A podcast host has stirred the pot on social media after sharing his less-than-pleasant encounters with North Indian tourists during his New Year trip to Vietnam.
Ravi Handa, the host of Desi FIRE Podcast, accused them of “ruining” his travel experience, sparking a flurry of reactions online.
Ravi Handa kicked off the conversation by explaining why he skipped Goa for his New Year’s getaway. “Goa has too many North Indian tourists, and they ruin the experience,” he said, choosing Vietnam instead. But to his dismay, he encountered what he described as “bad behaviour” from Indian tourists there as well.
From cutting lines with excuses like “Hum logon ke pass special pass hai” to shouting Bharat Mata Ki Jai in a crowded train, Handa claimed the loud antics were mostly from North Indians. “I even stopped one at the cable car line,” he added, “but arguing seemed pointless.”
The Internet Is Divided
Naturally, Twitter took sides faster than a tea-seller at an Indo-Pak match. Many users lashed out at Handa for stereotyping North Indians, calling his remarks “racist.”
“How did you know they were North Indians?” asked one user, to which Handa replied that the tourists explicitly mentioned being from NCR. Another user pointed out, “This mentality of dividing North, South, East, and West is why we can’t progress as a society.”
While Handa’s comments did raise eyebrows, they also found some support. Many North Indians chimed in, admitting they’ve witnessed similar behaviour. “Me, being a North Indian myself, always felt ashamed, but now it’s a whole new level of shame!” wrote one user.
Another added, “There was a group of North Indians on a train in Europe, making too much noise in the name of ‘having a good time.’ All the other Europeans were silent, and only these people were shouting.”
Where Do We Go From Here?
The debate has reignited conversations about travel etiquette and the stereotypes associated with Indian tourists abroad. While some argue that bad behaviour knows no region, others believe it’s time to introspect and, well, turn the volume down a notch.
So, what do you think? Are these stereotypes justified, or are we simply dividing ourselves further? Let us know in the comments, but, you know, quietly.