‘Please do better': Women appeal after getting ‘creeped out' by fellow Indians on Singapore trip
'What really got to us was that it wasn't strangers or locals making us feel unsafe — it was fellow Indians. In a country known for order and respect, they felt entitled to intrude, follow, and force interactions,' the post reads.
The post on r/TwoXIndia from earlier this week from u/ No_Honeydew_5860 began with: 'We're four college friends who had always dreamed of taking an international trip together once we started earning.'
The women chose Singapore due to its reputation for being one of the safest places to travel to around the globe, particularly for female travellers.
'We felt it would be perfect for our first trip abroad,' they added, and while the first two days of their trip went well, their troubles began on the third day when they visited a Buddhist temple.
An Indian man in his mid-twenties began following them around on each floor of the temple. He approached one of the women, telling her that he visits Singapore often but felt lonely. He added that he 'would love to hang out' with them and offered to be their guide, which the women politely declined.
The man then suggested a vegan restaurant on the fourth and fifth storeys of the temple, telling them it's where the monks have their meals. Because it sounded interesting to the women, they decided to go to the restaurant.
However, the man followed them through every storey, and when they tried to lose him by skipping levels by using the lift, he kept showing up.
When they were paying for lunch, all of a sudden, the man showed up again and offered to pay for one tray, which they declined. However, he said he needed change and insisted that the women give him their cash.
'It was awkward and pushy. We wrapped up lunch quickly and left, but saw him again in a nearby store, still following us after more than an hour. At that point, we were alarmed and took the MRT out of Chinatown,' the women wrote.
Another incident happened the following night, when they were at Zouk. Two Indian men stood next to them, said hello, and ordered the same drinks as they did. While the women ignored them, the men joined in their toast without being asked, after which they told the men to leave. See also First-Time Solo Trip to JB? We Gotchu Fam
When they went to dance, the men approached them again. It was only when they moved near the DJ and another group of women joined them that the men actually left.
At the end of the post, the women wrote, 'To the men reading this: This isn't charming, it's creepy. Learn to read the room. Respect boundaries. No means no — even if it's not shouted.'
Many commenters on the post were sympathetic to the women.
' You really should have complained to the club authorities or the MRT security at Chinatown. A taste of Singapore's law enforcement would have taken care of these obnoxious men,' one wrote.
'Indian men should be held accountable for their actions. We've been ignoring and pushing them away for a really long time, which only fuels them… Next time, don't hesitate to involve the police,' another agreed.
'Do men really think it is attractive to repeatedly ask or stalk women? Why is one 'No' not enough? Read the room! If the woman is interested, she will let you know,' chimed in a third.
Interestingly, commenters on the post said they had the same experience with Indian men in the United States, France, Thailand, and Germany.
'I went to Singapore on my first international girls' trip nine years ago, and the same thing happened to us. A group of Indian boys followed us from Little India to Chinatown to Safari… sorry to hear the same happening nine years later,' a Reddit user wrote. /TISG
Read also: Singapore climbs 52 spots to become 9th safest place for solo female travelers
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Independent Singapore
13 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
‘Please do better': Women appeal after getting ‘creeped out' by fellow Indians on Singapore trip
SINGAPORE: Commenters on a Reddit post showed up to support some women who appealed to men to do better after they experienced the behaviour of some men during their first international girls' trip. 'What really got to us was that it wasn't strangers or locals making us feel unsafe — it was fellow Indians. In a country known for order and respect, they felt entitled to intrude, follow, and force interactions,' the post reads. The post on r/TwoXIndia from earlier this week from u/ No_Honeydew_5860 began with: 'We're four college friends who had always dreamed of taking an international trip together once we started earning.' The women chose Singapore due to its reputation for being one of the safest places to travel to around the globe, particularly for female travellers. 'We felt it would be perfect for our first trip abroad,' they added, and while the first two days of their trip went well, their troubles began on the third day when they visited a Buddhist temple. An Indian man in his mid-twenties began following them around on each floor of the temple. He approached one of the women, telling her that he visits Singapore often but felt lonely. He added that he 'would love to hang out' with them and offered to be their guide, which the women politely declined. The man then suggested a vegan restaurant on the fourth and fifth storeys of the temple, telling them it's where the monks have their meals. Because it sounded interesting to the women, they decided to go to the restaurant. However, the man followed them through every storey, and when they tried to lose him by skipping levels by using the lift, he kept showing up. When they were paying for lunch, all of a sudden, the man showed up again and offered to pay for one tray, which they declined. However, he said he needed change and insisted that the women give him their cash. 