THE REALITY OF INDIA: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 มี.ค. 2017
- India is truly a land of extremes, from amazing temples, gorgeous beaches, friendly people, delicious food and incredible landscapes to ever-present garbage, pollution, stray cows and dogs, bad smells and constant noise. In this video I explore Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, south India and talk about some of the realities of traveling in India.
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Gabriel is a world traveler and travel writer who has been adventuring around the world off and on since his first trip to Europe in the summer of 1990 when he was 18 years old. He is author of "Following My Thumb", a collection of 26 exciting and hilarious autobiographical travel stories from his worldly wanderings during the 1990s; and has written several other books available on Amazon.com and elsewhere.
Thanks a lot for watching and safe journeys!
THE REALITY OF INDIA: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
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If you would like to see much more of India, take a look at another video about my incredible bus trip into the beautiful Himalayas of northern India: th-cam.com/video/HH9RtNFOrk8/w-d-xo.html
Hey Gabriel, why don't u hit up the east coast and northeast part of India next time with some less traveled destinations like the Visakhapatnam, Puri and Kolkata for the beaches and Gangtok and Arunachal Pradesh for the beautiful mountains
Yeah that's a good idea for another trip. We'll see.
@Gabriel Traveler So Have you visited Kerala in the down south-west and Can I know your views compared to other places of India
@@GabrielTravelerVideos Northeast India is not really India. People there do not want to be part of India and this is why there are many insurgencies operating there fighting for independence. Had not the British created India the northeast would have never ruled by the Indian people. In response the Indian government has been dealing them with oppressive measures such as AFSPA (Armed Force Special Power Act). AFSPA gives the state the power to detain or kill anyone with impunity. In other words the state have the right to kill anyone without any trial or dual process under AFSPA. Gangtok is the capital of the once independent kingdom of Sikkim, which India invaded and annexed in 1975. Arunachal Pradesh is traditional Tibetan homeland. Four years after the British has left, India invaded and annexed what is today referred to as Arunachal Pradesh. AP includes Tawang, birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama and home to a four hundred years old Tibetan monastery. AP is restless and this is why it is also under AFSPA.
Bet you have never heard of this in the main stream media.
@@jikkuabraham6243 I haven't been to Kerala or the northeast yet but would love to visit both areas.
I completely agree with you. Most cities of India are filthy. People simply accept living in the filth and stench as if it's normal. There is no effort to take care of one's surroundings although they will clean their homes spotless and then throw the filth outside. I think its become a cultural mindset to live in degrading conditions. He's saying the truth and people should not get defensive about it. BTW I'm an Indian.
An honest Indian appears.......
Agree , I am an indian
I'm from China, the scene from video let me think about early 90's of my hometown, it was dirty and chaotic, then it has changed gradually, rivers turned back to be clean, roads are without rubbish any more. When I was studying in Japan, I did once ask my professor why Japan is so clean. He told me it wasn't always like this, in early 60s 70s Japan was really dirty, too. so. Economy's growth may solve this issue. Compare India to the U.S is not fair, China suffered prejudice and we shall not continuesly doing this to other developing countries like India. It needs time.
I noticed a couple of dirty neighborhoods in Japan when I was there in 1993-94. Most of what I saw was clean but there were a few surprisingly litter-strewn places that I saw.
It will be a very long time for India to clean up their hometown, why? because you need money to do the job, a lot of money, my impression is that India is developed day by day but not industrialized, as the development of the technology even the poorest people can use the iPhone, but I did not see any sign of industrialization in a large picture in India, hence you will not be able to make a lot of money, whereby to have extra money to do the cleaning job and remove the "dirty and poor".
In addition, due to the AI (artificial intelligent) technology, we are entering a new era where the manufacturers are moving close the market, the desire to build a new factory in India to make the product for exporting to the US is diminishing day by day. Way to go for India.
RO3
wrong, actually china is already begin to implement "green environmental" policy with very harsh law to combat the pollutions caused by their rapid industrialization. But then again this new law could have negative impact to china industry as a whole and may slow its growth
many cities if the USA look like those parts of India. I live near some very dirty towns in northern California.
There are a lot of homeless people all over the USA. In every town, you will find people begging for money. Go to any river, and you will see people in tents. There is a lot of poverty in the USA, it's that the USA hides it from the rest of the world.
I’ll never forget buying an ice cream from a store and I opened it and asked the shop keeper if there was a bin for the wrapper and he gestured for me to just throw it in the street. When I said I can’t do that he asked why!
I waited all my life to go to India, and I finally was able to go in February this year. I absolutely loved it, as I knew I would! I was there for 2 weeks, and it was the best time of my life. I hope I will be able to return someday.
Excellent, that's great to hear. I've been there eight times now and every trip has been amazing.
Christine Lamb give WhatsApp nomber I talk from India fast
@@generalsaim7846 Shut up. You must be ashamed of yourselves. Don't spoil name of our India.
Sounds good
@@generalsaim7846 bruh
I am am Indian from South India. I completely agree to everything this guy said about the country and I am happy he was honest.
🤣🤣
Not everyone has guts to post the truth! Liked how u showed reality of India
Where are you from? Stating the truth is bum licker? Sorry gentleman, We were not enslaved by gora so that we dont do bum licking like you people doing from decades. ...no thing personal, Just showing that I can still state the fact and make u feel bad. :)
It is true and it is changing that is also truth
one more truth = we have lots of wannabe white men in india..fact. they want to be something different from their own identity.....Lots of whitening cream in india why? to change india you need clean india from within from way of how people think , culture all the way to cleansing the country...
Oh aren't you that communist Nepali, burning with rage and pumped right from the childhood with negativity about India
sandeep gupta What are you dear? India is suffering miserably, accept the reality and deal with it.
the trash problem in india is quite bad. i spent a month there a few years ago and found the trash issue ridiculous. a person cannot build a sewer system etc by one's self but people can be responsible for properly disposing of their trash and not just expecting some trash wallah to come by and take care of thing.
