Tag Archives: tour guide

Ranked # 1 on Tripadvisor

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I got my tourist guide license four years ago and I was really confused about how I was going to work. My elder brother works for an Italian tour company, my cousin is also an Italian speaking tourist guide and I have grown up in a city where tourism is very important part of economy. Everyone was giving me different suggestions but most of them recommended me to visit some travel agencies with my CV and ask for work because this is the traditional way of getting work in tourism industry for tour guides. I was already blogging and I had developed a sense of finding right customers online so I was not really if I needed to contact travel agencies and in any case I was upset with usual travel agency’s practices like forced shopping and considering the guest only as a person whom you don’t think about meeting again in future.

I had already met with so many western people way before I got my license so I already had a sense about what western tourists want. And in any case my work as a translator or research assistant gave me the best practical knowledge possible, which a lot of guides miss, about western culture. So I decided to work in the same way I was already doing by promoting my business online. My friend Lane from Seattle helped a lot by putting up a website for my tour business. In the beginning it was not working at all and I realized that only having a website was not enough and I needed some kind of advertisement. In the beginning I used platforms like google business or craigslist but it was not really working well, I was still not getting enough work.

During the tour guide training program, we were taught that as per a survey organized by some International travel agency if a tourist is happy with the services of the travel agent then he is likely to tell about his experience to around 5 people but if he is upset then he is likely to share his experience with around 13 people which means there is no margin for error in this tourism business. I started working keeping this idea in my mind that I don’t have any rights to do anything which my guest doesn’t feel comfortable with. I was meeting with a lot of people through different online travel forums and just tried to perform my best. During this time so many people wrote about my services on online travel forums like Lonely Planet Thorn Tree and Indiamike.

Indiamike got me a lot of business and I was really happy with it. A few months ago Tripadvisor contacted me and they provided me a space on their website. Most probably some of my guests had asked Tripadvisor to list me on their website. I had heard about Tripadvisor so many times and everyone said that it was very big and so many people use it. I was really excited to be listed on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor asked me to ask my guests to share their reviews about my services. It took me only four months and now I am ranked 1 on Varanasi page. I don’t know how it will change my business but I have noticed one thing that so many people contact me. It is a very big responsibility for me to carry on the same quality but I try my best.

I am also considering training other people so that we can work together with more than one group a day. In fact I tried it during last tourist season and it worked very well. I know that this coming tourist season will be much more busier than the last one and I need to be more prepared to handle the traffic. And keeping this idea in my mind I have already made contacts with other government approved tourist guides, have given them a sense about my style of work and they all have agreed on working with me. The biggest worry for me about hiring other guides was if they would ask my guests to go shopping with them as they usually do with their guests. I told them that I don’t do it in my business : I ask for more rather than stealing or cheating my guests.

All of the guides whom I met they also believed in me and said that if they get good salary then why they would take their guests for shopping. I have promised them extra money and just by getting this extra money they were all happy to take my guests without shopping. Everything is working very well so far and I am really excited for next tourist season. My tripadvisor page is here.

Nirvana Travels lead character

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Nirvana Travels is travel show done by NDTV Good Times TV channel in India.The show looks at the spiritual face of different cities in India. The idea behind the show is to meet people in different cities and see the city through their eyes. They contacted me regarding their upcoming show about Varanasi. Actually in this show they have one lead character and a few other regular but interesting people as well. They wanted to choose me as the lead character for this show because of my tour guiding work, research and social activism. I was kind of surprised when I heard about it first, actually I had no idea why they wanted to choose me only if there are so many other tourist guides, researchers and social activists.

Anyways, I asked them about why me only and they said that there are definitely other tourist guides in the city but no one is as popular as me online because of good references. There are other researchers but they usually study only one topic and never share it whereas I have been studying many different subjects and I write about it online. And finally they said that they did not want to work with any social worker who was a very big name, they wanted to work with new people in the industry. And overall I was doing all these things alone. I had never heard anyone talking all these things about me:)

Anyways, they came to Varanasi with the host of the show named Kaisha Hastu. She had already done other episodes of this show and some other show for NDTV Good Times. We agreed on filming and places and other details. Basically they wanted to film me in my environment, where I usually meet with my friends, the shop where I usually have my tea and such things. The first day they asked me to take them to my favorite chai shop. I was feeling kind of nervous being surrounded by cameras in my own neighborhood but it was fun.

They introduced me as a very popular tourist guide and researcher from Varanasi. At first they asked me general questions about Varanasi, its culture, people, tourism… They already knew that I was very much interested in cultural and religious diversity of Varanasi so they asked me a few questions about it also. Other than this there were questions about my personal life, research, activism… To be honest I don’t really remember how many questions they asked but they asked me questions about almost everything. Other than me they need some help with interviewing other people as well.