'It was awkward and pushy. We wrapped up lunch quickly and left, but saw him again in a nearby store, still following us after more than an hour. At that point, we were alarmed and took the MRT out of Chinatown,' the women wrote. Another incident happened the following night, when they were at Zouk. Two Indian men stood next to them, said hello, and ordered the same drinks as they did. While the women ignored them, the men joined in their toast without being asked, after which they told the men to leave. See also First-Time Solo Trip to JB? We Gotchu Fam When they went to dance, the men approached them again. It was only when they moved near the DJ and another group of women joined them that the men actually left. At the end of the post, the women wrote, 'To the men reading this: This isn't charming, it's creepy. Learn to read the room. Respect boundaries. No means no — even if it's not shouted.' Many commenters on the post were sympathetic to the women. ' You really should have complained to the club authorities or the MRT security at Chinatown. A taste of Singapore's law enforcement would have taken care of these obnoxious men,' one wrote. 'Indian men should be held accountable for their actions. We've been ignoring and pushing them away for a really long time, which only fuels them… Next time, don't hesitate to involve the police,' another agreed. 'Do men really think it is attractive to repeatedly ask or stalk women? Why is one 'No' not enough? Read the room! If the woman is interested, she will let you know,' chimed in a third. Interestingly, commenters on the post said they had the same experience with Indian men in the United States, France, Thailand, and Germany. 'I went to Singapore on my first international girls' trip nine years ago, and the same thing happened to us. A group of Indian boys followed us from Little India to Chinatown to Safari… sorry to hear the same happening nine years later,' a Reddit user wrote. /TISG Read also: Singapore climbs 52 spots to become 9th safest place for solo female travelers
Independent Singapore
2 days ago
- Independent Singapore
Foreigner asks, 'Do you ever feel like Singapore is... a bit dull?'
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Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
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Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox – Bengalis have always flocked to Digha, a coastal resort town in the Indian state of West Bengal. But a new attraction is now proving to be a hot draw for thousands of visitors. It is Jagannath Dham, an imposing sandstone temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a much-loved deity in Bengal and whose hulking chariot lies at the origin of the English word 'juggernaut'. Among the thousands of visitors on July 5 was 45-year-old sari-clad Sandhya Dutta, who was busy taking selfies against the temple's towering 65m-tall central complex. 'The possibility of seeing such a beautiful temple in Digha gives this place a different attraction,' said Mrs Dutta, who has visited the town several times. 'With this temple, I felt like coming here again.' Constructed by the state government at a reported cost of 2.5 billion rupees (S$37.3 million), Jagannath Dham opened with much fanfare in April 2025. 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ST PHOTO: DEBARSHI DASGUPTA While the ruling Hindu-nationalist BJP has long been known to use its support for temples to garner votes from Hindus, it is becoming increasingly important for other Indian political parties to cater – or at least, be seen as catering – to the religious sentiments of Hindus. They make up around 80 per cent of the country's population. Ms Saba Naqvi, a senior political commentator, said: 'Faith, under the BJP's domination, has become a way of mobilising people in India.' This, she noted, is especially true, given the lack of meaningful socio-economic empowerment, with marginalised Hindu caste groups still stuck at the bottom of the ladder. 'Temples, on the other hand, are a place that are open to everyone. They're a place where there is egalitarian participation. And people who are on the margins of caste feel they are insiders when they go there and participate equally in mass worship,' Ms Naqvi told The Straits Times. A formidable political force today, the BJP's rise in popularity in the 1990s was shaped by its vocal pitch for a grand temple dedicated to Hindu deity Ram in Ayodhya. Its veteran leader L.K. Advani went around the country on a tour in 1990 to whip up public support for the construction of such a temple at the site of the 16th century Babri Mosque, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram. Constructed by the state government at a reported cost of 2.5 billion rupees (S$37.3 million), Jagannath Dham opened with much fanfare in April 2025. ST PHOTO: DEBARSHI DASGUPTA The mosque was demolished by a Hindu mob in 1992, giving way to a protracted legal battle over the fiercely contested site. It ended when the Supreme Court gave custody of the site to Hindus in 2019 and cleared the path for the construction of a temple. The opening of a Ram Temple at the site – a promise first made in the BJP's election manifesto in 1996 – marked a high point for the