We Indians became an independent country in 1947, we are since then exercising our fundamental rights. While we boast of having the freedom to move around and roam about in the country, it is not entirely true. There are places in the country where Indians are not allowed. It may sound strange but we are not making this up. These places including some hotels, cafes and beach are specifically for foreigners. There is a 'No Indian' policy here, which means we are literally banned from visiting there.
Let us look at places in India which do not allow Indian Citizens:
Free Kasol Cafe, Kasol
The mountainside is famous for having small cafes, typically decorated interiors, serving English food than traditional Indian menu. Kasol is known for its foreigner crowd and it preserves the hippie culture there. Kasol Cafe, is a small roadside cafe in the area known as 'Mini Isareal.' The cafe's original owner and the partner both are Indians but somehow it is unwelcome for Indians. A lot of Israelis come here and smoke up, there is a marijuana growing freely in the area and women too indulge in their 'chilling out.' But Indian visitors or even locals are not used to seeing this and it often causes a problem. Most Indian tourists here are men and there have been some unfortunate incidents in the past.
Foreigners only beach, Goa and Pondicherry
The union territories of Goa and Puducherry are prime locations for foreign tourists in the country. It is no surprise to see more of foreign crowd than Indians at the beaches in these two places. Both Goa and Pondicherry have certain beaches with shacks where the owners prefer foreigners over Indians. They are reserved only for foreigners.
Russian colony, Kundankulam: It is said that this particular colony in Tamil Nadu's Kundankulam has a residential colony where Indians are not allowed. It is only for the workers of the Kundankulam Nuclear Power Project, near which it is located.
Red Lollipop Hotel, Chennai
This hotel in Chennai claims to be unique because it is especially for first-time visitors in the country. Your passport is the basis for getting a booking here. It is located in a prime locality called Mandavelli in the city.
Norbulingka Cafe, Dharamshala: Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh is another spot famous for foreign tourists. While there are many antique cafes and tourist attractions, it is claimed that this particular Norbulingka Cafe does not allow anyone who resembles even slightly Indian origin.
Sakura Ryokan Restuarant, Ahmedabad
This authentic Japanese restaurant on the Sanand road of Ahmedabad serves only Japanese people. The owner of the restaurant is of Indian origin and the waitresses here are from Northeast India. The restaurant was initially open to all but since men started ogling at the women staff and also the Japanese ladies who had visited here, they downsized it as 'Only for Japanese.'
These are some places in the country which totally restrict Indians. Although it is completely racist policy, the reasons cited are safety and security. It may seem true in some cases but it is also discriminatory to have no entry in our country. What are your thoughts about this? Have you experienced something like this before on your travels within the country? Do let us know in the comments section.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 09, 2018 01:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).