Millions of people travel to India for leisure every year, enamoured by the exhilarating and romantic possibilities the country holds for them. But India is not a country of just one culture as depicted by stereotypes in western media, as well as by growing Hindu nationalism inside the country. There are 22 officially recognised languages, over 1,600 languages and dialects overall, 705 Indigenous tribes, and coexistence of nine different religions.
I spent three months in northern India working for an immersive educational travel company across three cities of deep religious significance: Dharamshala, Rishikesh and Pushkar. Each city is considered sacred by a different community – Dharamshala for Tibetans and Buddhists, Rishikesh for yoga devotees and Hindus, and Pushkar for Hindus.
As a South Asian person who was raised Hindu, I felt deeply moved in these places. I also felt aghast observing all the inappropriate behaviours of foreigners – as well as the contradictions within the communities due to rampant tourism and commodification.
Here’s a brief breakdown of the social issues that exist in each city and how you can be respectful when travelling to these places. Please note that these are based on my personal experiences and observations, and are not summative.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh has a strong historical connection with the ancient wellbeing practice of yoga, and in the last few decades has been branded ‘the yoga capital of the world’ by the international tourism sector. Hearing stories about the tranquillity of the city growing up in Nepal, I arrived optimistic that this might become my favourite place in India.
My optimism quickly faded upon the sight of the main street crowded with shopfronts and traffic. The Ganges river is brown, the famous Laxman Jula bridge is stuffed with foot traffic and motorcycles, and shop owners call out to you constantly, inexhaustably.
The explosive popularity of yoga globally in the last 30 years has resulted in excessive tourism into Rishikesh. Understandably, with foreign dollars pouring in and sustaining livelihoods, the town has quickly transformed to cater towards the palates of white westerners. Rows of cafes proudly display their bold signs reading ‘organic’ and ‘vegan’. Lemonana – a Middle-Eastern drink of blended mint and lemonade that has been claimed by Israelis – is found on almost all menus.
Yoga tourism is huge, including retreats and teacher training. There are dozens, maybe a hundred yoga schools that offer ‘500-hour yoga teacher training’ and the majority of the students are white westerners. Many of these are owned and operated by foreigners.
Due to India being a patriarchal and conservative society, solo women travellers can be vulnerable to harassment. Having white skin and blonde hair in particular attracts a lot of unwanted attention. There are cases in Rishikesh of people advertising healing services such as massage or Reiki and inappropriately touching women. During one of the educational tours I was leading, a man posing as a yoga teacher attempted to grope my young woman Canadian student in front of me. I was quick and assertive enough to get her out of that situation, but not everyone is so lucky.
How to be a conscious traveller in Rishikesh
Please do some deep introspection and ask yourself – “Do I really need to be another white yoga teacher? Can I not find another pursuit?”
After your 500-hour training when you return home, you are more likely to be employed at a yoga studio than a person of colour, which is evident from the overwhelming whiteness you experience when you walk into these studios. Thus, you are taking up space and taking away opportunities from South Asians, whose very heritage and cultural practices include yoga.
When you are in Rishikesh, make the effort to find out what businesses you are supporting. “Who is the trendy vegan café I love owned by? Who is my hotel owned by? Who is my yoga retreat owned by?” Inquire if the money you are spending is actually going into the local community.
Respect the history and sacredness of the city. Do not touch the statues inside temples and do not swim naked in the Ganges river. Research before you get a healing service whether it is a legitimate business by reading online reviews and considering recommendations made by your guesthouse or other travellers who have personally visited the service.
Dharamshala
Dharamshala is home to a Tibetan community of 10,000 who sought refuge in the Indian city after China invaded their homeland in 1950. It has the largest Tibetan population in the world outside of China-occupied Tibet and is the seat of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also home to the Dalai Lama.
The energy in Dharamshala is tranquil and the citizens could be described as “gentle, kind and welcoming” – but when your main source of income are the dollars that tourists bring in, of course you will be welcoming towards them.
Dharamshala is an ideal environment to immerse oneself in Buddhist study and meditation, which is often the pursuit of travellers. However, due to rampant tourism, locals have been forced to commodify their religion and culture. Lines of vendors compete with each other, selling the exact same prayer flags, beads, and prayer wheels, calling out to people as they walk past in hopes of making a sale. Objects with deep significance are now mass produced and have become superficial items snatched by tourists for their aesthetic without any understanding of their meaning.
