An Indian American homeowner in Texas reportedly removed a Ganesha idol and other Hindu religious symbols from his home before showing it to prospective buyers, fearing that they could discourage some buyers from making an offer. This comes during a time of heightened anti-immigrant sentiment, often targeting Indian Americans in the state.
Ravi Vavilala, a resident of Celina, told Bloomberg that he removed Hindu imagery from his home while trying to sell the property in a market that has slowed sharply following layoffs in the technology sector and growing uncertainty surrounding the H-1B visa program.
While Vavilala’s home contained a large bronze idol of Lord Ganesha, paintings of Hindu deities, and other religious symbols, he decided to remove them when buyers got scarce.
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“Because the market is very slow, I want to attract all types of buyers,” Vavilala told Bloomberg.
“We realized that we have to make our home very generic. We packed everything, including Hindu imagery and the Ganesha idol, and hid this stuff in a storage room,” he added.
Vavivala’s asking price started at more than $1 million but after a few months, it was down to $873,000, less than what he originally paid for the house. “The buyers came and left in five minutes. We were really surprised. We contacted the realtor. After their feedback, we felt a little uncomfortable because they were saying that there are so many religious and personal things still there. We realized that we had to make our home very, very generic to attract all kinds of people,” Vavivala said, adding that he is ready to sell the home at a loss.
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Vavilala became a naturalized citizen after coming to the U.S. on an H-1B visa two decades ago. He bought the house in late 2023 from Coventry Homes for $895,000. While in treatment for Stage 4 kidney cancer, he was laid off from his IT job in March this year, along with most of his 80-person team, and put the home in Celina up for sale.
There has been a mixed response to this story. While some have attributed this incident to racism, and rising anti-Indian sentiment, others disagreed, saying it’s only advisable to remove all personal belongings before showcasing a house to a potential buyer.
Recently, Indian American congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi drew attention to rising anti-Indian hate, as he condemned a recent incident where a group of white supremacists appeared in front of City Hall, and chanted racist slogans.