'Cultural colonisation 2.0': Pran Pratishta of first-ever Lord Ganesha idol in Latin America faces backlash online

A historic spiritual moment unfolded in Brazil when the first-ever Lord Ganesha idol in Latin America received Pran Patishtha during a ceremony attended by devotees and community members.

Indian ambassador to Brazil Dinesh Bhatia along with Brazilian teacher Jonas Masetti were present at the event held at Centro Cultural Vishva Vidya in Petropolis. The ceremony marked a significant and impactful milestone for the growing Hindu community in the region. It was filled with rituals, prayers and proper Vedic traditions used to formally establish the deity in the place.

There are roughly 300,000 to 400,000 Hindus in South America. A vast majority of the population resides in Guyana and Suriname where they form a major minority group, while smaller populations live in Brazil and other areas. The idol was placed at Instituto Vishva Vidya, based in Petropolis, Rio de Janeiro founded by Jonas Masetti. Also known as Vishvanatha, he is a Brazilian teacher of Advaita Vedanta, Sanskrit and yoga and is a direct disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswati. In May 2025, he was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour in India, for his exceptional contributions to spreading Vedic culture, Vedanta, and Sanskrit globally.


As the celebrations continued, videos and visuals from the event went viral across social media platforms. While some welcomed and appreciated the event, others criticised the placement of a Hindu and Indian god in America.

"Wow, that’s so cool to see bhagwan ganesh celebrated worldwide," wrote one user.

"Jai Ganesha �� After 1000 Years Sanathan is again getting its due credit," added another.

"A proud moment for Indian culture and spirituality. Seeing Bhagwan Ganesh worship reach new parts of the world shows how traditions can connect people across borders," commended another.

"Indians out here speedrunning “cultural colonization 2.0” like Latin America didn’t already have enough chaos," trolled one.

"Kick these insects out before they infest the entire planet," said another.

"It’s Hispanic America and you all should be deported. It’s a Christian continent," added one.