Police in Varanasi

Corruption is a very big issue in India nowadays and everyone is talking about it. Even we saw the result in Delhi state assembly elections how Aam Aadmi Party changed the government only on the issue of corruption. I was also very  excited after seeing the result of Delhi elections but sometimes such things happen which make me feel like there is just no way to kill corruption in this country. It was a friend’s wedding last week in Varanasi and I went to attend it. After the wedding was finished, all of my friends returned back home but one of them parked his motorbike right in front of his home on the main street which is very usual thing for a city like Varanasi where there is no parking space available anywhere.

It was 2.30 AM and I got a call on my mobile from the same friend saying that his bike was missing. He had called me seeking help to find that bike. We went together on the street asking people if someone saw our bike and a person told us that he had seen two policemen taking our bike. We went to the nearest police station and the police officer present there said that the bike was found unattended hence it is sent to big police station which was about a kilometer away from my place. Now we went to the big police station and found everyone asleep other than one person who was standing by the entrance.

We asked him about our bike and he confirmed that our bike was there but we needed to talk with the officer. We went to the officer and found him sleeping on his chair. We were trying to wake him up but he was in super sound sleep. Finally he woke up after our several attempts. We explained him our situation and he said that we would have to go to the court the next day, pay a fine of Rs. 10,000 and only then we will get our bike. We knew it very well that he was telling a lie. We requested him so much to give us our bike back and he finally agreed on doing so after talking with the policemen who had brought our bike from the street. He asked us to go on the street looking for those policemen.

We had no idea where to find him. We requested him to kindly confirm their location by talking with them on phone but the officer just didn’t want to help us. He always felt more interested in his sleep. Anyways, we decided to go back to the same location and luckily found those police guys. We explained them our situation and they were easy. They asked us to go back to the police station and have the officer talk with them. Now we went back to the police station and again found the officer sleeping. It was a serious pain to wake him up but the mission was successful, we were able to wake him up. Now he opened a register, looked at a few pages and found he page where he had written the bike number.

Now he asked for the bike registration paper which we did not have. The papers were with the friend who owned the bike. We tried calling him but he did not respond. We went to his home, woke him up and brought him to the police station with all the papers and asked us to wait. It was crazy to see that right in front of our eyes, he closed the register and again felt asleep asking us to wait. We just did not know what to do now. Now I laughed in anger and we started talking with each other like this is our great India, this is the system…things like that. The awake policemen who was listening to us told us that- now you are laughing too much but imagine what would have happened if a thief had stolen your bike.

I just did not know what to tell him but I told him that we are laughing only because our bike is secured with the police. Anyways, after waiting for 15-20 minutes we asked the awaken police to wake up the sleeping policeman, hahaha. Finally the officer woke up, again looked at the documents and now asked for Rs. 500. We all started looking at each other and asked him why he needed Rs. 500. As we asked this question to him, he got upset, closed the register and again went asleep by asking us to go to the court the next day. We knew it very well that if we go to the court then we will have to bribe to maybe 10 people because everything is super corrupt at the courts also.

It was already 4 AM and we had no hope other than bribing him. We finally gave him Rs. 500 and got our bike back. But when I think about the behavior of that police guy, it makes me feel like our police is formed to torture us and nothing else. The policeman had no interest in helping us, he was always trying to make the situation more complicated. He was very rude, corrupt, fat, lazy, sleepy and a bigger thief than regular thieves. And I have never ever met any policeman who was better than him. I have also not ever met any person who said that he ever found a helping policeman. I think it is definitely a need of the time to dismiss entire police system and bring new fresh people with a different training.

I have also heard that our police is trained in the same way as it was trained during the British Raj time. The police was trained to fight against locals those days and they are trained the same way even today also. Our political system never had any free time to make police system better because they are also involved in looting the country. I am sure that this problem could be solved by bringing new police act and using more technology but I don’t see any hope especially for my state of Uttar Pradesh where governments come in power by doing caste and religion based politics. I have always believed that Indian police is somehow responsible for each and every problem we have in this country and if things do not change soon then I can grantee that the dream of India of becoming super power we stay only a dream forever.

Injured man refused hospital admission

Yesterday I saw something inhuman crazy activity in BHU. I have already had so many bad experiences with BHU and what I saw yesterday really shocked me. I went to IMS (Institute of Medical Sciences) at BHU yesterday. After parking my bike I saw a bunch of people standing together near the main gate of IMS building which looked unusual because the security there doesn’t allow public gathering. I also went to see what was happening there and found that there was an injured fainted person, very close to death, was lying down on the ground.

He had injuries on his face and maybe he had epilepsy attack also. I heard people saying that somebody had beaten him. There were at least ten people standing around him but nobody wanted to take him to the hospital. They said that they had informed the police and when police comes then they would take care of him. Since IMS is medicine studies center, a lot of doctors were going in and coming out of the building. They also saw him but did not show any interest in helping this person. All of this was going on in the premises of one of the best medical colleges in India and very well known all over the world.

Finally police came, asked the people what had happened to him but they also did not seem interested in helping. They sat on a bike just next to this person and were talking about something of their interest. They were laughing and seemed like not concerned at all about this injured person who seemed very close to death to me. Finally after a few minutes one policeman came and started asking this person to wake up and go out of the IMS premises. They were hitting him slowly by their foot, they dragged him on road hoping that he would wake up but it was impossible.

