British traveller spends 24 hours in India with no money, surprised by locals’ kindness

3 min readNew DelhiJun 5, 2026 05:27 PM IST

The traveller, Harry Jaggard, was treated to a plate of chole kulche. After taking a bite, he exclaimed, “Wow, this is the hospitality in India.”

A British traveller’s social experiment in India has gone viral after an unexpected act of generosity in Amritsar turned his challenge into a memorable cultural experience. The traveller, featured in a video shared by Instagram page @yugamlamba, set out to spend 24 hours in India without any money.

Walking into a clothing store, he candidly told the owner, “I have no money.” The response came instantly and with a smile. “No problem, bro. You’re in India,” the shopkeeper replied, setting the tone for what followed.

Explaining his challenge, the traveller said, “24 hours in India with no money in India, let’s see if I can do this.” But rather than having to fend for himself, he was welcomed like a guest.

The shopkeeper offered him refreshments, asking whether he would prefer tea or coffee. “Tea would be amazing,” the traveller responded. The two then headed to the shop’s terrace, where they shared a cup of chai and biscuits while chatting about life in India.

During their conversation, the traveller asked his host what he loved most about the country. The answer was brief but telling: “Everything.” Enjoying the lively atmosphere, the visitor also greeted people walking below from the terrace, using phrases like “Edar” in Punjabi and “Namaskar,” much to the amusement of passersby.

Watch the video:

The hospitality did not stop there. Back inside the shop, the traveller was treated to a plate of chole kulche, a beloved Punjabi street food. After taking a bite, he exclaimed, “Wow, this is the hospitality in India.”

The exchange soon turned into a celebration of local culture. The traveller listened to Punjabi music, joined in on the fun, and soaked up the experience. As a final gesture, the shopkeeper draped a scarf around his neck before he left. Clearly moved, the traveller thanked him, saying, “Thank you, brother.”

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The video struck a chord with social media users, many of whom praised the kindness on display. One commenter wrote, “This makes me so proud of the Indian people. They have such a beautiful culture of hospitality and so much to teach the rest of the world about kindness and humanity. This is absolutely beautiful!”

Another said, “This is how you take your country to places without doing much, just portraying the real hospitality of India.”

A third user commented, “This is the greatest country in the world. We Indians know how to treat our guests & for us guests are God. Proud to be an Indian…”

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