Abhinav Arora, a 10-year-old spiritual content creator, has addressed the controversy surrounding the designer bag he carried at Mahakumbh. Denying claims that the bag was made of calfskin leather, his father, Tarun Raj Arora, clarified in a statement to HT.com that it was crafted from fabric canvas.
The Context
On February 12, Abhinav was seen carrying a high-end Dior bag while attending the Mahakumbh Mela. Dressed in saffron robes, he held onto the backpack before taking a holy dip at Sangam, the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers.
The sight of a young devotee with a luxury bag sparked amusement among some online users. Additionally, the bag’s estimated price—reportedly over ₹2 lakh—raised eyebrows.
The Backlash
The primary controversy stemmed from speculation about the bag’s material. Some users on X (formerly Twitter) claimed that Abhinav was carrying the “Dior Hit The Road Backpack,” which combines fabric canvas with smooth calfskin leather.
In Hinduism, cows are considered sacred, and many devout Hindus abstain from using leather, particularly calfskin. Given Abhinav’s identity as a Krishna devotee, this claim led to widespread outrage.
One X user stated, “Abhinav Arora is holding a bag worth over ₹3 lakh, made of black smooth calfskin.” Another wrote, “A devotee bringing a calfskin leather bag to Mahakumbh? I have never seen such a ‘Bhakt’ in my life.”
Abhinav Arora is holding a bag which is worth more than ₹3 lakhs & is made of black smooth calf skin.
Abhinav brought this leather bag which is made of calf skin to Mahakumbh.
I have never seen such a “Bhakt” in my life. 🫡🫡 pic.twitter.com/pgaV3WNPtx
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) February 17, 2025
These users even shared screenshots from Dior’s official website, showing that the Large Dior Hit The Road Bag is made of “Black coated canvas with CD diamond print and Black Smooth Calfskin.”
Abhinav’s Response
In a statement to HT.com, Abhinav firmly denied using a calfskin bag. His father, Tarun Raj Arora, reiterated, “The bag is made of fabric canvas, not calfskin. I do not use leather, not even for footwear, and I never will.”
Addressing the criticism over materialism, Abhinav stated:
“I live a family-centered social life while performing religious rituals. I am not a saint, just a devotee and a spiritual orator. Whatever I do, I do openly. If I had anything to hide, I wouldn’t have taken the bag to Sangam, where 2 crore people bathed on Magh Purnima.”
While Tarun Raj Arora dismissed claims that his son was carrying the specific Dior model circulating online, he declined to reveal the exact make and model of the bag.
“It’s a fabric canvas bag. I’m not sure about its name. We bought it during our last foreign trip,” he said.
This controversy follows a similar incident involving spiritual speaker Jaya Kishori, who was criticized for carrying a ₹2 lakh Dior bag.