Finally police left without doing anything. I was like what the hell is this? Somebody needed urgent medical assistance but nothing happened even he was inside the premises of the one of the best medical colleges of India. Doctors saw him, the police saw him, many other people saw him but nobody helped. Finally I saw two students coming with a first aid box but they were not doctors and this person needed more than first aid box. They said that they would also inform the police because it was not safe for them to help this person without informing the police.

They said that this person was a thief and was trying to steal something from IMS building hence it was not safe for them to help this person. I understand them because I know how crazy our police is but what about those doctors or the policemen who came to see him? It was really cruel. Doesn’t matter whether he was a thief or what but he was dying. We are spending Rs. 8,00,500 per day to keep Ajmal Kasab in our jail who had killed hundreds of people at Taj but not even general medical assistance to this person only because he was a thief ? I was really socked to see this crazy behavior of police and the doctors. I have no words to explain that cruelty.

Kathmandu Gay Pride 2010

I traveled to Nepal with my friend Babu to attend the Kathmandu Gay Pride, and it was truly an unforgettable experience. We took a bus from Varanasi to Sonauli, catching the last one at 8:30 PM. It was an overnight journey, and the bus ride was quite uncomfortable. The road was terrible, and I couldn’t sleep at all. We finally arrived at the Sonauli border at 7 AM and took a pedal rickshaw to cross. I was carrying some electronics like a video camera, photo camera, and voice recorder, and I wanted to declare them at the Indian customs office.

beautiful nature

beautiful nature

When I told Babu about declaring the electronics, he laughed and said it wasn’t necessary. However, I had experienced issues before during my first trip to Nepal in 1996. Back then, I was traveling with my family. We had a camera, which we declared at the Sonauli border and received a receipt for. Unfortunately, we lost it while in Nepal, and on our return, customs checked our baggage, found the camera, and claimed it wasn’t allowed to bring electronics from Nepal to India.

Babu

Babu at Pashupati nath temple

We were shocked when they insisted it wasn’t our camera, despite having a receipt. The customs officers were simply looking for a bribe. We ended up giving them some money to be allowed to leave. This experience stayed in my mind, which is why I didn’t want to take any chances this time. When I approached the customs office at the Sonauli border to declare my electronics, the officers laughed and said, “You’re very smart.”

very colorful country

Beautiful

I declared my items and got a receipt, but they again asked for a bribe for issuing it. I questioned why they were asking for a bribe now, and one officer explained it was just the system. I offered Rs. 20, but he insisted on at least Rs. 50. In the end, I gave him Rs. 40 and received my receipt. I had hoped that by declaring my electronics in advance, I could avoid any problems or corruption, but it seemed unavoidable. After obtaining the receipt, we crossed the border into Nepal.

carving on Nepali houses

Wooden windows

Although Nepal had been a Hindu country until a few years ago, I expected its culture to be similar to India’s. However, there was a noticeable difference right at the border: different-looking people, clothing, more working women, and different vehicles. It felt like a completely different country. The one similarity was the presence of touts trying to exploit tourists. Many approached us immediately to sell bus tickets to Kathmandu and hotel rooms.

Temple doorways

Temple doorways

Babu warned me that these touts often lied. They claimed a bus would leave within the hour, but Babu assured me that buses typically don’t leave before 4 PM. I was skeptical until my rickshaw driver confirmed it. There are direct buses from the Sonauli border to Kathmandu, but only in the early morning or late afternoon. Luckily, Babu was with me, and I avoided the touts. We took a bus from the Sonauli border to a place called Bhairava, which was only about a 30-minute ride.

Forest

Forest

Bhairava is the largest bus station near the Sonauli border, and there are regular buses to Kathmandu. We arrived by 9 AM and learned that a bus would leave at 9:30. I noticed something peculiar: Nepal has no government bus service, so all buses are private, with no fixed fares. I wasn’t aware I was supposed to bargain for the bus fare, but Babu handled it. The counter initially quoted us Rs. 450, but we ended up paying Rs. 350.

green and wet

Greenery everywhere

The bus departed at 9:30 but was stopped 15 minutes later by the army. I thought they would check everyone, but they only looked around and inspected a few bags. Surprisingly, they weren’t just searching for weapons; they were also checking for potatoes and sugar. I laughed when Babu explained that the authorities wanted to prevent smuggling these items from India, where they are cheaper. It was interesting to learn about the trade dynamics.

Pashupati nath temple

pashupati nath temple

Nepali buses were cramped, with little legroom. It rained continuously from Sonauli to Kathmandu, and water even came in through the windows despite being closed. I was soaked for over 12 hours on the bus. The nature in Nepal was breathtaking—clean rivers, fresh air, and lush greenery. I noticed that there seemed to be more working women in Nepal than in India. Many shops were run by women, and they appeared to be in better circumstances than their Indian counterparts.

family voilence

Signboard about family violence

Nepal appeared more progressive regarding women’s rights compared to India. Women traveled alone, worked in offices, ran shops, and even drove auto rickshaws. It was refreshing to see. I was particularly struck by the number of alcohol shops run by women—something I had never encountered in India. I met a female shop owner and struck up a conversation with her.

