When you come to India you want to see the Taj Mahal, the markets, the grave sites of Mahatma and Indira Gandhi, and enjoy the food. You don't expect to be the tourist attraction yourself. I don't think I quite believed my parents when they told me they were stopped at the Taj Mahal by random strangers to be part of their pictures. They had photographic proof, but I still couldn't quite wrap my head around it. This is my second trip to India and I have been here for over two months now, and not once had I been stopped and asked to be part of a picture.
Then at Kempty Falls near Mussorie (a hill station in the foothills of the Himalayas) I had my first experience. And for the next few days, walking around Mussorie, Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Dehradun, I was part of not only photos with my family, but photos with many random strangers. Below are a few examples. The baby in the upper right photo was just handed to me - they were kind enough to take her back as soon as she started fussing. And the girl in the lower left photo is dressed in traditional Kashmiri (I believe) dress. These could be rented at stands all around Mussorie and Kempty Falls.
After this experience the only thing I could identify that set these trips to Mussorie and Haridwar apart from all my other trips was my parents, aunt, and uncle. I was walking around with four other obvious foreigners instead of four other Indians. On every other tourist trip around the country I had taken, I was with several of my colleagues. I was the minority surrounded and talking with my colleagues so no one was willing to break our circle and ask for a picture. I knew my colleagues here protected me, but I hadn't quite realized how much. This is definitely a benefit, I get to see more uninterrupted when I'm not the tourist attraction.
Then at Kempty Falls near Mussorie (a hill station in the foothills of the Himalayas) I had my first experience. And for the next few days, walking around Mussorie, Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Dehradun, I was part of not only photos with my family, but photos with many random strangers. Below are a few examples. The baby in the upper right photo was just handed to me - they were kind enough to take her back as soon as she started fussing. And the girl in the lower left photo is dressed in traditional Kashmiri (I believe) dress. These could be rented at stands all around Mussorie and Kempty Falls.
After this experience the only thing I could identify that set these trips to Mussorie and Haridwar apart from all my other trips was my parents, aunt, and uncle. I was walking around with four other obvious foreigners instead of four other Indians. On every other tourist trip around the country I had taken, I was with several of my colleagues. I was the minority surrounded and talking with my colleagues so no one was willing to break our circle and ask for a picture. I knew my colleagues here protected me, but I hadn't quite realized how much. This is definitely a benefit, I get to see more uninterrupted when I'm not the tourist attraction.
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