Kamal Ghorui
It’s a short video, but the uncomfortable questions and the disturbing reality it triggers stays longer than you expect. Posted on Instagram by travel creator Joey (@homeless.digitalnomad), the reel shows a beach in Mahabalipuram (a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tamil Nadu) littered with trash. Plastic bottles, plastic wrappers and debris can be seen clearly in the video. His caption reads,“Pick up your trash. This is shameful.” For a number of Indian viewers, this is embarrassing but we can’t ignore the reality. An outsider saying that “this is the most trashed beach I’ve ever seen in my life” creates all kinds of discomfort and raises many uncomfortable questions.A beach with history now turned into a garbage dumpMahabalipuram is not your ordinary seaside town but a UNESCO World Heritage site. The town is noted for its spectacular Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram belonging from the 7th and 8th century. The rock-cut temples and sculptures are simply stunning and attract visitors and history lovers from across the globe. The rhythmic crash of waves against ancient stone has defined its character for centuries now. But as seen in the video, today, the beach has turned into a dumping zone, which is a sad reality. Joey’s video echoes what many domestic travellers quietly acknowledge. In his post, Joey writes,“Myth: People aren’t educated about trash in India.Fact: People are taught that littering is bad. Even upper class Indians litter. They litter, because they think that other people should be responsible for picking up their own trash. They think that government programs should be put in place to pick up trash, which is true, but IMO that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t also pick it up.”Lack of awarenessThat’s not true. India has campaigns like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan which take care of such things. The main aim of these campaigns is to promote cleanliness, with slogans painted on walls and public service ads. So, the message is clear.And yet, the condition is bad.The issue lies not just in awareness but in behaviour. People think it’s not their job but the government’s job to clean the filth. Public spaces are often seen as “no one’s responsibility.” It is the mindset which creates a cycle: litter accumulates, sanitation systems are overwhelmed, and the problem reinforces itself.Impact on travel and shared spacesAt its core, this is also a story about how responsibly we travel. Everyday small habits can change our outlook. A plastic bottle left behind on a beach or a snack wrapper tossed near a monument might seem insignificant in isolation, but multiplied by thousands of visitors, changes the place and situation into something worse. Not all places in India are sameInterestingly, Joey further writes, “Not every state of India is like this. Southwest India is much better when it comes to picking up trash. The minority regions (Ladakh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Nagaland, etc) don’t seem to have a trash problem, despite receiving even less government efforts than the general population.”He calls regions such as Ladakh, Sikkim, Mizoram, and Nagaland as cleaner and more environmentally conscious places.Now Sikkim has already banned plastic bottles from entering its land. There are strict fines and punishments. Ladakh too has a fragile ecosystem which needs protection. People living in these places are more aware of their surroundings. Not too lateFor Indian travellers, it’s a mirror. For policymakers, it’s a reminder. And the video is a reminder that it’s not too late. Start Picking up your trash and things will be fine. Next time a foreigner visits Mahabalipuram, the hope is that they remember the intricate carvings of its temples, and not the filthy sight of plastic on the Mahabalipuram Beach.