''A weird video game as soon as you step out your door." Couldn't agree more, great explanation Gabriel.
Exactly
ya see indigo a good video no political commentary on social injustices. Not propping up corrupt ngo's.
VT ooooh burn lol
I'm Egyptian and my dream to visit India..
Peace to all..
Wael Kateb my dream Egypt
showing reality of india will help many tourist to travel safe
okay. Thankyou for your deep insight and concern.
Varqa Singh Definitely not a place for solitary female travellers
Varqa Singh showing your face will also help, so they can avoid you
Haha every country have garbage no one is perfect
Nice excuse. It is too bad in India.
I hate the garbage dumps everywhere. I hope to start a non profit organisation to clean up dirty spots this year.
Great idea, but it's a huge job, going to take some serious coordination and effort to make a dent in this problem.
I agree, but at least I'd like to make a start :)
Absolutely, somebody's got to do it.
How did you like the smell the first time you landed in India?Shit smell is overwhelming!lol!
The people have no sense of community. In the USA the People from India act the same way. They throw something on the street even if the trash can is only 1 minute away! And they all act high and mighty.
India is the only country I've visited that I've ever been genuinely scared in. You really need to keep on your toes if you ever step off the beaten path.
I have sent mail and called to the forest department to clean up the area in Thiruvannamalai sri ramana maharishi cave area. lets hope they do it as soon as possible. I went there many years back it used to be clean. Its pathetic to see it turned like this now.
I see, that's great, good for you. I hope someone does something about it, quite a shame.
I see you couldnt see the temple inside. here is the 360 degree view of entire temple.
view360.in/virtualtour/thiruvannamalai/
you can add it to the video description too
bhuvanesh kumar, thanks so much for sending an email.
I really don't think Sri Maharshi would approve of the example of garbage but that it is symbolic of the overall condition of duality. In ancient records like the Enuma Elish and other records like it the story is that the people became very noisy and annoyed the creators who then wanted to destroy the creators. So, last year when I heard that committees planned to build a big road around an area of the hill I thought of how anyone could do that to a holy place, producing such noise and horns honking around Aranachula. But history repeats itself so there's that. It's interesting to know that it was hot inside that cave. Very interesting.
However, it was clear to me that Gabriel wasn't called to Aranachula. (I'm not saying that from either a critical or complimentary position, but just an observation.) I was waiting for a tour of Sri Ramana Maharshi's ashram, but within a few seconds it was clear that wasn't going to happen....
Aranachula calls one when it is their last stop - otherwise it will push one away.
When it calls one it doesn't matter if they are there in person or not - they will be there.... you know what I mean.
Bhuvanesh kumar - kudos to you! Keep inquiring to the Forest Dept. there, if that is who would be responsible for the cleanup. Even in the USA, we sometimes have to ride officials about getting things done. If nothing gets done after the initial report then, inquiring about the issue until something happens shows officials you are serious about the situation and aren't going to let it go until they uphold their responsibilities. Keep at it! 👍🏼
Your comments are true and the authorities have not done enough
india is a very spiritual place not for everyone abject poverty pollution many bad smells no for everyone. I enjoyed the ashrams along the ganges the most and up in the mountains in summer..
Well said and thanks for being candid. This will truly educate tourists about real India not "Incredible India" that one sees in Ads. Actually we Indians have a tendency to brush aside harsh truths and peddling fantasies, be it society or religion.
My favorite part of the video was the beginning, that part of CA was absolutely GORGEOUS!
Gabriel that's the reason India is called.. incredible India....
I'm an Indian, and I'd say that this is really a good video. No country is perfect 😇 but still we should try to look at the good sides!
Glad you're back safe (and in my hometown!) hope all is well and we see more videos to come.
Summaries India in two words Organised chaos
@madone 05 like ur brain XD
@@peterpan5274 W
Hi Gabe. The perspective presented is good as you touch all different areas. Like you say the good, the bad & the ugly. Looking forward to travel to India maybe next year and i appreciate all the tips as it will help me plan the video in a better way. Also the video in which you talk about the visa and how to prepare for a trip to India was real good. As always your brother from the Caribbean sending best wishes.
Cleanliness is issue in India . Good thing we know it and we are working on it on National level through "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan". Hope we will get success in it.
I've been to India twice and love it. Spent a good majority of time in slums with orphans and on a farm but there was trash and litter everywhere! The nicer areas like Hi-Tec City in Hyderbad didn't have trash as much. One time we were looking for a place to throw a plastic cup away and a guy said, "This is India, just throw it on the ground."
Its great how u showcase all sides of a place u visit!! Every place has its pros and cons but i believe u will be amazed everytime u visit india! India has so many dimensions to it!!!
Well said Gabriel.. I go to India 1-2 x's a year and every single time I experience beauty, stress, excitement, exhaustion, horrible smells and inexplainable fun and adventure. I do find myself staying shorter periods as I get older. Not as much energy to deal with the chaos.
Paul Torrez but why do you come here every 2 year
if you don't like smell. just normally asking..
[[ I experience beauty, stress, excitement, exhaustion ]]
------> the entire process (circle) of having sex.
I love the way you put this video together. Really informative, can't wait for the next one.
It wasn't that long ago that people in rural America would sometimes just dump trash on the side of the road. In Northern California, I still remember regularly riding my bike past what I called the "Hillbilly dump," where people had unloaded all kinds of things down a little hill off of a backroad--washing machines, boots, tires, stacks of old newspapers, etc. All of that's cleaned up by now, and I'm sure at some point India's will be, too. It does take both actual money, and the money to employ people to enforce rules against it, though.
For sure. The environment in the US was in much worse shape back in the '50s and '60s by the sounds of it. One big difference with India though is that the garbage isn't dumped behind a hill or a building or somewhere on the edge of town or wherever. People just throw it right in the street so it collects everywhere.
Gabriel Traveler very true..
The point is not why the garbage is not cleaned up,but why do people just throw garage anywhere...why don't they care a bit about their environment..