People

Nepali girl

I asked her if she felt safe managing an alcohol shop alone and dealing with often-drunk male customers. She replied that running the business was no different from how any male family member would manage it. When I inquired about societal attitudes towards women in alcohol sales, she mentioned that Nepali society is quite progressive in terms of women’s rights. She had never visited India but had seen it on TV, and she didn’t seem particularly excited about it.

A participant at the parade

liberal Nepali girl

I explained to her that it’s nearly impossible to find women selling alcohol in India and that there are fewer working women overall. She was aware of the situation and pointed out that many Indian families in Nepal restrict their women from working outside the home. When I asked what Nepali people think of this, she candidly said, “Honestly, we think Indians are crazy and backward.” I was taken aback, but it’s true that, in terms of women’s rights, India has a long way to go compared to Nepal.

the most beautiful alcohol bottle I had ever seen

An alcohol bottle

The nature throughout Nepal was stunning. It was clear that the environment remains largely untouched—thick jungles, beautiful rivers, fewer industries, less traffic, and majestic mountains. I truly enjoyed the natural beauty of Nepal. I noticed only five large factories during the entire bus ride from Sonauli to Kathmandu, and two of them were Indian factories. While this means less pollution, it also means fewer jobs, which contributes to poverty.

the most luxry way to travel in Nepal

Luxury way to travel in Nepal

Poverty in Nepal struck me deeply. Along the Sonauli-Kathmandu highway, I saw many homes and people, but what was surprising was that many seemed to be doing nothing—just sitting around and chatting. It felt like they had no work to occupy them. I encountered numerous children selling water bottles and snacks along the road. Nepal has suffered significantly from political instability in recent years, which appears to be a major cause of its poverty. The Nepalis I spoke with seemed discontent with the political situation.

 

beautiful windows

Beautiful window art

Finally, we arrived in Kathmandu around 8 PM, and it was still raining. I had read about a neighborhood called Thamel, known for its hotels, and I wanted to stay there. Babu warned me that locals often give wrong directions, so he suggested asking someone at an Indian-run shop. We found a paan shop, bought a few items, and asked for directions. Fortunately, the shopkeeper was helpful, and after about a 10-minute walk and a few inquiries, we made it to Thamel.

Cremations at Pashupati Nath temple

Cremations at Pashupati Nath temple

Thamel was bustling with hotels, making it a popular spot for backpackers. We checked several hotels, but the prices were steep. Babu said we could find a room for around 500 NR, but none offered rates below 1000 INR. Eventually, we reached Annapurna Hotel, where they wanted to charge us 800 INR per night. I mentioned I was a government-approved tour guide in India, and they agreed to give me a room for 500 INR.

Nepali food that I didn't like at all

To be honest I did not like it at all

The hotel initially seemed nice, but we soon discovered that the pillow covers and bed sheets were used, the cable connection didn’t work, and the telephone was dead. We complained, and they promised to fix everything by the next morning, but that morning never came before we left. I wasn’t there to enjoy luxury, watch TV, or make calls from my room, so I didn’t mind too much. We went out for dinner, but most restaurants were closed by 8:30 PM. We eventually found an open restaurant and had our meal.

I had read various articles about nightlife in Nepal, including dance bars and massage centers. Some claimed it was safe, while others warned of potential dangers. Many articles described how people would spend significant money at nightclubs and face misbehavior. I also read about underage kids involved in the sex industry. Curiosity got the better of us, and we decided to visit at least one nightclub in Kathmandu.

While walking around Thamel, I noticed numerous massage parlors. As we passed one, a boy who appeared to be about 15 approached me and asked what I was looking at. I explained I was merely checking out the advertisements. He insisted that I was interested in something special. I clarified that I wasn’t looking for anything like that. He continued to follow us, offering young, beautiful girls at low prices. There were many pimps lurking around, watching tourists.

I managed to return to my hotel safely. The next day, we worked for a while, explored, and did some shopping. I missed vegetarian Indian food,

Kashmir Issue

I returned from a trip to Jammu & Kashmir a few days ago. Although my trip was not successful because the police stopped us from entering the Kashmir Valley due to bad weather and violence, I have no regrets, as I got to talk with the locals and the Indian Army about the biggest social issue in India: Kashmir and the tensions between Hindus and Muslims. I wanted to visit the Amarnath Temple, one of the holiest places on the planet for Hindus. I had been to Kashmir about ten years ago, at which time it marked the beginning of better times in the Kashmir Valley.

When I was in Srinagar ten years ago, I did not witness any violence; the people seemed very happy. I spoke with locals then as well, and they were welcoming and glad that tourists were starting to return to the valley, as terrorism was being defeated. The economy of the Kashmir Valley is completely dependent on tourism, but whenever there is tension between India and Pakistan, tourism in Kashmir collapses completely. We arrived in Jammu by train and hired a taxi to Pahalgam, the base camp for pilgrims going to Amarnath.

