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By:

Naresh Kamath

5 November 2024 at 5:30:38 am

Indian Tourists Need a Reputation Reset

India has long taken pride in the philosophy of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ - the belief that guests deserve warmth, respect and dignity. It is an idea deeply woven into the country’s cultural imagination, often been projected as a defining Indian value. As millions of Indians travel overseas every year, the conduct of a small but highly visible section of Indian tourists is increasingly shaping how India itself is perceived abroad. The issue is not about a single incident or a handful of viral...

Indian Tourists Need a Reputation Reset

India has long taken pride in the philosophy of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ - the belief that guests deserve warmth, respect and dignity. It is an idea deeply woven into the country’s cultural imagination, often been projected as a defining Indian value. As millions of Indians travel overseas every year, the conduct of a small but highly visible section of Indian tourists is increasingly shaping how India itself is perceived abroad. The issue is not about a single incident or a handful of viral videos but a pattern that is drawing notice from hotels, tourism operators and local authorities across the world. The debate gained fresh momentum after reports emerged of a Swiss hotel issuing a notice specifically addressed to Indian guests. The advisory reportedly requested guests not to pack food from breakfast buffets for later consumption and reminded them to maintain silence in corridors and balconies. Hotels routinely issue guidelines. But when a particular nationality becomes the subject of a specific advisory, it inevitably raises larger questions about perception. “It is a sorry state of affairs. Indians, especially in groups, are displaying atrocious behaviour. This was anyway bound to happen,” says Subhash Motwani, founder of Namaste Tourism. Embarrassing Incidents Whether the notice was justified is another separate matter. The question is why such perceptions are emerging in the first place. Recent months have seen several incidents involving Indian tourists gain traction on social media. One widely circulated video showed travellers performing garba on an airport tarmac in Vietnam. Garba is among India’s most vibrant cultural traditions and a source of immense pride for millions. Yet airports are highly regulated spaces where safety protocols and discipline take precedence over celebration. The incident became symbolic of a larger problem. The rise of social media has encouraged some travellers to treat foreign destinations as stages for content creation. Public dancing, loud celebrations, disruptive behaviour and attention-seeking stunts may generate views and engagement online, but they can also leave lasting impressions on locals and fellow tourists. India is hardly the first country to confront such a challenge. During the 1950s and 1960s, American tourists acquired a reputation for arrogance abroad, giving rise to the phrase “Ugly American.” Britain spent decades dealing with the international embarrassment caused by football hooliganism. China faced similar concerns as outbound tourism surged during the early years of the twenty-first century. A nation’s image is shaped not just by its economic achievements and diplomatic influence but also by the behaviour of its citizens overseas. India today finds itself in a similar situation. Indian tourists are now among the most visible traveller groups across Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. This is, in many ways, a remarkable success story. However, with visibility comes responsibility. Hospitality professionals across destinations frequently point to recurring concerns. Excessive noise, queue-jumping, disregard for local regulations, overcrowding hotel rooms and attempts to bypass established rules through jugaad are among the complaints often cited. Collectively, repeated experiences can create lasting perceptions. The most revealing aspect of the debate is that Indian travellers often display exemplary discipline in countries known for strict law enforcement. In destinations such as Singapore, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, compliance with rules is generally high. Complaints tend to emerge more frequently in places perceived as relaxed or lenient. That suggests the challenge is not one of awareness. Most travellers understand the rules perfectly well. The problem is often a mindset that rules can be negotiated when consequences appear unlikely. Changing that mindset is far more important than introducing additional regulations or issuing fresh advisories. Every interaction at an airport, hotel, restaurant, tourist attraction or public transport system contributes to how a country is viewed. These everyday encounters often shape perceptions more powerfully than government campaigns or tourism advertisements. As India stakes its claim to a larger role in the world, its citizens must recognise that national prestige is shaped not only by economic achievements and diplomatic successes, but also by everyday behaviour abroad. The overwhelming majority of Indian tourists travel responsibly and leave behind positive impressions. Their conduct rarely becomes news because courtesy seldom goes viral. Yet a handful of highly visible incidents can overshadow thousands of positive experiences. The challenge is to encourage responsible travel and a greater awareness that behaviour abroad carries consequences beyond the individual. The conduct of Indian citizens overseas should reflect the confidence and values of a nation seeking not merely recognition but enduring respect. (The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

Want to Beat the Heat? Strengthen Your Immunity!