I visited Dharamshala multiple times, and what I initially believed was romantic fog above the town, high in the mountains, I eventually learned was smog from the air pollution. The narrow streets of McLeod Ganj, the centre point of Dharamshala, are chaotic with ceaseless traffic and the incessant sound of honking motorbikes. There are no sidewalks and it deeply saddened me to see monks in their orange robes having to manoeuvre around cars blaring their horns to make their way down the street.
On the weekends, McLeod Ganj is swarmed by male tourists from the neighbouring state of Punjab who visit with the sole intention of partying. They blare their car horns without a shred of consideration for others and stumble around town drunk. (Please note that this is not a racialised judgement but an objective observation.)
Another disappointment came for me when I visited the Dalai Lama temple. I had been tremendously excited to enter the sacred space that Buddhists travel from across the world to step foot inside, sometimes graced by the presence of the Dalai Lama himself. Inside the temple as I meditated, I began to gently sob, my heart overflowing. My introspection was disturbed by loud tourists shouting to each other and taking photos at every corner. The lack of consideration and respect honestly shocked me. How could they be so unaware?
How to be a conscious traveller in Dharamshala
It’s generous and perhaps even an ethical obligation as a traveller to support the local economy by buying at locally owned businesses, but be sure to be conscious about where your dollar will truly make a difference.
Do not consume excessive alcohol.
Do not shout or take inappropriate photos such as selfies inside temples and monasteries.
Research and respect the sacredness of this city for both Tibetans and Buddhists.
Pushkar
Pushkar is home to one of the very few temples dedicated to Brahma – the Hindu god of creation. According to mythology, the serene lake in the middle of the town was created when a lotus flower was dropped from Brahma’s hand. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims travel to Pushkar yearly to take a dip in the holy waters and visit the temple.
When I visited Pushkar in July, it was low season and I did not personally encounter this, but was told story after story of the scores of Israelis who spend months there after finishing their mandatory army service: psytrance drowning out the town as they frolic around high on LSD. I was intrigued to experience this subculture that has developed in a very unexpected environment, and appalled to learn how such grotesque tourism has affected one of the holiest Hindu sites in India.
Consumerism and the commodication of culture is also apparent in Pushkar. Almost every shop on the main street sells tattered bits of clothes – a strange style which can only be described as ‘poverty chic’ for foreign women. I couldn’t believe clothes are actually sold like that as they are actual rags, but when a white girl with dreadlocks wears them, it’s fashion.
The shops also display beautiful skirts, dresses and crop tops made from the silk of upcycled saris, but no one can afford these except foreigners. I have seen these exact clothes being sold at festivals across Australia and Europe and can distinctly recognise that they are from Pushkar. They are sold by white market babes for $70 apiece when the production value is under $5 and there is never any credit to the producers of this ‘ethnic wear’.
There are also many local Rajasthani people who come to Pushkar from villages all around the state, and none of them can afford these things. I stopped by a bangle shop and saw a small group of women with their faces hidden under their ghumtis excitedly trying on bangles, but they walked away sadly when they realised that the 20 rupee pricetag was out of their budget.
Pandits – priests in Pushkar – are also big into profiting from their religion. I had a pandit force flowers into my hand, lead me to the lake and then demand money from me. This happens a lot, especially to westerners.
How to be a conscious traveller in Pushkar
Be environmentally conscious and avoid unnecessary material consumption.
Remember that a holy person will never demand money.
You can never be certain how safe the drugs you consume are, so be careful. Bhaang – a milk drink laced with hashish, is a popular local beverage, but be mindful of potency. Negative side effects could include drowsiness, vomiting and memory loss, and you could get robbed or assaulted in such a vulnerable state.
Overall
Be aware of the societal norms and customs of the place you are visiting. This can vary drastically between big cities and rural areas of India, shaped by socioeconomic status, class, education level and religion of the local citizens.
Excess tourism can ruin the tranquillity of sacred sites, which can be seen across various cities in India. Examine the negative impact your backpacking footprint can leave on the places you visit. Perhaps it is better to holiday somewhere else.
Be mindful and conscious of your actions, as you would be in any country or place as a decent human being with manners. The global south is not your giant playground to do whatever you want, absolved of the basic manners of etiquette, respect and boundaries that you have been brought up with at home.
Have humility and gratitude that you are lucky enough to have gained a glimpse into spiritual experiences that people dedicate their entire lives seeking.