Timothy Roper Come visit South Africa ;)
Very good point.Lest we forget. I have traveled to India five times and still consider it a fascinating and diverse country. I will return next February. And Americans need to culturally prepare themselves for the dynamics of the subcontinent before traveling there.
what about one of the cheapest tourist destination in the world...what do you expect man...everybody feels vulnerable here or there....my friends living in USA are frightened to go outside after sunset in Miami...what about that
He made many good videos of it just watch it there are many positive videos of india
The Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu was bustling and a top destination of my times in India. And I've met a lot of single woman traveling India alone. Not for the shrinking violet types, but it can be easy to hook up with other travelers at some places.
There´s an extra point here, when you switch from hiking in India to northern California as you speak in the video, the contrast is very impressive.
Cool.
Nice video, thanks Gabriel
We all have a personal responsibility to look after our own safety when travelling and this video helps give a good idea of the potential problems in india especially with dogs. Great video and info as usual.
good to be a man. there is no way a single woman traveler can do whatever you did in india.
Julie KiwiLee Actually I have met many solo women travellers in India.
A single woman can do this easily and you will meet others traveling the same way. The tour that Gabriel took this trip is a fairly easy one. A woman though just avoid large gatherings of men (especially at night) and dress conservative (no tank tops etc). Thousands of single woman travel India all the time.
I've also met many solo women travelers in India, many of whom traveled all over without any problems, other than stares and attention. It's definitely possible but you would need to have a strong sense of boundaries and be ready to stand up for yourself if needed. Important in India, whether man or woman to be able to say a firm no, be willing to ignore people, not get sidetracked by other people trying to get you into their shop or go on some tour or whatever, and women will need to be be extra firm with things.
India is a sex destination for women like Thailand is for men.
Mathieu, where did you come up with that? Not that I would be one to know, but quite certain that isn't true at all.
Gabriel, thank you for doing this video. I've been following your trip and I wondered if you would give us some real India to understand what any of us may encounter if traveling to India. Good luck on your future travels.
Another excellent video. One day, I will be following in your foot steps thanks to all of your well documented
travel experiences.
You are also very lucky to live in northern California,it is really beautiful.
Through your videos I fell like if I am walking through those streets myself!
Hi Gabriel, I’ve been watching your videos from India, and after watching this one, I’m very conflicted about traveling there. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
I truly enjoy all your videos! First, you are always respectful of the people, places and cultures you visit - it shows and it matters. Second, you honestly record and present your experiences as they happen (edited, of course) - sometimes funny, sometimes unexpected - but in every case, an honest depiction of what you encounter. Third, and more relevant to this video, you also cover what to expect as a traveler in those countries you present - the costs, the annoyances, what people should pack and bring and what they should expect overall. This episode about India is no different. You have traveled there numerous times, and since we can see and hear your thoughts, you are an expert I would trust.
Better yet, you manage to do it, without discouraging anyone from going - you stated.. it is amazing in many ways, but it is challenging. That is the reality and again, you are being upfront and honest about it. Great job! Your vlogs are always interesting and I am happy to follow you!
I am quite saddened by some of the views of my fellow Indians and Utter Racist white folks.
A) we are quite chaotic, dirty and some quite unfriendly as well, instead of learning from the reality we try to hide it and challenged our fault which is pointed out by other yet some folks just can't tolerate. If we can't learn from criticism then how we will progress at all? It ain't a bad of roses and living in fault paradise.
B) These folks from developed countries try to depict us as some shitty country, well with such stereotypes views such a shame their country is quite developed for sure but their view are nothing but primitive and troglodytes. They forgot to keep in mind that we are still developing and trying to change the attitude it takes time and it doesn't happen overnight.
Gabriel your views are great, Yes our country is not the best in the world but I do love my country.
Hi Gabriel you have been in India for so long but I cant see any video on Northeast Indian states like Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura Its totally different place.
No I've never been east of Varanasi. I'm sure the northeast would be fascinating to explore.
Yes it is, Infact most of the Indian people also don't know about northeast India. There are places like Loktak lake where floating island and world only floating national park exists, Dzukuo valley trekking from Imphal, Asia's cleanest village, bridges made of living roots, Jatinga where birds commits suicide,Manipur Sangai festival, Nagaland Hornbill festival, Ema market- largest market where only woman are allowed to sell, Worlds oldest polo ground and original polo pony, polo pony temple, Tawang monastry, Mawsynram- wettest place on earth, mawsamai caves, Nohkalikai falls- India tallest plunge waterfall, Dawki, Imphal valley, Ziro valley, trekking to Siroy hill where there is a lily which is found only on that top of the hill and its unique characteristic is that nobody has succeeded to plant the flower in any part of the world besides the Siroi hill.
Gabriel Traveler all these places are incredible. I was in Meghalaya for 12 days and I'm headed back towards the end of the year for a couple of months. I tried searching for a tour of northeast as a guide on your channel but was quite surprised you haven't done any.
Sounds amazing! Maybe my next trip.
You must come to Eastern India now.....visit North East....come to Kolkata, Darjeeling, Assam, Puri, Mandarmani......lot of things to see.....don't go to same places over and over again.....explore something new in your next India trip.....
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.. India is so big and diverse.. It has both good and bad.. And that's what makes it even more of a place to visit
8:37 ¨not realy what I have in mind today¨ .... this is where headphones and music are helpful... great video Gabriel, this is what stands from everybody else. you show it all. Thanks.
that you didn't turn back at 8:09 shows a lot of determination 😱
I wonder what makes you come back again and again to this 'intense' country!