We left the hotel around 10 o’clock, excited for the trip, but the police stopped us, stating that the weather in the Kashmir Valley was bad and that no one was allowed to proceed further. My taxi driver mentioned that sometimes the police stop people for no reason and suggested that we talk to them. We approached the J&K police, and they told us to wait and contact them later. I noticed an Army check-post nearby and saw a few pilgrims going inside their office, so I thought I should also speak with them.

We went to the army office and explained our situation. Our driver advised us to say that we did not want to go to Amarnath, but instead to Katra, another pilgrimage site about 40 km from Jammu. We told the army officer that we wanted to go to Katra but that the police were preventing us from doing so. He said he could have helped us if we had any connection to the army—meaning if I had any relatives or acquaintances who worked there. I do have relatives in the Indian Army, but I didn’t want to delay the process by calling them to speak with this officer, so I told him that I did not know anyone in the army.

The army officer informed us that, in this case, he could not help us. He asked where I was from, and fortunately, he was also from a city near Varanasi. After learning this, he became friendlier. I asked him if there was any way to proceed, and he told me that it was neither his style nor that of the Indian Army to suggest or accept bribes. However, he mentioned that if we wanted to understand how the J&K police operated, we could offer them a bribe of Rs. 500, and they would likely let us through. He acknowledged that the police engaged in such practices but refused to approach them on our behalf, as the army held a strong dislike for the J&K police because of their corruption.

I was surprised to learn that such things were happening in J&K, but at least now we had a potential way to reach our destination. We approached a police officer and offered him a bribe, which he accepted in exchange for allowing us to proceed for Rs. 300 per taxi. Unfortunately, just as we were handing him the money, another police officer noticed us and became aggressive. The officer who had initially agreed to take the bribe also turned on us and became angry. We found ourselves back in line once again. As I was wandering around, I spotted an army officer standing alone and decided to strike up a conversation with him about his job.

I approached him, and we started talking. He shared something that really shocked me: he claimed that J&K was no longer part of India, and even he didn’t know where it stood. He said that the army was there solely to protect the people and that we should focus on enjoying our pilgrimage. He expressed serious anger toward the J&K police, stating that if the army were to leave the state for just one day, the J&K police would sell out the entire region, making it impossible for people from outside J&K to enter the next day.

He claimed that the J&K police were completely corrupt and one of the biggest contributors to terrorism in the state. Having heard similar sentiments before, I found his perspective credible, especially after witnessing how they agreed to let us go only after accepting Rs. 300. After waiting for ten hours, we were instructed to return to Jammu. The police told us to come back the next day at 4 AM. We returned to the hotel and came back at 4 AM, only to be stopped again and told to get in line. While waiting, I noticed a young man who looked local, so I decided to strike up a conversation with him.

I asked him where he was from, and he told me he was from a village near Anantnag. This excited me because I had often read and heard about terrorist activities in that area. I asked if he was a student, and he explained that he couldn’t attend school due to his family’s poor financial condition and had been selling hot water to pilgrims going to Amarnath. After talking for a while, I asked him a question that surprised him and made him uncomfortable. I wanted to know if he had ever seen a terrorist. His facial expression clearly indicated his discomfort. Initially, he insisted that he had never seen one, but I sensed he was hiding something. So, I continued the conversation, explaining that I was just a curious tourist interested in the situation.

Eventually, he revealed something that truly shocked me: terrorists often come to his village and stay with the locals. While the villagers do not want to host them, they feel they have no choice. If they inform the army about the terrorists’ presence, they fear they would be killed eventually, so they are compelled to accommodate the terrorists and assist them in achieving their goals. He told me that when terrorists stayed at his house, they would sleep with his sister, and he felt powerless to stop them. He began to cry as he shared this, and I was deeply saddened and shocked by his story. How could this happen?

He also recounted another story about a close friend who once hosted a group of three terrorists in his home. On the same day, the army conducted a routine check and arrived at their house. They knocked on the door, entered, and asked for ID from all family members. Everyone had an ID, except for the three guests, who were terrorists. He explained that one army officer was inside the house, while the rest of the soldiers remained outside. As the officer asked for the ID of one of the terrorists, the others opened fire, killing him and targeting the soldiers outside. The army responded by blowing up the entire house. Tragically, all three terrorists and the family members inside were killed, leading to widespread protests against the army.

I can’t help but wonder what the right decision would have been: to destroy the house or to wait and identify who the terrorists were. Once, I asked my driver what the Kashmiri people wanted, and I was surprised by his answer: that they want neither India nor Pakistan, but instead seek independence. I struggle to understand this viewpoint because if they became independent, they would have to start from scratch, facing poverty and numerous other challenges for a long time. I believe it would be more practical for the Kashmiri people to remain with India rather than pursue independence or align with Pakistan, as India has more resources, is developing faster than Pakistan, and offers greater security and opportunities.

When I asked my driver about the tensions between Hindus and Muslims and the issue of terrorism in the Kashmir Valley, he was reluctant to acknowledge any such tensions. He claimed that the Indian Army and politicians were solely responsible for all the problems in the region. He accused the army of killing innocent people in Kashmir for no reason, a statement I found hard to believe. While I share a disdain for politicians, I cannot accept that the army deliberately targets innocent civilians.

