Raj Koothrappali and Sheldon Cooper have an interesting relationship on The Big Bang Theory. They are, on all s, friends but they're not best friends. Raj has always been glued to Howard's hip and Sheldon has found comfort in Leonard's care. The only reason these two tolerated each other before becoming friends is because of their connection to Leonard.
With all men (Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, and Howard) working at the university together, their love for the sciences, comic books, and gaming brings them together but had it not been for Leonard, who's to say that Raj and Sheldon would still be friends? While Raj seems more tolerable of Sheldon than Howard is, is it just for the good of the group or are they actually friends? These 10 moments in the show say otherwise.
Sheldon Wasn't Happy When Raj Won People Magazine's Award
In "The Griffin Equivalency," Raj was chosen as People Magazine's "30 visionaries under 30 years to watch" list. Everyone in the group seemed genuinely happy for Raj except for—you guessed it—Sheldon. Sheldon always becomes sassy when other people are recognized for their contributions to science instead of him. It gets worse when Sheldon doesn't think Raj (or anyone else for that matter) is worthy of an award. Granted, Raj's award goes to his head and he becomes insufferable but at least his true friends were authentically happy for him from the start.
For Not Being Religious, He Corrected Raj On His Own Religion
Sheldon's a genius and his memory is impeccable. He knows a lot about everything (except for pop culture). Although Sheldon was raised in a Christian household, Sheldon doesn't believe in all that religion "nonsense." He practically mocks his mother anytime she brings the church up.
However, in one episode, Raj notes how in India, cows are seen as gods. Sheldon quickly corrects him and says "Not technically. In Hinduism, cattle are thought to be like God." This really annoyed Raj because someone as annoying as Sheldon—who isn't Hindu—is correcting him on his own faith. He aggressively retorts, "Do not tell me about my own culture, Sheldon! In the mood I'm in, I'll take you out, I swear to cow!"
He Threw Him Under The Bus To Caltech's HR
Sheldon Cooper has an interesting Raj called her "brown sugar" at the office Christmas party.
Sheldon Didn't Just Give Raj A Job
In the third season, Raj is devasted when his project at Caltech ends, which subsequently ends his working permit to stay in America legally. Shocked that he could be deported back to India, Sheldon invites Raj to work for him. Wanting to explore the concept of string theory "from gamma-ray dark matter," Raj could be a real asset to Sheldon.
The only problem is Sheldon says Raj would work "for him" instead of "with him," which annoys Raj. As if things couldn't be more stressful for Raj, Sheldon decides to interview Raj for the position, stating he can't just give away this coveted job...
Sheldon Left Raj In The Mining Hole
In "The Expedition Approximation," Raj suggests that he and Sheldon team up to partake in a salt mine experiment. However, there are a lot of downfalls to the experiment and would leave both men in very uncomfortable positions (i.e. they would have to use a bucket as the bathroom).
Sheldon and Raj agree that it wouldn't be a good idea for them but they would try it out by sitting in the university's basement for hours at a time.
All was surprisingly going well between the two scientists until Sheldon saw a rat. He then ditched Raj and began climbing up the ladder, leaving Raj behind with the rats. Raj can be heard screaming from the tunnels while rats climb all over him, thanks to Sheldon leaving him in the dust.
Maybe Religion Plays More Into Raj's Friendship With Sheldon Than Fans Thought
Religion doesn't play a large role in the lives of those on The Big Bang Theory but if there was one person who was lowkey religious, it would be Raj. With his family being in India, they're very cautious of Raj's new American lifestyle and don't want him to lose his upbringing. This is shown while Sheldon, Howard, Raj, and Leonard are on their Arctic expedition. Raj notes that the only reason he tolerates Sheldon is because of his religion. If he suffered for three months with Sheldon, he would be reborn as a "well-hung billionaire with wings" in his next life. Looks like their friendship isn't as authentic as it seems.
Did Sheldon Take Lalita Away From Raj?
Raj has never had great luck with women. His relationship with Emily was solid for a long time until Raj realized they didn't have enough in common. He really liked his girlfriend Lucy but her social anxiety got the best of their relationship. Even Claire was a great alternative but that crashed and burned.
When he was set up with Anu, fans thought the pair were endgame but even that ended. But before them all, Raj was head over heels for a woman named Lalita. But in an odd turn of events, Sheldon ended up taking Lalita away from Raj after he referred to her as Princess Panchali. To be fair, Sheldon never has a clue when he's doing something wrong but this was a low blow for Raj.
And Did Raj Distract Dr. Plimptom From Sheldon?
It's not known what happened to Dr. Plimpton or her relationship with Sheldon after her appearance on the show but we're guessing her sensual relationships with Sheldon's friends were to blame...
Dr. Plimpton was staying with Sheldon and Leonard while working at Caltech for a few days but as it turned out, Dr. Plimpton was very provocative and slept with Leonard while staying in their apartment. Sheldon was furious when he found out Leonard defiled his friend and judged him for doing so. Later on, we see that Dr. Plimpton moved on from Leonard and took an interest in Raj and was at his apartment by the end of the episode. Was that the end of Sheldon and Dr. Plimpton's friendship? And does that mean Raj would choose a one-night stand over his "friendship" with Sheldon?
Raj Messed With Him On Purpose
Fans of The Big Bang Theory know how strict Sheldon's schedule is and how serious he takes hygiene. Knowing how much Sheldon freaks out when people mess with his hygiene sends him into overdrive, which for his so-called "friends," is funny to witness. However, in one episode, Raj noted that he once used Sheldon's toothbrush to "massage his gums." If he respected Sheldon and his home, there's no way Raj would have violated the sanctity of his mouth.
The 'Brobdingnagian Monstrosity' Desk
Now that Raj and Sheldon were working together, it made sense that they shared an office as well. The only problem is that Sheldon never gave Raj a desk. In fact, he said it wasn't in the budget to get him one... Howard encourages Raj to buy his own desk to give Sheldon a taste of his own medicine. So what does he do? He buys the largest desk you can imagine and stakes claim in Sheldon's office and annoy him every single day he comes into work.