He visits every country many times also he made many positive videos of india
Omg, are you for real? I've been to India 3 times, spending almost 2,5 years there in total. India is a country with some amazing culture, food, traditions, diversity, nature and people but you got to face the reality. Most villages and towns and cities are so badly planned it is bordering unlivable... narrow roads prone to traffic jams, run-down houses built just a couple of years ago (back in my country, I live in a thirty-year-old appartment block that still looks much better than most new houses and buildings in India), no dustbins, open sewage systems, highways leading through city centres, no parks or sidewalks, massive amount of air pollution (22 out of 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India and air pollution killed 1.7 million people in 2019). And even villages in lovely Rajasthan or Himachal have these ugly-looking garage style houses and shops. So much of what you guys have built is like a scar in a beatiful spiritual landscape and I am just talking construction and urban development. I am not even mentioning some of the other social problems... Don't get me wrong, India is still a very interesting place to visit but go watch videos of literally any other country to see what livable cities and towns look like.
@@smirglvojtechskovajsa2787 stop lying it’s shit
Hi Gabriel,I’m watching ur videos currently in Vietnam,as u are not far from India ,please revisit India ,ur India series is a blockbuster,have a great time 👍
Wonderful man
India is currently in it's dark age (kali yuga) and is a hellhole compared to countries like japan. Nevertheless, i wish to visit it's ancient ruins that reflect a little tiny bit of it's former glory.
Great video. I remember learning about Maharshi when I was in Rishikesh. There was a guy, Mooji, who claims lineage from Papaji and Maharshi, though that is controversial. Went to a few of his Satsangs, interesting but a little too culty for me. Though it did spur my interest in non dualism and Adveita Vedanta.
I love that you're showing us how it is, watts and all!
Thankyou soo much for this video , as an Indian now I understood that it’s our responsibility to keep clean . Thankyou for making me realise
Hi Gabe. Have you had rabies injections? My friend was in India a few years ago, was bitten by a dog and had to get rabies injections
I haven't and that was absolutely one of my concerns and why I was particularly sketched out by the dogs. Even a small bite would seriously mess up your day. I would hate to have to try to find a place to get rabies shots in India, that would be a nightmare in itself.
They do have well equipped clinics and hospitals you know. Dont expert travellers such as yourself do your reserach before you take off for these adventures.
lol .
I am indian and 21 year old and never a single dog attacked me yet ...😂
Enjoyed seeing the experience, but my heart goes out to the stray dogs that are homeless and scavenging for food. That touched a cord in me, and I only wish that I could contribute in bringing them home with me to the US. 😦 I absolutely love dogs. And my family and I already have 12. Dogs are such sweet and noble creatures. And their faithfulness and unconditional love fills my heart with great compassion towards them.
However, please continue to take good care of yourself from the wild, crazy ones though. I understand that not all strays are tamed.
Maria Tzolis hey i m also doing same thing in india . I m from India.btw i appreciate ur work
Maria Tzolis you can give money to poor Indians too LMAO
I’m pretty sure there’re plenty of homeless dogs were u live so keep collecting dogs
Been enjoying your videos lately! Thanks
when ever i encounter aggressive dogs when ever im on a walk, I kneel down as if i was picking up a rock or a stick and posture as if picked something up from the ground. 9 times out of 10 the dogs backs down.
not every place in india is like that but i agree there are places worse and thats y we r underdeveloped ........
Gabriel ....1st of all ...thanks for honest remarks ...! It hurts to hear but its true fact. Cleaning stuff in India neglected in thought process itself . it's very sad but true.But now a days it's changing .Govt. bringing social reform process in this regard. We all hope to make it better ....better for us ....n...better for u travellers.
And guys ..it's nothing to do with British / independence ....This is all about ppl only.
....other things like proverty...n stuffs ....we r a hugely populated democratic independant country existing around 70 years...there is a long way to go from the Hangover of invasions to a well developed country.
Gabriel ...I really appreciate Ur travel blogs ...so honest ....n ...interesting ones. specially ur budget travel informations are good to know. Thanks.
AUM 786 Not only foreigners ...no one likes garbage n filthy surrounding. We shd all try to make it better. Not for any1 ...just for us .
Just wanted to say how much I've learned from your vlogs in India. It has made preparing and planning much less stressful and much more exciting. Keep on traveling 👍🏻🌞 I leave in 7 days and I could not be more nervous or more excited!
Great, have an awesome trip!
wow man, great footage. Incredible India. Wow.
Yes all your words are true. But you need to understand we are a big country and developing country. come back in 5 years later you'll see a different India. Cos India is so vast the progress takes time to show up. But today I can't do anything but to say sorry to you for your inconvenience. #WeAreWorkingToImprove
A thumb rule, never react to a barking dog, especially in India
Your videos are such a delight. I am planning a trip in March 2019. Now I know what to expect.
Nice job Gabriel. I'm glad you took the time to show the reality of India. I have not yet traveled to India, but I always hear from friends that it's an intense experience. What part of California are you from? I was born and grew in San Diego. I also lived in Sacramento for a few years too. Always cool seeing Northern California and Oregon through your vlogs.
There's barely any greenery, trees or open space in that city.
Cool..! Have you btw watched "the good, the bad and the ugly" movie?
I'm not sure if I've seen it actually, certainly seen some clips over the years.
Its a classic and one of my favorite movies.!
Cool. I've definitely seen some of it, I can recall a few scenes but definitely years ago.
One of Clint Eastwood's best ever performance.! I'm a big fan of'em btw :)
Thanks so much for your video's Gabriel !!....Now I want to see India even more !! Where will you go next?
Love india from Bali indonesia ☺
Gabriel, welcome home. You looked like you were ready to go home during the last days in India. I enjoyed the honest look at a day in the life of your travel in India. It was a good reminder that travel is not always pristine conditions and immersing yourself in the local culture means experiencing the beauty and the not so beautiful that exists in every destination. I look forward to future videos and hopefully you will share more stories of your adventures in India. Thank you. Enjoy the peace and quiet, you have earned it. 👍
Yeah I plan to tell a couple travel stories from India that I didn't get around to filming. Glad you enjoyed.
