a “national insult,” wondering if it was women’s empowerment or servitude royalty.

However, some netizens have backed the act, calling it a ritual which had been misinterpreted. Some claimed that the women only poured water, while others criticised that a contestant handed over a towel to a local woman to wipe her feet.

The incident has led to a wider debate on cultural representation and the use of traditional rituals in modern events. While some consider the ritual a dignified cultural practice, others regard it as a retrograde display that demeans the dignity of local women. The Telangana government has not made an official statement regarding the controversy.

Here are the reactions of a few others.

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