My driver blamed America for all the problems and tensions in the world. He said that Barack Obama, George Bush, and other American politicians should be held accountable and punished because they seek to dominate the world and incite conflict. I couldn’t speak with many locals, but those I did were very angry with the Indian Army, Indian politicians, and America. I struggle to understand America’s role in our problems; I believe it is terrorist organizations, politicians, and extremist groups that create conflict and tension, not America.

I couldn’t make it to Amarnath, but two of my friends managed to visit just days before I left Varanasi. They were able to reach the temple because the weather was favorable upon their arrival. They shared some shocking stories with me. One friend, Sonu, recounted that they were stuck in a traffic jam near Srinagar when they noticed three young kids, hardly 10 to 12 years old, passing by. Sonu called out to them, wanting to engage in conversation. When he asked what they were doing on the highway, the kids replied in a way that left Sonu and his friends stunned.

Instead of replying, they asked Sonu what he was doing there. Their words were, ‘Why are you here? Do you come here to pray to the ice (Shivalingam in Amarnath temple is naturally formed of ice)? It’s not a god, it’s just ice that melts in the heat. You shouldn’t come to Kashmir. This is our land, not yours, you fucking Indians.’ Sonu became both angry and scared. I wondered how much hatred was embedded in that child’s mind. Kashmir is a major issue and a significant source of tension between Hindus and Muslims in India. I always believed that Muslims wanted to stay with India, but such incidents make me reconsider that.

Sonu mentioned that locals in the Kashmir valley were throwing stones at vehicles carrying pilgrims to Amarnath, and his taxi was also attacked. He saw over 200 cars with broken windows. People were hurling stones at the vehicles and urging pilgrims and tourists to leave Kashmir. It sounds truly terrifying. I wouldn’t want to go to a place where people greet me by throwing stones at my vehicle. It’s a terrible situation for the innocent people of Kashmir, as their lives are most affected

I don’t know what the future holds for the Kashmir Valley, but one thing is certain: if the current conditions persist, the people of Kashmir will face serious challenges, and it will take a long time to improve the situation. After hearing all these true stories and spending four days in J&K, I felt a deep sadness and questioned whether I was truly in a part of India. How can an Indian citizen view me as an outsider visiting their land? I don’t understand what has led people to feel they are not Indian. If this is the case, then what are we fighting for?

Are we fighting for a piece of land, or for the rights of the people of Kashmir? So many questions arise, and I don’t even know if I have the right to question the issues in Kashmir. It seems the people of Kashmir want something different, but as an Indian, I feel compelled to question everything happening in my country. Personally, I believe that Kashmir is part of India. I hope that one day terrorism will be defeated and that the people of Kashmir will find prosperity and a better life. For now, my friends and I have decided not to visit the Kashmir Valley again until the terrorism problem is resolved and the people once again welcome pilgrims and tourists with the spirit of “Atithi Devo Bhav.” अतिथि देवो भव. Peace.

Indian police

I completed my tour guide training in December and my license was printed in January. Now the Ministry of Tourism office in Delhi asked me to bring a police verification certificate from my local police station. The Police verification certificate certifies that there are no legal cases against me. Actually they had provided a proforma also and I was supposed to just go to the local police station and get it stamped. I went to my local police station with that proforma but the police officer did not want to stamp that document. He asked me to go to the DIG office and apply for a character certificate there.

By mistake I went to the some other police office instead of DIG office. I went there and told a police officer about the certificate I wanted and then he asked me why I wanted this certificate and I explained that I had completed tour guide training and now I need a police verification certificate in order to get my license. After hearing that I was a tour guide, this policeman told me “Oh, so your profession is to make tourists fool and fuck them”. I was really angry to hear this, I said my profession is a tour guide and then he said that its similar.

After asking a few other questions he gave me right address of the DIG office. I went to the DIG office and I was really surprised to see the condition of the office. The office was so dusty and dark. I met the officer who issues the police verification certificate and he gave me a form and asked me a fill it and submit it along with other documents. I was told by my local police station to take care of this officer which means to give him some money, so I gave him Rs. 100. After taking this bribe he told me to contact my local police station after two days.

He said that he will send my application to my local police station and they will verify my residence and other documents and then they will send their report back to the DIG office. I contacted my local police station and my application had arrived at the local police station. The officer at the local police station asked me to bring all of my documents. After seeing all of my documents, he said that it was not enough. He needed a domicile certificate issued by the court which I did not have and I knew that it would have taken me over 15 days just to get this certificate.

I had given him a xerox of my passport also which was enough but he said that a domicile was necessary. Fortunately there was an advocate sitting in the office who favored me and said to the police officer that a passport is also equivalent to a domicile certificate.  Finally this police officer agreed to accept my documents after the advocate’s interference. He asked me to wait for a few minutes. After that advocate was gone he again started looking at my documents and after reviewing them for a few minutes he told me that they would send someone at my place within the next week or so and after verifying my residence they will send their report to the DIG office.

I knew why he needed one week of time. I asked him if I was supposed to give him something and then he said that such works are not done without paying. I was told by a few of my friends that I should give Rs. 500 to the local police station so I gave him Rs. 500 but this police officer started saying that Rs.500 was not enough as there were 5-6 people to take a share in that money. Finally we agreed on Rs. 700. After taking this money something happened that I had never ever hoped for. This police officer taught me the right way to bribe.