They were very much interested in the idea of Nirvana hence wanted to interview someone who had some real knowledge about the subject. I suggested them to meet with the manager of Kashi Labh Mukti Bhawan. Mr. Shukla, the manager, is a very knowledgeable person about the subject of Moskha or Nirvana. I had already interviewed him several times. After interviewing him they showed interest in interviewing some young artist from Varanasi, preferably a tabla player because Varanasi is very famous for its Tabla players as well. I organized this with a very famous and young tabla player from Varanasi named Prashant Mishra. Finally the show was completed with a big interview with me and four-five smaller interviews with other people. I look forward for the show on air.

Finally received tour guide license

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I finally received my tour guide license on the 30th, marking the end of a three-year wait. I had initially applied for it in 2006. I began preparing for the entrance exam shortly after my application, but had to halt my preparations when the Tour Guide Association of India sued the Indian government over the licensing process. The association was resistant to new entrants, fearing that their established positions were at risk. Many of the existing guides had obtained their licenses when the process was simpler, and now that the requirements were stricter, the association was obstructing the changes to protect their interests.

My brother Chandan, who works as an escort, shared a humorous anecdote with me. On his last visit to Benares, he hired a government-approved tour guide for a morning boat ride. The guide spoke at length about Benares, Hinduism, and the Ganges River, emphasizing that the Ganges is revered as a mother by Hindus. However, shortly after his talk, the guide began chewing betel and spat it out into the Ganges in front of his clients. This understandably upset the clients, who questioned whether Hindus spit on their mother. The guide had no response, which reflects the kind of professionalism that should be avoided. I hope that the training I received will prevent such unprofessional behavior.

The certificate

The tour guide training program faced numerous delays due to ongoing legal battles between the Tour Guide Association of India and the government. The association initially sued as soon as the application forms were released, causing several months of delays. After the government managed to resolve the first legal issue, they conducted the entrance exam, only for the association to sue again, leading to further delays as the case was heard in the Delhi High Court. Ultimately, the government won, and the High Court directed them to resume the training program, which finally started in August 2009 after a three-year delay.

Sana and I at convocation hall

The training was conducted at IITTM in Gwalior and lasted for 16 weeks—6 weeks of classroom instruction and 10 weeks of fieldwork. The curriculum included over 75 lectures, and I wrote a research paper focusing on the cultural diversity of Benares. The program concluded with a written exam and an interview, both of which I successfully passed. I received my certificate and now need to visit the India Tourism office in Delhi with a police verification certificate to obtain a provisional license, which will be valid for two months. After this period, I should receive my permanent license (red card). I hope there will be no further issues in Delhi.

Happy moment

Corruption in India

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It seems like “pending” has become a ubiquitous term here, and perhaps we use it more than anywhere else in the world. We have the highest number of legal cases pending in our courts, and people often spend their entire lives pursuing cases with no resolution. Many now prefer to settle disputes privately rather than dealing with the police or courts. When dealing with the police, bribery is almost inevitable. If you go to court, you’re faced with both bribery and lengthy delays before any judgment is reached. Sometimes, even judges are bribed, which compromises the fairness of their decisions.

I experienced this firsthand. Several years ago, I filed a case against a computer shop where I had bought a computer. I had been charged Rs. 43,000 for a computer worth Rs. 23,000. I demanded either a refund or the return of the computer. The shopkeeper agreed to take the computer back and issued me two post-dated bank cheques. However, when I tried to cash them, the bank informed me that there were insufficient funds. Despite repeated attempts and promises from the shopkeeper, I never received my money.

After this, I decided to take legal action. It took over seven years and substantial personal time and lawyer fees before the judgment was finally delivered—in favor of the shopkeeper, because he had bribed the judge. Despite having clear evidence of my case, including a stamped paper agreement and a receipt, justice was not served. I also applied for a tour guide license two years ago, but have yet to receive it. The process has been stalled in various courts. Initially, it took nearly a year for the government to process the application and conduct the exam.

Later, existing guides filed lawsuits to block new entrants into the field. Although I passed the exam, the government has only issued temporary licenses, which are not satisfactory. It seems unlikely that I will receive a permanent license within the next year. I applied for another tour guide license from the state government about two and a half years ago, and the situation is similar. The government has been sued by established guides, and the case remains unresolved. I have almost forgotten about it, as there has been no progress or hearing regarding this case. The Rs. 500 application fee has not been refunded, and it appears the exam may never be conducted.

Additionally, I applied for a registration for a guest house a year and a half ago but have yet to receive it. I am told every few weeks that they are still surveying and will issue the license soon. On one occasion, they even told me to reapply because they lost my paperwork. While the application process was not costly, it was time-consuming. I am currently hosting guests without a license, merely informing the local intelligence unit. Having an official license would provide peace of mind.

Another case against tour guide training

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It now appears that completing the guide training program will be delayed by another year. The Guide Association of Jaipur has filed another lawsuit against the government, demanding that the training be organized exactly as it was previously done for them. Their training consisted of three and a half months of classes followed by a fifteen-day orientation tour. This time, the proposed training includes forty-five days of classes, a fifteen-day orientation tour, and two months of research. I believe this updated training program is an improvement over the previous one.

