Jaipur: A viral Instagram video of an American traveler named Charlie Evans walking up a steep path to Jaipur’s Amber Fort has sparked an online debate after he called Indians “lazy” and “casual”, drawing sharp criticism from many social media users.
In the clip, Charlie is seen descending from the historic fort while commenting on the number of Indian visitors who stopped by during the climb. He claimed that many people were resting, smoking or drinking beverages rather than completing the walk to the summit, generalizing this view as evidence of what he described as Indians’ reluctance to “go the extra mile”.
“I know why Indians are not in shape,” he says in the video, adding that many tourists were “stuck halfway” and were not interested in completing the climb despite paying the entrance fee. He continues his claim several times, insisting that the scene confirmed his opinion that Indians are “lazy”.
The video has since crossed 4.36k views on Instagram, prompting a flood of reactions ranging from approval to outright outrage. While a small section of users echoed the American traveler’s comments, arguing that fitness and exercise are often neglected in India, a much larger group pushed back, calling the comments stereotypical, insensitive and rooted in cultural ignorance.
Some responses used humor to counter the claims. “Indians won’t climb a hill unless there’s a temple on top,” wrote one user, while another added: “Put a temple on top and see how fast people get there.”
Others took a more measured approach, urging travelers not to generalize about an entire population based on a single experience. One comment read: “FYI, the British came, admired, plundered, divided and ruled and left with our resources. So most Indians don’t appreciate an English-speaking foreigner blaming Indians, even if you think you’re being honest. Some people care about their health, some don’t. Please come visit and enjoy our country – but don’t generalize.”
Several users admitted that the video struck an uncomfortable chord. “You’re right. None of my friends want to join me for a bike ride at 6am on the weekend,” one person commented, adding that lifestyle habits play a role.
However, several others have reframed the problem entirely, arguing that the problem is not laziness, but motivation. “It’s not laziness, it’s motivation. Tell them there’s a world famous temple at the top and they’ll run,” wrote another user.