He taught me that I should always take care of who is sitting in the office and try to bribe when there are not many people around and never ever tell this to any other officer working in the same office, this was very valuable information. Actually I had told him about that officer in the DIG office who took Rs. 100 from me and this local police station officer said that I should not tell any other officer whom I have already bribed.  Anyways, after taking bribe of Rs. 700 he said that my documents would be forwarded to the DIG office by the same evening.

I went to the DIG office and then the DIG office said that they would send my documents to the LIU (Local Intelligence Unit) now. My documents arrived at the LIU office after a few days and when I went there, the same thing happened which had happened with me at the local police station. First of all they said that they would send someone to my home to verify my residence but when I asked them how much I was supposed to give, the officer asked for Rs. 500 and said that nobody would come to my place anymore and my documents will be forwarded to the DIG office by the same evening.

But something really funny happened while I was sitting in the LIU office. Actually I got a call on my mobile about my guest house inquiry and this officer heard me talking. After the phone call he asked me if I run a guest house also and I told him about my guest house and he asked me I had a restaurant in my guest house or not and I said no. And he asked me where do my guests eat and I told him that usually they go out and after hearing it, he seemed kind of sad and told me he would have loved coming to my place for a meal if I had a restaurant.

I told him that I lived with my family and we cook our own food and he was also invited if he wanted to have dinner with us and he said no, he was looking for some restaurant cooked hot chicken with whiskey.  I obviously said ‘No’ to him but I was really surprised how someone could be that stupid. Anyways, after bribing him, I left the office and came back home. The LIU office had told me that they would forward my documents to the CO office. The CO office is a kind of regional police office. I think there are 5 or 6 CO offices in the whole Benares district.

I contacted the CO office after two days and this office was also nothing better than the other offices I had been to. I met an officer at the CO office and he asked why I had applied for my character certificate. I explained my purpose to him and then he said that they had already checked my day time character but they did not know anything about my night time character. He said that- “Now we know about your day time character but we do not know about how many woman and prostitutes do you sleep with in the night or how many bars do you visit every night”.

He said the same thing to other officers also sitting in the office that they had checked my day time character but did not know anything about my night time character and after hearing it, all of them were laughing. One of them said they should check my night time character also. I was seriously shocked and did not know what to tell him. I could not believe that a police officer could talk in such manner. Anyways, I asked him check my night time character also and then he asked me to contact them after a week or so. I again knew why he needed to check my night time character and why he was asking for one more week.

I immediately asked him about the bribe and he also the said same thing which the officer at the local police station had told me that such works are not done without money. Anyways, I asked him how much and he said just give anything. I gave him Rs. 200 and asked when they would check my night time character and they said that there was no need to check the night time character and my documents would be forwarded to the SP ( Superintendent of Police) office by the same evening. I contacted the SP office the next day and the officers said that they will present me before the SP tomorrow.

I went to the SP office next day and I waited for the SP for an hour and finally I was presented before him. He just looked at my face and asked me why I needed a character certificate and that’s all.  I hardly got to talk with him a few seconds but just for this I had to wait for a hour at his office. I requested that he forward my documents as soon as possible and he was very nice with it. He immediately asked his PA to bring my documents, signed and stamped them and said that my work was done. After meeting him I contacted his PA and asked if I needed give something to him also and he asked me to come the next day and see if my work was done.

He did not want to take the bribe until my documents were forwarded to the next office. I went to the office again next day he said that he could not do it. I again contacted him after two days and this time my documents were already forwarded back to DIG office. Now I was sure that I was going to get my character certificate because all the formalities were done and I had bribed all the offices. When I went to the DIG office, the officer there said that they could not issue my character certificate until some other big police office stamped my documents. He also asked me to contact him after a week.

I again knew why he needed one more week. I gave him Rs. 300 and requested that he do my work faster and then he gave me the address of that other police officer whose office was also in the same building premises. He asked me to go this office and wait until the officer came and then return to inform him when this officer arrived. I went to this office, waited for hours in the terrible heat and finally this officer showed up after three hours. I informed the officer at the DIG office and then this officer brought my documents to this big police officer, got them signed and stamped and then gave me my character certificate.

This character certificate was nothing special but a really small piece of paper saying that there was no legal case against me. It seemed like they had not printed new character certificates for the year 2010 because the year mentioned on the paper was 2009 and the officer had to correct it by pen. I still think about all the craziness and corruption I had face,  the way they mistreated me saying that my profession is to make fools of tourists and fuck them, one officer said they did not know about how many women and prostitutes I sleep with…

I had to spend Rs. 1700 just to get this character certificate which should be given free of cost. I had to wait for almost a month and go to all those crazy police offices several times. Just to get this small piece of paper I had to go to DIG office>local police station>DIG office>LIU>CO office>SP office>DIG office>that big police officer’s office>DIG office. I got my character certificate and later I presented it to the Ministry of Tourism office in Delhi and got my license but when I think of all the corruption and those people working at police offices and those officers who approved my documents and my character certificate, it makes me feel like my character certificate was issued my the most characterless people on the planet.

