Ethnic Day and the Curious Case of Culture on Cue

Every year, across corporate corridors in India, there arrives a day when kurtas and jhumkas replace formals, swipe cards are clipped to dupattas, and lunch breaks look like miniature wedding buffets. Welcome to Ethnic Day — that curious event where tradition walks into the office, takes a selfie, and vanishes the next day.

But have you ever wondered where the word ethnic even comes from? Or how something so rich in meaning got reduced to a day of theme dressing?

The Origin of "Ethnic" — From Outsider to Insider

The word ethnic began its life in ancient Greece as ethnikos, used to refer to non-Greeks — foreigners, pagans, the “other.” Over centuries, it morphed into a broader term for cultural groups, communities, and identities rooted in language, customs, food, and traditional practices.

In India, the word has taken on a colourful life of its own. “Ethnic” has come to mean anything “traditional” — especially clothing: saris, bandhgalas, dupattas, juttis. But is that all there is to being ethnic?

More Than Just Wardrobe Choices

Let’s be honest: dressing up is fun. There’s joy in wearing a zari-bordered saree or pulling out a hand-embroidered kurta. But culture doesn’t stop at the hemline.

What about the rituals we practice during festivals, the community customs passed down through generations, the temple food that tastes the same across centuries, the market produce tied to ancient seasonal calendars, or the cooking techniques that preserve not just ingredients, but identity?

That Diwali outfit you wore to work? In some towns, it’s worn with turmeric applied to the fabric edge. That decorative bindi? It once marked marital status, caste, or sect. Even the humble potluck on Ethnic Day mirrors a practice from temple towns, where food is not just shared but offered — ritual before recipe.

Food, Faith & Festivals: The Full Cultural Palette

Take food, for instance — possibly the most delicious window into any culture. From Pongal in Tamil Nadu to Pakhala in Odisha or Bisibelebath in Karnataka, every dish has a history: of local produce, monsoon rhythms, caste traditions, kitchen innovation, and grandmother’s wisdom. And no, none of these are served on tiny paper plates at office events.

Ethnic cuisine isn’t just a category on a menu. It’s a living record of migration, trade, resilience, and memory.

Similarly, traditional crafts — the weaving of a Kanjeevaram, the silver filigree from Cuttack, the temple carvings in Hoysala architecture — these are expressions of identity that took centuries to evolve.

And this is where Unhurried comes in.

Unhurried Walks: Where Culture Walks With You

At Unhurried, we believe that real culture can’t be borrowed, bought, or boxed up for a one-day celebration. It has to be experienced — slowly, curiously, respectfully.

Our heritage walks in Bangalore and cultural quests beyond — offer more than just stories; they immerse you in the layered, living culture of places old and unforgettable. We take you into forts with battle signs, temples soaked in mythology, flower markets, old homes, streets named after lost trades, and neighbourhoods still whispering stories of silk, salt, and sweetmeats. You’ll learn about the communities that lived there — their attire, yes — but also their songs, cooking fires, trade secrets, and festivals that lit up the calendar long before Ethnic Day made its appearance.

So the next time you dress up for work in something “ethnic,” take a moment to wonder: where does this come from? Who are the people behind the weave, the recipe, the ritual?

Better still, walk with us.

Join an Unhurried experiential tour and discover how heritage is stitched not just into clothes, but into everyday life — the kind you can’t find in a boardroom selfie.