Devaa! Devaa! Summer holidays are here! Watch out, global tourist destinations – deplorable desis are on the move and on the loose.
What is it about desi tourist behavior that makes us so unwelcome, so despicable, and not just to foreigners, but to each other as well? We seem hell-bent on disgracing ourselves wherever we go. Our crass conduct and ridiculously rude behaviour antagonise even the most tolerant and gentle people in the world – from the calm Bhutanese to the ever-smiling Thai people.
Many countries, even those desperately in need of foreign exchange generated from tourism, shudder at the thought of loud, belligerent Indians invading their shores and embarrassing both themselves and their hosts.
Serial offenders
What happened in Hanoi recently, unfortunately, did not stay in Hanoi. There were Indians—a bunch of overenthusiastic travellers, uncaring about airport protocols or the convenience of co-passengers—forming a large circle on the tarmac of Noi Bai International Airport and breaking into a garba performance like they were at a Falguni Pathak dandiya raas in Vile Parle during Navratri.
This isn’t the first such instance of inconsiderate, obnoxious public conduct on foreign soil. Indians are serial offenders. What on earth gives us the right to behave like rowdy, ill-mannered, bratty school kids on a picnic? Do we simply not know better—or worse, do we just not care?
No wonder countries in the neighbourhood are doing a serious rethink about their liberal visa policies. Indians, stay out! That’s the strong message. Thailand recently revised its 60-day visa-free entry for 93 countries, including Indians.
The people dancing on the Hanoi tarmac appeared to be educated, middle-class tourists who had judiciously picked Vietnam for a break, thanks to the aggressive marketing efforts selling attractive travel packages. The sort of packages Thailand has been successfully promoting, smoothly dislodging Goa as the preferred destination for budget revellers. But even the mild-mannered Thai people have had it with our lafanga lot aggressively invading popular spots in and around Bangkok, demanding insane, unreasonable discounts and other special treatment.
Our obsession with bargaining robs us of something called self-respect. We are prepared to make a spectacle of ourselves, arguing and haggling belligerently with anyone and everyone, unaware of the discomfort and anger our crude behaviour is triggering. We gloat when we succeed in “saving” a few dollars, and walk away smugly congratulating ourselves on our cleverness. “Do you think we Indians are fools?” we like to ask foreigners.
No. We are not fools. We are boors.
Where does this cringe-worthy cheapness come from? Why do we believe the world is out to hoodwink and cheat us? Such a deep trust deficit stems from our ingrained sense of insecurity. The fear that we will be looted by shrewd foreigners taking advantage of our gullible nature.
Rubbish.
That’s a convenient cloak under which we hide our revolting, jarring behaviour as we harangue bewildered shopkeepers, even after they pointedly and firmly say, “No discounts.’’
The worst kind of Indian tourist seriously believes that aggression and hard-core bargaining can extract a better deal from anyone, anywhere. “All these people want to take advantage of our goodness and cheat us,” they declare sanctimoniously, as they count their foreign exchange.
“Paisa vasool,” they crow after a day in Pattaya spent lecherously staring at “ladyboys” (a derogatory term for Kathoey people of Thail and Southeast Asian origins), and frequenting shady massage parlours. The sleazy adult shows are on the must-do list of many Indians tourists in Pattaya.
Our “kadka” conduct is notorious. But what is relatively new is the dadagiri that comes with it these days. Desis now strut around with an exaggerated swag that declares, “We have arrived!” as they flaunt fake Gucci bags, counterfeit Armani sportswear, Hermès-style beach sandals. The tackiest knockoffs to go with their ghastly taste.
Notice how our badtameez behaviour changes when we are in a group. Suddenly we become himmatwalas taking on local people as we argue, bully, badger, and harass at will. Pilfering. Shoplifting. Destroying public property. How besharam are we?
It has reached a point where we are not welcome in our own country. Poor Goa and the Goans. The Gangs of Gurugram have destroyed what was once a paradise. Money can buy you a sprawling villa in Assagao. But not all the money in the world can buy you respect.
Bring on Bhangra on the Beach!
Also read: Indians turned Cannes into Cartoon Network. It’s not a fancy-dress show
Diva act
Madhuri Dixit Nene is not just a class act; she is a sensitive one too. Her reaction to the harsh trolling targeting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Cannes 2026 red-carpet appearance displayed maturity and intelligence.
“She has been going there (Cannes Film Festival) for 20 years. She has done the whole country proud. She is a global star. As a Miss World, she has done so much for the country. You cannot reduce her to a number on a scale, or a number on the dress, or the size or a number on the calendar years. You cannot reduce her to that. She is beautiful. She looks beautiful, and she is beautiful inside,” she was quoted as saying.
Dola Re to that.
This is pure diva gold.
Shobhaa De is an author, columnist, social commentator, and opinion-shaper. She has written 20 books. She tweets @DeShobhaa. Views are personal.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)
Flash mobs in public spaces are so wow , so sophisticated. Indians dancing to a cult song of the 90s is cheap !? Slow claps. Stop finding excuses to justify racism against Indians.