Dangers For Blondes?

chelseea

Hi! I'm a 20 year old swedish (blonde) girl who is moving to kolkata next summer for 2 months!! I was wondering how dangerous it is for me to be out alone? In the day? In the night?

Do indian men harass a lot?

I am a bit nervous going and would love it if you could give me some safety tips!

delhiwala

Few old threads for you :

1.Sexual Harrassment

2.India for women travelling alone

3.some good safety advice for women

4.last time: female attire?

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Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone. - The Dhammapada

kausiks

chelseea,
Please do not worry. Kolkata is a safe place to be. As a foreigner, you might get curious glances to some extent, but you will get used to it. You can travel alone without any fear.
Having said that, you need to be careful to some extent wherever you are in the world - be it New York, London, Bangkok or Tokyo. Please follow those and you will be safe.

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The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.

theyyamdancer

Kolkata is a very safe place! Welcome to IndiaMike chelseea. Compared to other big cities worldwide, Kolkata is extremely friendly and welcoming. The hospitality of Bengalis is legendary. Read the threads that were suggested by delhiwala for some excellent preparation, but relax and enjoy yourself.

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"Wandering seemed no more than the happiness of an anxious man." - Albert Camus

Indojingai

Troll alert.

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I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.

sagarneel

If being a blondegirl is your only concern, just relax- you can always use a cap of a big round hat ...jokes apart, Kolkata may not be the tidiest or cleanest cities around, but I can bait, its one of the safest cities in India. Even if you are alone, its not gonna be dangerous...I think the thing you need to worry about the most is the weather- as you are from a very cold country, the Kolkata summer is going to be the toughest challenge for you to handle.People in Kolkata remain busy blotting their sweat during the day and rushing home for a shower at night...so the days and the nights are going to be pretty safe I guess Answering the question of Indian men harassing a lot is tough, and depends on how you define harassment. If you think staring at a blonde girl is harassment - yes, Indian men are very harassing. However, they restrict most of their harassment within those curious (blended with hope and optimism that you look back at them)looks...they rarely cross the line and become verbally or physically harassing (of course there are exceptions, and exceptions prove the rule). The most important safety tip I can give you is - be confident, look confident, and dont be apprehensive.
Wish you a warm welcome to Kolkata beforehand, and wish you a pleasant stay.
Sagarneel.

Sama

why does your profile say "girl from sweden" and gender "male"?

in that case, you'll have no problems....

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MY INDIA, 2005-2008
"Once you have felt the Indian dust, you will never be free of it." (Rumer Godden, 1975)

theyyamdancer

If that is the case, then the following thread may answer some of your worries:

Transgendered People Traveling in India: What to Expect?