Winning a television

Today, while watching the news on India TV, I was reminded of a memorable experience from three years ago when I won their “Best Video of the Day” contest. At that time, Lane and I had visited Nagwa, Varanasi, to document untreated sewage discharge into the Ganga. Lane used his digital camera to capture footage of this issue. I sent the video to India TV, and it was selected as the “Best Video of the Day,” earning me a prize: a color TV. I was thrilled about the prize, especially since I didn’t own a TV and couldn’t afford one. However, India TV requested a bank draft of Rs. 2300 as a tax on the lottery winnings.

Eager to claim my prize, I sent the money. They then sent me a letter on Sansui’s letterhead (as Sansui sponsored the program) stating that I could collect the TV at the nearest Sansui store. Upon visiting the address listed on the letterhead, I discovered that the office had closed a year earlier. I reached out to India TV, who instructed me to contact Sansui’s Mumbai office. Mumbai redirected me to their Lucknow office, which then told me to wait a week. After a week, Lucknow informed me that no local dealer had the TV model I had won, and I would need to wait further. The same story persisted with each follow-up.

When I complained to India TV, they stated that their only role was to collect the money and forward it to Sansui, leaving the responsibility of delivering the TV to Sansui. Shocked by their response, I threatened to involve the police, but they dismissed my concerns. Despite continuous efforts to resolve the issue through Sansui’s Mumbai and Lucknow offices, as well as local dealers, no solution was forthcoming. Eventually, I decided to file a complaint with the police to document my attempts to resolve the issue. However, the police at my local station were unhelpful and informed me that they couldn’t register my complaint without connections at a larger station. This response was disheartening.

Ultimately, after over six months of persistence, I received my prize by traveling to Lucknow overnight. I spent more than Rs. 1500 on phone calls and the trip, which diminished my excitement about the TV. While I was initially thrilled to win, the experience of retrieving the prize was fraught with challenges. Since then, I’ve created several videos but have refrained from sending them to India TV due to their inadequate support and handling of the situation. My experience with India TV, Sansui, and the police was deeply frustrating and disappointing.

Corruption in India

A few days ago, I applied for my passport. I was supposed to fill out a form and submit it at the passport office in Varanasi. When I arrived at the office and presented all my documents, I realized that I had made some mistakes on the form. I thought it would be best to fill out a new form, so I asked the officer if he had a fresh one. To my surprise, he told me that the office did not provide new forms, which seemed absurd. The officer asked why I needed a new form, and I explained my situation. He then suggested a solution: he used whiteout to correct the mistakes and asked me to overwrite the errors.

I was relieved not to have to go out and purchase a new form, but I was puzzled by his willingness to help, as I did not expect such assistance from a government employee. I suspected that something was amiss. After I completed the corrected form, I handed it to a person at the office, but he told me to wait for the officer. I inquired if he was an official employee, and he revealed that the officer had hired him personally to assist with the paperwork. This raised my suspicions further. When the officer finally arrived, he stamped and signed my form but did not give me a receipt. Instead, he handed it to the other person and instructed me to speak with him for the next steps.

The man turned his face away and mumbled something I couldn’t hear. When I asked him to speak clearly, he eventually said that I needed to pay for the stamp and postage charges to send my application to the regional office in Lucknow. I questioned why the government did not cover these costs, and he simply replied, “No.” I knew that postage should not be so expensive and argued that Rs. 200 was excessive. He insisted that the fee covered bribes for all officials who would handle my application. Reluctantly, I negotiated and gave him Rs. 100, which he snatched eagerly. He assured me that he would forward my application by the evening.

It was disheartening to see how the officer had cleverly outsourced the bribery process to avoid direct involvement. The next step was to obtain a no-objection certificate from the local police station. The passport office sends the documents to the SSP (Senior Superintendent of Police), who then forwards them to the local police station. When I visited the police station to check if my application had arrived, I was told to return after two days. During my visit, I observed a man retrieving his car, which had been confiscated by the police two years earlier. He had received a release order from the court.

I knew that the police would demand a bribe to return the car, but I was curious about how they would solicit it. Despite my presence, the policeman loudly instructed the car owner to give something extra to the next officer to receive the car keys. The car owner reluctantly paid Rs. 500, but the policeman demanded more, eventually settling on Rs. 700. The next day, when I returned to the police station, the officer had my application. He reviewed my documents and asked for my father’s village address, even though I had never lived there. When I questioned this, he explained that people sometimes commit crimes in their villages. I realized he was likely trying to delay the process to extract a bribe.

I insisted on a faster process, and the officer mentioned he knew a way to expedite it. He took me to the head of the police station, who interviewed me and asked various questions, including who would pay for my trip to the US. After attesting my photo, the head of the station sent me back with the original officer. The officer then demanded a bribe, stating that I could pay whatever I wished. When I suggested Rs. 200, he dismissed it, saying it was insufficient. Eventually, he asked for Rs. 600, which I reluctantly paid, knowing that without this bribe, I might never receive my passport.

This entire experience left me disheartened. I wonder if there is any government service in India that can be obtained without paying bribes.