The Jaipur association has alleged that some candidates in this year’s program have submitted fraudulent documents. They are demanding that the government verify each document with the relevant authorities. It seems their primary goal is to delay the training as much as possible. They are likely trying to prevent new guides from working during the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which is expected to attract around ten million tourists to India.

Due to the postponement of our training, this year’s candidates are planning to sue the government again for not starting the program. I received a call from the advocate handling the lawsuit, who informed me that the government will issue temporary licenses to all candidates who were scheduled to receive training this year. I will need to travel to Delhi to obtain this temporary license. While I am uncertain how long it will take to receive the permanent license, the constant trips to Delhi and the advocate’s fees are becoming quite overwhelming.

Temporary guide licence finally received

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I finally received my tour guide license after a year of complications. My advocate was exceptional in handling the case; he took legal action against the Ministry of Tourism in Delhi High Court, which resulted in the court ordering the Ministry to issue temporary licenses to all applicants until the final results are declared. My advocate advised me to go to Delhi to collect my license from the Tourism Office.

When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised not to be asked for a bribe, which was unusual for a government office. They issued me a temporary license valid for one month, which I will need to renew monthly at the same office in Delhi. This license allows me to work as a tour guide for foreigners anywhere in North India. The office issued similar licenses to over 200 people, but this is still far from sufficient; we need at least 2,000 more guides.

My advocate mentioned that if the government doesn’t finalize the results by the time I need to renew my license three times, he plans to sue the government again for a permanent license. According to the law, after working as a temporary employee for 90 days, one can sue for permanent employment. Given the current backlog of four cases in Indian courts, I anticipate it will take at least 30 renewals before a final result is declared.

While I could easily find a job with any travel agency now, I’m not ready to start working as a tour guide just yet. I plan to focus on studying first and then work as a freelance guide. I often receive inquiries about tours in Varanasi and tour guides, and previously advised contacting UP Tourism for assistance. Now, I have the option to work with them directly.

Case Against Ministry of Tourism

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After a year of waiting for the results of the tour guide examination, a group of us applicants decided to take legal action against the Ministry of Tourism for not declaring the results. I learned about this development from my elder brother and went to Delhi to meet with the advocate handling the case in the Delhi High Court. The advocate requested my birth certificate and a copy of the admit card for the examination. At the advocate’s office, I met over 20 other applicants who were also part of this case. Most of them were from Rajasthan and Agra; I believe I was the only one from Varanasi.

The advocate mentioned that the case would be resolved within a maximum of 10 days, which seemed optimistic given the vast number of pending cases in India—approximately 40 million, meaning one in three people is involved in some kind of legal matter. This lawsuit was the fourth case concerning this exam, and it’s unclear why the government hasn’t acted. They should issue licenses to everyone and let the market determine who is competent. There are very few government guides, and they often lack proper interviews or evaluations. As a result, they are hired without assessing their actual knowledge or skills.

In many cases, travel agencies hire both a licensed government guide and a private, unlicensed guide. The private guide typically interacts with clients while the government guide’s role is minimal—often just to act as a backup or to handle any potential police inquiries. Government guides are often seen chewing betel leaves (paan) and remaining passive, with their primary function being to support the private guide and deal with any legal issues that arise.

Indian Salary

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An American contacted me to help book his train ticket from Varanasi to Agra. He had tried to buy the ticket online but found it too complicated. He suggested meeting for dinner in Varanasi, and we arranged to meet at his hotel near Assi Ghat. His hotel was quite nice. When I arrived, I noticed a 50-year-old man talking to two Western women. He was explaining that he couldn’t find a train ticket and had contacted someone in Varanasi, offering dinner in exchange for help with his booking. I realized he was referring to me and approached him, confirming that he was Christopher.

I think he initially believed I had helped him with the ticket in exchange for a meal at a nice restaurant, which seemed to be his impression. Although he was relieved to have his ticket, he then asked which restaurant I wanted to dine at. I hadn’t considered his offer seriously, as I assumed he just wanted to chat. I generally prefer not to eat out, so I declined his offer. Christopher mentioned that he had informed his hotel that he wouldn’t be eating there, so they wouldn’t prepare his meal. To resolve this, I took him to a restaurant where he had his dinner. During our meal, we discussed the Coca-Cola issue again.

He remained unconvinced that Coke was at fault, believing instead that the problems lay with the people and the Indian government. The next day, Christopher asked if I would be his tour guide. I accepted the offer, and we spent the day exploring various temples and wandering around the city. He was particularly interested in meeting people, so I arranged for him to meet Lali Baba. Although I believe he was satisfied with my services, the payment was surprisingly low. Despite being one of the wealthiest people I had worked with—he lived in an upper East Side Manhattan apartment where the average salary is $320,000 per year—he paid me only $10 for a full day of work.

I didn’t see the money until later, and when I did, it turned out to be just $10. It reminded me of what Lane had said: “You don’t need to be rich to spend and poor to save money.” It was quite a humorous moment.