"I'm done with India; trust me, I tried to give it a chance."
A British Indian traveller recently concluded a three-year adventure across India and expressed his disillusionment with the country in a Reddit post.
He began his journey during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, driven by wanderlust.
Unfortunately, his experiences led to a harsh verdict.
He said: “India is a dump, and Indians objectively treat it like a dump.”
He spotlighted issues such as poor roads, crumbling infrastructure, widespread filth and a lack of civic responsibility among citizens.
The Reddit user also criticised the condition of heritage sites, highlighting neglect and vandalism.
He noted: “Graffiti, yellow spit, and rotting food soil the architecture that Indians claim to be so proud of.”
The man said even basic explanations about historical sites come with additional charges.
He also criticised overpricing and subpar service compared to other Asian countries like Vietnam and Thailand.
“Hotels, even of a basic standard, in areas where property sits for $300 a month are charging their firangi tourist customers a whopping $30-$40 a night.
“I’m done with India; trust me, I tried to give it a chance.”
Water issues, poor public responsibility and general apathy were other areas in which he expressed his dissatisfaction.
After his Indian adventure, the traveller relocated to Vietnam and struck a comparison between the two nations.
He praised Vietnam’s well-maintained streets, reliable taxi services and high-quality food, noting that it was a relief after his experience in India.
The tourist added: “As a British Indian myself, I really wanted to love India – I can’t.”
The now-removed post sparked significant debate online, with some agreeing with the criticisms and others defending India.
Many took to the comments to agree with the criticisms.
One user wrote: “I’ve spent a lot of time in India, both travelling and working, and I absolutely understand where you’re coming from.
“I’ve been to almost a hundred countries, and there isn’t one that gives me the love/hate that India does.
“It’s a complicated mess with the best and worst of humanity existing shoulder to shoulder.”
Anand Sankar, who works in the tourism industry, shared the post on X and agreed that India has become an “overpriced dump of a destination”.
I am part of the tourism industry and have been vociferously saying this for the last 2+ years – we have become an overpriced dump of a destination.
Every single agent/partner of ours in the UK, EU, Australia & USA has the following questions – air quality, general hygiene &… pic.twitter.com/C1B6mZYuUL
— Anand Sankar (@kalapian_) December 19, 2024
On the other hand, a user wrote: “Yes indeed, all a part of the daily experience in that maddening country.
“One of the best trips I ever took, I am really grateful to have experienced it in my formative years.”
“India is where I learned to recognise when the situation dictates, turning my logical brain completely off and accepting things for how they are.”
Another wrote: “It seems to have become a trend for some expats to criticise everything about India while portraying life outside Asia as flawless.
“The reality, however, is far more nuanced.”
This calls into question if India is in denial about its global reputation, or if it has become popular to criticise the country.
Loading ...