Ayurveda has solutions that can help to naturally rebuild lost tolerance for scorching heat

Summers have set in, and so has the consumption of Air Conditioners and refrigerated water risen. There was a time when we were tolerant to the scorching heat when Air Conditioners and refrigerators were not a part of life. In fact, refrigerated water, and an air-conditioned room both are hazardous to our health, especially to those suffering from specific medical conditions. Rather air conditioners should be strictly avoided by patients suffering from joint problems, Osteoarthritis, Seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, Seropositive patients, immune disorders, Arthritis. Migraine patients too need to refrain from excessive usage of AC.

 

The best way to fight the impact of scorching heat is to strengthen our immunity and tolerance. The big question remains, how exactly can we do this. The answer lies in history, when Ayurveda gave us a lot of doable remedies, which were passed on by the grandparents to the generation next. All we need to do is, remind ourselves of those, and gradually allow us quit AC completely. The simplest way to eliminate AC in peak summers is to literally put-up wet curtains in the room. It works wonders.  

 

Heat strokes, a common problem

As per Ayurveda, exposure to scorching heat affects the process of blood purification, in case this happens beyond a certain limit, it leads to a heat stroke. Usually, in summers, the amounts of ‘pitta’ or bile which is a yellow-green fluid produced by the liver that aids in the digestion of fats rises. That leads to a lot of perspiration and body heat. To fight heat strokes Ayurveda has suggested a very simple addition that can be made to our everyday meal, that is ‘Gulkanda’ which is basically nothing but rose petal jam. One spoon of the jam mixed with one spoon of ghee if consumed twice a day, heat strokes can be avoided. In addition to this, you can start using Ubtan instead of body wash or soap. That’s the best remedy for excessive perspiration leading to body odour, itching and other conditions that follow.

 

Indian traditions have solutions to everything. Among many, there is this another simple and very effective drink that can be consumed to work on water loss. Add puffed rice to some water and boil it. Once boiled, smash the puffed rice and then strain the mixture. You can mix sugar, salt, cumin power, etc. as per your preference and drink it. 

 

Say no to refrigerated water

Refrigerated water is not healthy at all. It can lead to sore throat, migraine, weakening digestive system, tooth sensitiveness, dizziness, cold stress, so on and so forth. There are simple ways to eliminate refrigerated water. The most popular and oldest concept of storing water in an earthen pot is the best replacement for this. Besides there is a medicinal plant called ‘वाळा’ whose scientific name is Chrysopogon zizanioides. This plant is native to India and is a member of the grass family. This grass can be mixed in the water stored in the earthen pot. Apart from this, all flowers having fragrance like mogra can be mixed in the water stored in an earthen pot to infuse it with the qualities of the flowers. Such infused water stored in earthen pot is very beneficial to combat heat.

 

Replace refrigerated water with

Ayurveda recommends several simple recipes of drinks that we can consume to keep ourselves hydrated.  

  1. Kokam drink which is made of Garcinia indica, a plant in the mangosteen family (Clusiaceae), commonly known as kokum mixed with water, sugar and salt.

  2. ‘Chandanadi mantha’ which is made by straining a rested mixture of water, Chandan power. Adding sugar is a matter of preference. We can also infuse it with edible camphor. It is very useful.

  3. ‘Kharjuradhi mantha’ which is a drink made from dates, Amla, pomogranate, tamrind and black raisins. This is extremely useful to combat excessive heat.

  4. Kheer is an Indian delicacy which basically contains sugar and milk. This dish too helps combat heat.

 

It is understandable that AC has captured our life styles completely and while we gradually attempt to completely eliminate it from our lives, the first step can be to aim at reduced or changing the way we use it while ensuring certain precautions. While its needless to say that regular AC maintenance is a must do, strictly avoiding super chilling temperatures is a very important point. Super chilling temperatures take a toll on patients who suffer from respiratory disorders like  Sinusitis. They experience headache, blocked nose and breathing problems when they spend an entire night with temperatures as low as 18 degrees on the AC, while the room temperature is 30 plus degrees. Make a start, by avoiding exposure to drastically opposite environments.

 

(Writer is MD Ayurveda and a practicing Consultant based in Thane, Maharashtra. Views Personal)

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