Smith The Dark Angel As an Indian living in Mumbai I disagrees with you and totally agree with Gabriel
I don't think the people of India should accept living with garbage all around them, the environment and water polluted, packs of stray dogs threatening people, etc. If people accept it then it definitely will never change. The British occupied most of the countries on the planet. But they've been gone from India for 70 years so all the garbage on the ground isn't the fault of the British. I was watching one of Karl Watson's videos of traveling across Africa and the scenery was spotless and pristine by comparison. As long as people continue to just throw their garbage out the window and on the ground and don't actively seek a different way of doing things, then nothing will happen. Yes, poverty is definitely an issue, but India is one of the largest economies in the world. Priority #1 should be proper garbage disposal, sewer systems and clean water. There must be a way to find the funds to provide such basic services to people so that they can live without being surrounded by so much garbage and everything that goes with it such as polluting the water and food, terrible smells, animals that root through it, etc.
what does colonization have to do with shitting on the street?
Not that you see that much, fortunately, but men peeing all over the place, yes. Pretty gross.
As an Indian, My observation has been that the most religious places in India tend to be the filthiest..
Black Pagan most yrs
Sadly, that makes complete sense to me. The most devout religious groups tend to also be the least educated and poorest.
There is strong relationship with religion and lack of financial security and education.
being religious dosent mean u r uneducated if its so then so is Budhha so is christ as well
n bdw I wold prefer my children to live in a city with noise than to live in a city where kids somke weed alcohol drugs. If u knw what I mean
Very useful informations in all your videos Thank You
Thanks for the great tours
Totally agree on your depiction of this chaotically beautiful buzzing country. When I arrived there as a female solo traveller for the first time, I was so scared of all the overwhelming impressions. No one can ever prepare for the smells, pollution, trash, noise, crowds, traffic... that hit you once you leave the airport. However, I decided to embrace the country in its completeness and now I love it. I'll do a video about travelling India and solo travel hacks (for girls mostly).
Excellent. I'm sure that video would do well, women would love to hear about your experiences as a solo traveler, especially in India.
If I have to make a video of poverty in USA that will surprise everybody. In India everybody struggles to survive on their own. But in USA many survive with massive govt assistance.
Shut your stupidity! The welfare schemes in USA are nowhere near as much as they are in India.
Beautiful Conclusion!!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting and insightful videos of one persons perspective of travelling through India. I had a few friends that used to go there in the late 80's and rave about it. These guys would mainly go for one reason which was cheap drugs. And hey who doesn't have a good time on opium. I have never had an urge or want to go there but my assumption is that it's exactly how the blogger describes it. I just watched the video on Delhi before this one and thought man that place must stink. This new video is somewhere I could visit but I won't. mainly because I'm not really a temple person...sure they are beautiful and I'll go look at one. I've been to Chang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui and Bangkok. My favourite places where Chang Mai and Koh Samui. ,Those 2 I will definitely visit again. So if your planning to go to India....GOOD LUCK AND DON'T FORGET TO TAKE A PEG FOR YOU NOSE.
"Obviously I stood out as a weird person to them" LOL
Great video! I'm amazed at the amount of trash!
Samantha Houston well , he seemed to have put all focus on the trash. There is more to see in a country than just trash. I live in Australia , if I need to find fault in what you called a civilzised country I can showcase plenty, bums and potheads rummaging through garbage, shooting up drugs, filthy taxis, dirty estabishments, restaurants. Where are the standards here?
+Starlite 77, I have literally more than 300 videos of India on my channel showing all aspects of the country.
If you want more trush go to you are city or town garbage collection ending place u will amaze too
Belive me this is nothing.....I am an India...very shamefully accepting it that it is only 1%....u can find mountains of garbage in india
I know how Texas stays clean. When you enter the state, the first sign you see is "Don't mess with Texas" and they mean it. $500.00 littering fine.
Here the fine is 5 dollars max and no one even cares even te police
hi gabe, interesting take, glad you uploaded. in your opinion, when would be the best time to go to india? when its not so hot
@Gabriel- I just walked somewhere in michigan state in the hill area, it has no feeling like how you walk in california . no aroma in life . I am really sad that my country is growing towards western life style where we are loosing our jeevan, reality, humanity, kind, relationship and values. These are all due to developing results. Once India become expensive country like western , japan then you won't see any more dirty or ugly. you will get empty feeling walk like how you are getting in this video.
Hi Gabriel. I love your videos and your extensive description of places you visit. BUT didn't necessarily like this video. Not because it highlights dark aspect of India but your rationale behind it has gaps in my opinion. Yes, india is polluted.. yes, the situation in some places is bizarre.. yes, i see the point of view and where you're coming from but your judgement is based on comparison mainly..
When you say, you've visited Nepal, Combodia, Egypt, etc and never seen anything quite like india; do you actually acknowledge the fact that india's population is far more than the sum of all those countries you mentioned? You mentioned about scenic Africa in Carls video, do you realize the economic growth difference between India and Africa? Do you know the difference of population to land ratio?
Have you seen New Yorks's subway platforms or those ghetto lanes between buildings that you wouldn't enter at night? Despite city being ultra advanced and city's 50+million dollar budget towards keeping it clean, have such situation why? Population..
Yes, you see stray dogs and cows in India because of culture. They don't put stray dogs to sleep, they don't send cows to slaughter and eat them; where they go? on streets..
When you say 99% of India is what you showed in your clip, its misleading..
There are tourist spots for foreigners and then there are tourist spots for locals/indians.. What you see is tourist spot, yes even the Tiruvannamalai.. Its history dates back to 9th century CE.. So, its a small isolated place with religious significance visited by millions.. This leads to many problems such as maintenance demands higher than city substandards, mindset of visitors (they pollute places thinking that is not their place so its ok to do so).. and so on.. on a larger magnitude, India has millions of such places..
Yes British colonized all over the world, but they got most of its wealth from India.. Looted, slaved and left land with 362,000,000 people high and dry (1947).. You see from there to 1.2 billion people with limited land and resources ought to face problems which it is facing. There is poverty, illiteracy and lack of access which contributes to things you see on streets.. Yes, it is a problem and a bad thing but when you say India is worst of all countries in terms of environmental degradation, please give me a break.. Did you know India is centre of climate change solutions and first country to actually bring this up in UN?
