A shocking video recorded by a group of Polish tourists in Agra has sparked outrage online. The video shows mounds of garbage and sewage near the iconic Taj Mahal. In the video, the tourists are seen visibly disturbed by the stench, with one of them gagging and sarcastically referring to the scene as the “real India.”
Shared by Instagram content creator @podroznikdowynajecia, the clip shows overflowing garbage and sewage in structures close to the Yamuna River, directly behind the Taj Mahal. One woman in the group is seen covering her nose and recoiling at the foul smell as the group navigates the area.
“What do we have here? The real India. It stinks terribly. It stinks worse than Chennai. Here we have a carcass and a beautiful sunset bouncing off the garbage,” the creator says in the video, panning to show the trash-strewn landscape.
Take a look at the clip here:
In the caption, the group clarified that their intent was not to malign India but to show what lies behind the majestic monument. “We would like to say that India is a great country. We would never think to hate this great part of the world. There are many clean and beautiful places. We are planning to return here again in the near future. Videos from this better side of India will be released anytime soon,” they added.
{{/usCountry}}In the caption, the group clarified that their intent was not to malign India but to show what lies behind the majestic monument. “We would like to say that India is a great country. We would never think to hate this great part of the world. There are many clean and beautiful places. We are planning to return here again in the near future. Videos from this better side of India will be released anytime soon,” they added.
{{/usCountry}}The video has since gone viral, racking up hundreds of thousands of views and triggering a wave of responses online.
“Taj Mahal is fantastic, but the surrounding... as an Indian myself, I know the condition,” one user commented.
Others criticised the creators for intentionally filming neglected areas. “I get it, some places are filthy. But why seek out filth? Why go where there are no roads? Why follow the stench?” one viewer asked.
“Imagine having so little respect for your country, the biggest man-made attraction for it is surrounded with waste and stinks,” another commenter added.