party as Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the temple's inauguration in January 2024. Its fruition even formed a key plank of the party's voter outreach during the general election later in 2024 that saw the BJP return to power, albeit with a significantly reduced share of seats in Parliament. The BJP continues to deploy its temple strategy, investing massively in the development of temple towns such as Varanasi and Mathura, along with Ayodhya in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It recently announced a 'Mission Temple' campaign, aimed at rejuvenating ancient temples across the state, according to a July 9 report on online news portal News18. In West Bengal, the TMC is leaving no stone unturned to capitalise on the Jagannath temple. The road from Kolkata to Digha – a distance of about 190km – was lined with banners put up by the state government and TMC leaders, welcoming visitors to the chariot festival of Lord Jagannath at the temple from June 27 to July 5. A beaming Ms Mamata Banerjee, the state's Chief Minister, graced the banners with her palms joined together in a namaste, the traditional Hindu gesture for a greeting. The party's temple propaganda reached more than 10 million households across the state with the distribution of sacred offerings, packed in a box together with a postcard featuring Ms Banerjee's printed greetings, along with photos of the deity and the temple. Banners, featuring the Jagannath temple and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, welcoming visitors to Digha on the road from state capital Kolkata. ST PHOTO: DEBARSHI DASGUPTA At Digha, visitors were clearly happy. 'We are Hindus. If a temple is constructed, no matter where, we will surely welcome it,' said Mr Sumanta Mondal, a 48-year-old West Bengal farmer, who came with his family from Bankura, nearly 180km away. 'If one is created in my district, it would be even better. I would not have to come this far.' Supporters of Ms Banerjee and her party were jubilant. Ms Bhabani Das, a municipal contractual health worker in her early 50s from the North 24 Parganas district, was thrilled to visit the Jagannath temple in Digha as she has not had the time or money to visit the 12th century Jagannath temple farther away in Puri in the state of Odisha. The temple in Digha is a replica of the more famous one in Puri. 'May her lifespan increase by as many years as the number of hairs on my head,' said Ms Das, whose head is full of black hair. She showed her left arm, which has the name 'Mamata' tattooed on it, an expression of her support for the state's chief minister. In recent years, the BJP has emerged as the single largest opposition party in West Bengal, posing a growing threat to the TMC's dominance as it racks up voter support from more Hindus. This has prompted the TMC to change tact and also mobilise Hindu support by throwing its weight behind local Hindu festivals, such as the Tribeni Kumbh Mela, and now the construction of this major temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath. Ms Naqvi said: 'With this temple, Mamata seems to be telling the BJP and her critics, I'm also a keeper of the faith. Who the hell are you?' The BJP has targeted Ms Banerjee by calling her a 'fake Hindu' and stating that government funds cannot be used to construct temples. It has even alleged that the sacred offerings from the Jagannath temple that were sent out by the TMC were made by Muslims. In Uttar Pradesh, the S P's move to build a temple also aims to counter the BJP's narrative, which accuses it of pandering to Muslim sentiments, while neglecting Hindus. Modelled after the Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand, a key pilgrimage site for Hindus, the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is being built by a trust headed by Mr Yadav. Mr Yadav laid its foundation stone in 2021, seven months after Mr Modi did the same for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple is slated for completion in 2026, well before the next state election in the following year. Its opening is also being seen as an attempt by the Yadavs to assert their claim on the Hindu faith. The Yadavs in Uttar Pradesh are formally included as 'Other Backward Classes', a group that includes marginalised castes and disadvantaged communities. In May 2024, Mr Yadav visited a temple in Kannauj, following which a viral video purportedly showed BJP workers washing the temple with holy water from the Ganges to 'purify' the temple. The incident was exploited by the SP to portray the BJP as a party that does not favour the interests of marginalised caste groups. And what of the Congress, India's leading opposition party? It has not launched any such high-profile temple construction initiative, although its leader Rahul Gandhi was seen visiting temples during his 2024 election campaign. For all the building and intense competition, the temple strategy does have its limits – something that became evident when the BJP lost the parliamentary seat in Faizabad, which includes the city of Ayodhya, to its rival SP in the 2024 General Election. Marginalised Hindu caste groups rallied around SP because of their fear that the BJP – in case it won a majority – would alter the Constitution and dilute job reservations allocated in it for them. Anger over unemployment was another factor that led to the BJP's loss. The SP candidate won by a margin of 54,567 votes, indicating that religion is just one of the many factors Indian voters keep in mind when they queue up to elect their leaders.