I would like to reiterate, yes pollution and sanitation are problems in India but it is not the ONLY india or it is not the worst as you put it. In USA, LA is one of the biggest tourist spots and surely it has one of the biggest landfills on outskirts (land which is good for nothing).. The difference is your garbage is just better managed than India..because you have means of land, space, money and technology.. I would say yes, it is hard to expect all this to change in 20 years but the country is doing more than its best to balance between growth, development and urbanization.. while it is necessary to acknowledge and work upon the facts but also to not publicize it negatively.. Its like Hollywood, to know only about slums of india and not know india conducted successful space mission in fraction of what NASA spent.. lol
I understand its overwhelming to see and experience that you have never before and emotions take over but when you point dump of shit and say this is India or say 99% India is like this; it projects very negative message and a lot of people might be your first time viewers and not have seen your previous beautiful videos..
I apologize if you found my criticism aggressive or offensive in any way.. Good luck with your future travels!
You certainly make some valid points, but also some irrelevant ones, such as India's successful space mission. It doesn't really help much that India sent a mission to space, if they are unable to provide basic services to so many citizens, such as garbage clean-up, adequate sewage treatment and clean water. Keep in mind that I speak from experience. This wasn't my first time to India, but my 7th. I've spent about 22 months in total traveling all over India. And not just going to places like Goa and other tourist spots. I've criss-crossed the country from Ladakh in the north to Rameswaram in the south, from Varanasi to Jaisalmer and many places in between.
So I speak from my own personal experience of seeing the basic conditions that people are living in all across India. Certainly there is a huge range of standards of living, but the reality is that almost every town of India, and most of the countryside in-between, has this problem of garbage strewn everywhere, polluted waterways, insufficient sewage treatment, crumbling infrastructure, packs of stray dogs (one of the places I was almost attacked by a pack of dogs was where the bus dropped me off in Bangalore, India's high-tech city).
As I mentioned in the video, what I showed of Tiruvannamalai wasn't the extreme of India at all, that was fairly mild. I've seen the real slums in places like Haridwar and Tirupati and Bhopal and Delhi and Mumbai, and they're a whole other level. So I know the difference between a slum and an average neighborhood, and the reality based on what I've seen is that the average conditions in most parts of India is still something that people in other parts of the world would find unacceptable.
The point of this video was simply to highlight another side of India for my viewers who had seen my other videos and may have gotten a somewhat imbalanced perspective of what to expect. I understand that I'm in no position to act like it's easy and why doesn't someone just clean up the mess, because it's a big undertaking. I only wish, for the sake of the people of India, that they could find a way to change how they're dealing with the environment so that the land and the waters weren't so polluted. It's not a good situation for the Earth, the people or the animals.
Thank you for your active reply.. Yes, i admire the fact that you not being Indian are concerned about the situation more so for people of India and standards that they are living in! Also, i accept the fact about each prevalent concern you mentioned.. But I'm only of opinion that the way you've projected India in this particular video is not the best one would highlight problems.. Yes, its your right to put your point of view for your viewers(including myself) in your video but in my opinion its unjust to compare an unique situation/thing to your general experience from elsewhere..
Why India's space mission is relevant? Because India proved to be ace in conducting cost efficient space missions on global platform. Every country's primary choice for space transportation has become India. This helps India to stand on global platform, safe side the nations source of income for years to come and get international funds to address so called concerns we addressed in the country! And this is just very superficial rationale to it..
I know you are a avid traveller of India and have seen most of the places and not only travelled but took time to study the culture as well.. and thus my friend i cared to write to you cause i know you are not blindly talking. I have lived 3 years in USA, 7 yrs in Canada and 26 years in India, lived over 3 years in 3 different states, travelled east to west and north to south.. spent time with villagers, worked with Indian govt on several issues. My father worked for Indian govt for 35 yrs, so trust me i know very well what you're saying and i vouch that your notion saying 99% india is like that is misleading..
These things stand out to you because you are not grown up in such conditions. Its like because i have never seen so many coffee cups and garbage bags on roads in my life, i would say 99% new york is like that because i saw those on subway platforms and few alleys in the city.. While agreeing to the fact that it is not a good habit to leave those on the streets it is also important not to generalize rest of area based on that and also understanding the cause behind that.
No people are not powerless because of the past but yes surely affected by the situation that led to the present cause of that particular past. India does not have that much spare lands to create as many landfills, certainly don't want to burn that garbage, the technological waste management for 1.3 billion people is not easy, specially when they are so wide spread and remote and in diverse geographic locations.. Yes, there is corruption but which country doesn't? 2008 VA landfill was heavily fined for its spill, root cause corruption.. Its all proportional to the amount of population you're dealing with.. One should rather laud the audacity with which so big of a population is still kept together..
Government and people are constantly trying to address these issues in many ways but the problem is media and video like yourselves focus on the issue more than the things being done to address them.. Lot of places are cleaner, lot of places have more public access to washrooms than before but my friend it takes time when a population of such magnitude is being addressed.. Lot of people volunteer to clean, build and address this issues.. lot of foreigners join hand to do so.. but these videos are rare..
I bet 99% of americans or westerners know only about slums and poverty but not about US investing 250$ billion in infrastructure and power sector in India and the fact that its that vast, the skyscrapers, super highways, subway systems, solar plants, biggest dam project on earth, most complex railways and transportation system, level of highly educated people, biggest press of the world and so on.. Why? because don't mention this in the "good" of india.. Now thats what i called getting an imbalanced perspective..
Its sad the situation that is in India in terms of these talked issues. while id like these to change quickly, i only see it happening gradually in span of decades. But in meantime, we gotta focus on the good, the best while acknowledging the bad and working within individual's capacity to address and change these issues.
