A video that is now going viral on X and Youtube sheds light on the contrasting realities of Varanasi, a city Prime Minister Narendra Modi once promised to transform into a "Kyoto-like" urban center.
Marc Travels, a YouTuber with approximately 216,000 subscribers has shared his candid impressions of the city in his travel vlog and shared it on Youtube.
The clip has then been shared by many on X.
Marc's experience in Varanasi was less than ideal, as he described the city as "the dirtiest" he had encountered in India.
He noted that Varanasi seemed to epitomize the image of India often portrayed in Western media—a stark contrast to his positive experiences in the southern parts of the country, which he found modern and impressive.
"To be quite honest, when I came here, Varanasi felt like a little bit of the India that is promoted in Western TV," Marc remarked.
He further said that his overall picture of India, particularly the South, remained positive and modern, an impression that couldn't be altered despite his experience in Varanasi. He acknowledged the city's chaotic nature, calling it "hectic" and "extreme."
In his vlog's description, Marc reflected on his months-long journey through India, expressing gratitude for the diverse experiences and memories he gained.
However, he singled out Varanasi as an intense visit due to a bout of food poisoning he suffered there. Despite this, he appreciated the opportunity to see this side of India, which he mentioned he typically only knew from Western portrayals of the country.
Prime Minister Modi's 2014 announcement to transform Varanasi into a city akin to Kyoto has faced scrutiny and criticism.
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has often mocked Modi's promises, pointing out the lack of significant changes in Varanasi.
During the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address last month, Akhilesh questioned the progress in the villages adopted by Modi, alleging they saw no growth.
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Agra/Lucknow, Mar 26 (PTI): An aircraft carrying Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made an emergency landing at the Agra airport shortly after take off due to a technical snag, officials said.
The chief minister resumed his journey to Lucknow after over two hours, they said.
Adityanath was in Agra for a public event to mark the eighth anniversary of the BJP government in the state.
"After the programme, the chief minister was scheduled to leave from the Kheria Airport in Agra around 3.30 pm. The aircraft took off but returned shortly apparently due to a snag, which was then inspected by officials," a police official told PTI.
"The chief minister finally resumed his onward journey around 5.30 pm from Kheria," the official added.
Senior Agra district administration and police officials remained at the airport while the chief minister waited there. BJP supporters and local politicians were also present outside the airport.
Earlier in the day, Adityanath inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 128 projects worth Rs 635.22 crore at 'Vikas Utsav' held in Agra to mark the completion of eight years of his government.
"Residents of Agra now have access to metro rail services, officially making Agra a metro city. The construction of the civil terminal at the airport is in its final stages," he said, adding that previous governments failed to provide these facilities.