TikToker apologises for 'ignorant' comments about travelling in India: 'I wasn't trying to be disrespectful'
By Jo Abi|
A TikToker has been forced to apologise after sharing a video about a recent trip to India in which she described Varanasi as the "scariest" city she has ever visited.
Aparna Singh, who lives in the US and runs the accessories label Indian Goddess Boutique, wrote in the video description: "Scariest city I ever visited: Varnasi, India."
"The scariest city I have been to is Varanasi, India จC Ganges River which is really polluted full of sewage," she began while showing footage," she said in the video.
"You see people are bathing in it. On the way to the hotel you see dead bodies being burned, and look at the hotel. How creepy does it look?"
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"You got to walk up 40 stairs and even inside was just kinda like, bold and scary," she continued.
"The door was creepy and the electric fences so monkeys don't get in จC and to go in and out of the hotel you have to go in this shady alley."
Singh ended the video by saying: "You see people sleeping in the middle of the street and even dogs จC yeah you guys this place is really creepy."
Thousands of comments were quickly posted in response to her observations about India, with many labelling her video "disrespectful."
One person urged her to: ?"Maybe travel with an open mind?"
Another said: "Next time do your research beforehand and be open to new experiences without so much judgment."
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To which Aparna responded: "I did my research, it was worse than I imagined and I was scared."?
"You sound so ignorant. Your lack of cultural knowledge does not surprise me," added another.
"I hate when people disrespect other cultures," another said.
One TikToker commented: "?This is still so mfn disrespectful."?
Others shared more positive experiences of their travels to the country.?
"It is the most magical place to be because of cultural and historical heritage. I recommend everyone to visit it because you'll never experience such atmosphere anywhere else," one wrote.
Another said: "This shows the power of perception; what is beauty can be so subjective. Sorry you were scared but find the beauty even if it's rough."
One person questioned why Singh hasn't deleted the video: "?The fact that this vid is still up shows you dgaf [don't give a f--k] about your offense to others and it's wild."
Singh responded to the criticism in a subsequent video.
She explained both of her parents are from the region and said she stands by her video, explaining she "just didn't vibe" with the place: "Like I said I would like to apologise because I wasn't trying to be disrespectful. I was simply just saying my experience."
"Maybe it was the tone, the music. I have been traveling everywhere and I have been posting about Jaipur, I've been posting about Mumbai. Y'all don't care about the good videos I post but as soon as I say the bad experience I had, it just blown up จC TikTok, that's how y'all are," Singh told viewers, adding she meant no "harm or disrespect."
"India is a beautiful country. I don't like the comments, 'I would never go to India.' It is a beautiful country but this specific area, it just wasn't my vibe. I get the people who go there for a spiritual journey; it is a sacred city with a lot of history. I get it, but it just wasn't my vibe.
"It's a different experience when you actually go there and you have to go there to understand. And everyone's perspective is different."
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