Why Indians Laugh at Foreigners
I’m sitting here at Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters in Saket, New Delhi. The coffee is much stronger than in the USA. The coffee culture here feels richer too—thanks to its cultural significance and the fact that India grows its own beans. There are way more national coffee chains than in America. But I’m not here to write about coffee, even though the caffeine is begging me to.
Today’s topic: What foreigners think India is versus what Indians think about foreigners.
We’ve all seen those wild travel vlogs of foreigners (often Westerners) hitting Delhi and romping through Chandni Chowk (the famous bustling market in Old Delhi, sometimes just called “Old Delhi”). For those who don’t know, Chandni Chowk is smack in the middle of the city and the epicenter of travel-blogging culture. On any given day, you’ll spot foreigners like me wandering around.
My first real laugh-out-loud moment came when I started making Indian friends. I told them I really wanted to go to Chandni Chowk to “travel blog.” They burst out laughing—genuinely. Those videos get massive traction because it’s like watching a human circus. Out of my own ignorance and arrogance, I thought Chandni Chowk was a place everyone frequented. Turns out, it’s mostly just foreigners who go there. If you’re a foreigner out there—Indians are laughing at you.
New Delhi Metro has 35 million people, and India has over a billion nationwide. Self-respecting Indians don’t head to Chandni Chowk for fun. Many barely go at all. They do what most people do: shop and eat in their own neighborhoods. They watch us foreigners struggle, try street food they’d never touch themselves, and probably roll their eyes.
My Indian friends dismiss Chandni Chowk with a bit of disdain—as if it carries a stigma about India that “normal” Indians reject. Forget the exchange rate and how far your dollar or pound stretches. Everything is relative. We earn more in America, but things cost more there too. People here may earn less than in the USA, but daily life is more inexpensive. It’s all relative.
No matter the country, there are class differences. As those stats show, there’s a huge middle class in India—just like you, me, or anyone else in the world. So why would a self-respecting Indian go to Chandni Chowk? They wouldn’t. They’d hit up markets or shops in their own unique neighborhood in Delhi. For foreigners to assume everyone eats and hangs out there is ignorant—and honestly, a little mean.
Some great travel bloggers explore the real India beyond Delhi, showing everyday life. But many don’t. They land, head straight to Chandni Chowk, crack stupid jokes, poke fun at people, and zoom in on the trash. The folks there are mostly tourists and locals who work in the market.
If you’re visiting India, I implore you: Venture outside Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi to see the real India. Indians will appreciate it, and you’ll start meeting people who’ll tell you exactly what I’m saying here. To all my Indian friends—I apologize for the bloggers! We’ll do better going forward.