And sir it might also interest you to know that India is on 4th spot and USA actually 2nd behind China on the carbon emission chart per country.. While currently India has managed to conserve and holds 22% of forestation compared to 30% of USA and Canada combined, they are constantly planning and working towards more plantation to soak up some of the emissions.. Also you must be aware that India is amongst lowest rates of death due to cancer. Cancer rate is very high in western countries, thanks to processed and hazardous foods along with other contributing factors. Its not always just what you can see is degrading environment..
666physio he needs to worry about the ongoing issues people in his own country are facing . Its no joke what people in the West go through, all that glitters isnt gold.
666physio I typed a response almost similar to yours and I'm saddened to see Gabe's response, 22 months visiting India is different form "living in India" as a member of the society. I have been visiting US since I was but only when I moved here a few years ago did I understand the mechanics of the society and people.
I was particularly appalled that Gabriel expects an average Indian citizen to go out and change things. Well, what do you have to say about an average American's carbon footprints. A daily worker in any country is actually powerless to effect massive change but since he brought this up, I would again urge him to meet people who are actually doing things to make a difference. And please, the argument about India's space program? Really? Exploration is one of the most virtuous human endeavors. Why do you travel Gabe? You could use that money to help the homeless people here in the US. I used to buy a homeless guy dinner every day but guess what, he passed away this winter. Didn't have any help from the "powerful" and "socially aware" co citizens. I wish I could have done more though but you see where I am getting at? Why shouldn't India invest in space exploration when there is a soccer team in England that spends thrice that money every year on player wages and fees. The entire world has it's priorities messed up. But you chose to shame India for the state it is in. Constructive criticism is welcome but you basically just said that India is a shit hole and go there at your own risk. I urge you not to go back there. Maybe you should try going back to Bhopal, it's one of the cities I grew up in, it has changed a lot. Just because you have spent "22 months" in India and traveled from Kashmir to Kanyakumari doesn't change the fact that you were still a tourist who has no idea how things work in the country. Also, India has only been independent for almost 70 years now and if it were in such an abject state, we would have had several coups and a military dictatorship by now.
I thought you valued democracy when I saw the video where you were upset about Trump being elected. Why do you choose to overlook that fact? You know how they treat homosexuals in China, UAE, and Egypt. Did you know that an Indian court legalized homosexuality in 2009, six years before the US supreme Court made gay marriage legal.
India is really a free country. people can do whatever they want and like to do.
I have watched many of your videos,,helpful given we are looking to tour india,,thanks pal
Cool.
I recommend you visit Japan next time
Hai
EinkOLED china also is a good place to travel,i visit xinjiang last year,just so beautiful place
Last year I flew to hong kong via beijing, it is certainly one of those countries to visit.
nope if u know how to save money it can be extremely cheaper ,much cheaper than london sydney , nyc , hong kong is way more expensive that japan
Japan is the place to go, highly organized, clean, friendly, polite
Back to reality mate!
Sorry to hear that you had tough time in Tiruvannamalai. But there lot of foreigners, permanently moved to Tiruvannamalai, living near Sri Ramana Ashram. May be if you thought of visiting again, get in touch with ramana ashram and book your stay or if you cant get accommodation in ashram, try to stay near to ashram in your own. its beautiful and powerful place.
"I'm not in India anymore"...
yesss I know for sure!!!
Sounds like India is quite the assault on the senses! I like your comparison at the end of India being like a video game of getting to point B from A and negotiating all the unexpected challenges in between. That's a good analogy to prep people visiting there, it seems! China in 1990-1991 was very, very similar, minus a lot of crazy dogs. (There were some, but not like India!) This is a good video. Thanks!
yes because they keep those crazy dogs in cages for their annual dog festival's
I've only spent a day in China but my sense is that it isn't nearly so bad in terms of garbage, pollution and stray animals, though it's still plenty noisy and busy. Not sure about the dog situation but probably they have dealt with it to some extent. It seems China has managed their country much better than India in recent years, even though they have their problems as well politically and in other ways. But in terms of the infrastructure and the standard of living, it seems to be way ahead of India.
Gabriel Traveler One thing to remember is that I was in China almost 30 years ago, before the economic development after 1994. I got pneumonia from the coal pollution in the air, people let their babies poop in the gutters of the streets, and I was in a city of a million people with only 32 foreign nationals. There was constant honking and ringing of bike bells and the sheer population density of the small city I was in was incredible. My son went there in 2008 and I saw photos of what had changed and how much nicer it was with a better, stronger economy. When I was in China, they were less than 15 years out of the Cultural Revolution and all the havoc and destruction that happened with it. I think it was comparable to what I've viewed in videos like this one here and in Nick's (Indigo Traveller's) as well as Hans' (Parallel Universe). China's powerful economic development has had a huge impact on infrastructure and development-- including campaigns for people to clean up in touristed places like Beijing and Shanghai. I was living in one of the poorest provinces of China, then and, to some degree, now. It was definitely a "developing nation" atmosphere back then. I'd love to see all the improvements as of now. In photos from 2008, it was pretty impressive!
ive been to China, Shanghai and Beijing to be specific. While its a beautiful country there are streets that are filthy as well, the people spit on the roads, they clear their throats and openly spit out phelm, plus we been to restaurants where infants were in some cloth looking diapers pooed and the mum were actually changing the child in front of everyone in the restaurant. Totally puts you off. We went to the great wall of China my sister desperately had to use the toilet facilities and there was literally shit on top of shit. The toilets were filthy and the locals were so normal about it. We were gagging most times lol. You obviously have had very little exposure to the standard of living among middle class indians, China fails in comparison.
Yeah that's definitely the impression I've gotten, that things in China have changed tons in the past thirty years. Hopefully India will experience a similar change in the coming decades, but for now, I just don't see it happening in the same way. It seems like it's entrenched in the culture that things just are the way they are and it's accepted. People throw their garbage on the ground without even thinking about it. There might even be trash bins around that aren't full and still there's garbage all over the place. You don't see hardly any sign of things changing. And it's gotten so bad that it would take an absolutely monumental effort of historic proportions to turn things around. As I said in the video, this is a relatively mellow little town, not even close to the worst. Chennai for example is way, way worse, rivers that literally look like rivers of garbage, smells that you can hardly stand while walking around the city. Hopefully there will be some shift in the future, I'd love to see India in 100 years and see if they cleaned things up.