Documentary filming about Indian Sex Workers

I met Seranna today at her hotel and talked with her for about two hours. We discussed how the shooting went the previous day. She mentioned that they were supposed to film the sex workers at G.B. Road but couldn’t because the sex workers and brothel owner didn’t allow it. She simply talked with them, but she didn’t understand much of what they were saying due to the crew’s poor translation skills. They spoke to the sex workers, but often didn’t translate. She said it was okay and she was satisfied with what she was getting.

Seranna explained that the brothel owner charged her Rs. 20,000 ($450) just to let them in and organize a ten-minute dance performance by sex workers. They weren’t allowed to film the dance or anything inside the brothels. Despite this, she was still happy with the outcome. I’m sure she’s a very cool and positive person. I see this as a mistake on the part of the crew members. When I worked for CBC and MTV Italy, we conducted research beforehand, ensuring everything was well-organized. But with this documentary, nothing is organized. I didn’t like it at all.

Seranna said that after spending a few minutes at the brothel, the police arrived, demanding a bribe from her. I don’t know why they wanted a bribe, perhaps because Seranna didn’t have legal permission to make a documentary that would be commercialized. I’m sure the crew members didn’t inform her about this either. The cameraman is a very famous guy, but I don’t understand how these people can make such big mistakes. Seranna said that everything went well with her and she was very happy with the progress.

I had asked Seranna to bring some sex toys, and she brought a lot of dildos and fake vaginas. She’ll give a few of them to me for my NGO. I had never seen them before, so I was excited to check them out. She showed me how to use one of the fake vaginas. It was hilarious. She said she uses these toys to educate people about safe sex practices. I believe that these kinds of things attract attention and allow you to make people listen to what you want them to hear. I liked the toys a lot.

Seranna mentioned that the crew members didn’t want me to join the shooting for whatever reason, but Seranna wanted me to go today, but I declined. Seranna is going to interview two high-class sex workers, a politician, and attend a conference organized by Delhi University about sex work in India. We’ll fly to Kolkata tomorrow to attend the conference. I’m excited for it

Corrupt Policing in India

I witnessed something truly bizarre recently, which might be considered quite unusual even for an Indian. While I was sitting in an auto rickshaw, the driver was pulled over by a policeman who then sat next to me. Typically, police officers don’t pay for transportation, whether it’s an auto, bus, or train. After a few minutes of driving, another individual tried to stop our auto, but the driver refused. He explained that this person was also an auto rickshaw driver and was looking for a free ride. The other driver was furious and began shouting loudly.

We encountered this irate driver again near the railway station. He had arrived ahead of us, parked his auto, and was waiting for us. This time, our driver stopped, and the angry driver approached, grabbing the policeman by the collar and hurling abuses at him. I, along with the others in the auto, was shocked to see an auto rickshaw driver berating a policeman so publicly. The second driver claimed that the policeman had tried to ride in his auto without paying, and when he refused due to his auto being full, the policeman had slapped him.

It seemed the policeman had come to our auto after this incident. The driver continued to yell at the policeman, demanding to know why he was slapped, while the policeman merely replied that he would deal with him later and threatened to arrest him. The driver then accused the policeman of routinely sitting in his auto without paying. He boldly said, “Do I give you Rs. 10 every time I drive to the railway station to get abused?” He revealed that police officers would charge him Rs. 10 each time he drove to the railway station, a practice that he had endured for a long time. The policeman, caught off guard by this revelation, fell silent.

The driver’s response was impressive. Another rickshaw driver shared that police officers have set rates for different routes, with drivers in the downtown area paying Rs. 60. Trucks and tractors are banned from entering the city center after 8 a.m., but they frequently do so by paying bribes to the police, who stop them at every intersection but only for show. As I watched the altercation unfold, I was quite entertained by the driver’s defiance. However, to my surprise, a few other bystanders started siding with the policeman.

Despite widespread knowledge of police corruption and harassment, these people began supporting the officer. The policeman seemed emboldened by their support and became more assertive. The crowd, now favoring the policeman, urged the driver to move and let the policeman go. Eventually, the auto rickshaw driver relented, and the policeman, now with the support of a crowd of over fifty people, was let go. As the station approached, the policeman got out of the auto without paying the fare, just as he had done before.

It was striking to witness such shameless behavior. The driver will likely face repercussions for his actions, but his bold response to the policeman was remarkable. It’s a stark reminder of the kind of bravery we need to tackle the most dangerous kind of corruption in India—often embodied by those in positions of authority like the police.

Major Terrorist Attacks in India

India has experienced a series of major bomb blasts over the years, often with devastating consequences. The news channel NDTV 24×7 categorizes these as major incidents, reflecting the scale of the problem. The following are notable examples:

Recently, a suspect in the Jaipur bomb blasts, a Muslim man who teaches at a madarsa in Varanasi, was arrested. This led to significant unrest, with thousands of Muslims protesting and blocking traffic, demanding his release. The situation escalated when the head of a prominent mosque in Benares intervened, promising to secure his release by a specific deadline. Despite police resistance, the suspect was eventually released on bail after extensive protests, including the involvement of local political leaders. This situation underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement and the delicate balance required in handling communal tensions and terrorism-related issues.

The difficulty in prosecuting suspects and managing public protests reflects the broader struggles in combating terrorism while maintaining social harmony.