Really appreciate your vlog depicting the sad reality of India, which is hidden behind the veil of propaganda by the incompetent govt and a large chunk of illiterate and uncivic population of ours. truth has been spoken. Maybe this could help wake up civic officials to spread awareness among local populi and take measures in maintaining cleanliness
A TRUE WORLD TRAVELER ! your channel is FANTASTIC !!!!!!! I AM FROM PARADISE , BEEN HERE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MY WHOLE LIFE AND I LOVE THIS AREA , HAPPY TRAILS.
No doubt, northern California is awesome and amazing.
Loved this video
Any steps taken to clean India, get backfired. The fake show of patriotism amongst many does more harm. Indians do have good personal hygiene when they want to. Public hygiene though is horrendous.
Swachh bharat abhyan is working good. But I think the budget is less. More money should be given for a great push.
In India, nothing happens or works the way you would have expected or come to believe in life, always be ready if you can for shocking & startling surprises every moment of every day. One simply cannot take anything for granted here. The word "intense" is an understatement!! Crazy India is perhaps appropriate..
I wish Gabe had made a video of Bangalore (India's so called tech city) showing its broken pathetic infrastructure, the unbearable honking, pile ups ,debri, dust & other unlimited craziness. ppl here go about life like its all normal -they want to get married, make babies like this was some great Nation. The population just keeps growing 1,300,000,000 (1.3 billion, can you believe it?). One thing we can all be sure of, there is no hope for this country what so ever. Period!
And you think that it applies to only India? Every developing nations go through this phases .The higher birth rates and the population explosion are not permanent features of some cultures or countries, But rather a part of a four step process the whole world is going through. Most developed countries have already made the transition, while other countries are doing it right now.In 18th century, when the entire world, including Europe, was in the first stage of the transition.By today's standards, Europe was worse off, than a developing region, suffering from poor sanitation, poor diets, and poor medicine.I hope you know the history.
Deepak im guessing this is from an NRIs perspective?
Deepak your bitter experience with India being Indian yourself is honestly quite pathetic and almost juvenile. Its an indisputable fact that India has all those issues you
mentioned however India is a highly advanced and more sophisticated than the west will ever be. Their hotels are top notch even a five star in the west will never match up with the level of service, hospitalty and ambience india has to offer. The middle class there live better lives than the rich in the West. Bangalore locals are living it up every weekend in the best bars, hotels, restaurants compared to fish n chip pubs the west are used too. Uber is dirt cheap. The uber cars are fantastic over there compared to the west atleast in Australia. The airports are luxurious , malls are , medical services are top notch. You are asking some everyday gora budget traveller hippy on his perspective on India, cmon.
Starlite 77 i think its safe to have some negative opinions abt ur country others how will a country develop without some pointing out a fews flaws.
well he isnt wrong but its not entirely hopeless like he claims.
Thank you once again for another fine and honest video.
Are there any particularly good places you would recommend for yoga retreats or general health/spiritual retreats?
i am so grateful for living in the US
Well India is going to be the biggest economy in the world by 2050.So be grateful as much as you want.China will be a bigger economy than US by 2030 and India by 2050.
millions of people still live on streets can't even get 3 times a food, ya india will biggest economy and.poorest country in world cause all the money will go in corruption, india will be still developing country, and you will say I'm proud of india
Size of the economy doesn't really matter. It's about the conditions people are living in, the state of the roads, buildings, the environment, access to clean water, etc. Some of the countries with the highest standard of living are very small economies by comparison.
Yes that's true for most of the European countries....but for big countries like India the size of the economy and GDP growth do matter a lot.....because as the size and growth increases, the new employment opportunities are created and that gives you an enhanced per capita income.....but even if India becomes the second largest economy by 2050 as project by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), there will still be a lot of poor people because of India's enormous population......Western countries do not have this problem........but you have to understand that within India you have several Norway or Denmark or Netherlands where the living standard of the people are quite high....comparable to the top most Western countries.....
Gabriel, is that the only thing you were focused on while in India? It seems you were deliberately looking for the negative amongst so many positives. You definately exhibit all characteristics of a Trump supporter 🤔
Some people use to come India only for criticise..
accept the truth
Rohan Neogi, every country has its problems and there's always something wrong with all countries because we people in the world are flawed no matter what part of it we live on. I visited India and enjoyed the people I met. One of the most beautiful things I've tried to live is the saying "the guest is God'. I've tried to practice that.
USA and Canada used to throw garbage on the land. Not as heavy polluting as India but it was random throwing on the road or land. But in the 1960's and 1970's there was a massive advertising campaign against polluting. By the 1980's the generation that was taught not to pollute in school raised their kids not to pollute and that kept it going. Trash cans popped up on every corner along with new ways to get rid of garbage, garbage pickups and dumpster pickups increased.
I've often wondered with India's high population every person picked up a little garbage each day the whole country would be clean in a week. :)
I'm not sure why there's so much horn honking though. It's too easy to ignore so many horns even when the honk is for a person to get out of the way. I was sad to hear about all the horn honking around Aranachula. India would be paradise if everyone picked up their garbage and cleaned around their area. You could start a campaign. :)
Are babua, aap Gabriel Bhai ke baki video dekhe ka? Nahi dekhe to Dekh love. Aap see jyada India dekha hai Bhai ne. Aur sahi to dikha rahe hai Gabriel bhai, video proof ke saath. Dekh ke sharam aa rahi hai to babua problem solve karo.
I'm from India. Not from South India though but i understand what you felt. One thing that pops in my mind is that how does countries like yours handle plastic bag garbage? Here in India there have been many unsuccessful implications of banning them but I wonder how first world countries handle them?
People always put garbage in the garbage bins and then it's taken to a landfill where it's buried. It doesn't pile up on the streets or the edge of town.