From Goa and Pushkar to Hampi and Himachal Pradesh, India’s so-called 'Hummus Trail' has become a popular destination for Israeli travellers, including those discharged from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). However, behind the familiar backpacker cafes, homestays and party scenes, activist Shrishti Khanna says a pattern of exclusion is emerging, with some establishments allegedly restricting entry to Indians and others who do not share their views.
In an interview with Reporter World, Khanna, who has been documenting the experiences of multiple people, spoke about what she describes as an entrenched hierarchy of power within these spaces, where Indian visitors are allegedly turned away from establishments operating in their own country.
The 'Hummus Trail' refers to a network of destinations across India popular among Israeli backpackers, including parts of Goa, Pushkar, Hampi and Himachal Pradesh. The route has developed over decades, with Israeli travel to India reportedly dating back to the 1980s.
Khanna said tens of thousands of Israeli travellers visit India every year, often after completing mandatory military service. Many travel to countries such as India, Vietnam and Sri Lanka to take a break and recover from the psychological toll of military service and conflict.
However, she alleged that some Israeli-run businesses along these routes have become exclusive spaces that discriminate against Indian visitors and enforce a narrow set of political views.
Describing the experiences she has documented, Khanna said Indians seeking entry to certain cafes and homestays are either refused explicitly because they are Indian or told that the premises are full.
She characterised these practices as apartheid-like, arguing that they create a system in which foreign visitors are allowed to establish spaces that exclude the local population.
Khanna also alleged that these establishments do not tolerate expressions of solidarity with Palestine and expect people within their spaces to align with Israeli political views. She raised concerns about what she described as heavy policing in the surrounding areas and the presence of Israeli visitors accused of involvement in war crimes.
The allegations, however, concern the establishments and individuals described by Khanna and should not be taken as representative of Israeli travellers or businesses as a whole.
Khanna said the exclusion has also generated resentment among other business owners operating along the 'Hummus Trail'. According to her, some local businesses face boycotts from Israeli customers when they speak out against the alleged discriminatory practices.
She also raised concerns about rave parties, illegal drug trade and crime in some of these tourist destinations, although these claims require independent verification.
Khanna said similar concerns about exclusionary spaces have surfaced in Vietnam and Sri Lanka, suggesting that the issue extends beyond India’s backpacking circuit.
Khanna said her objective is not to seek government intervention but to make the public aware of what she believes is an injustice taking place within India.
She stressed that her criticism is directed at alleged discriminatory practices, not the Jewish community, warning against interpreting the issue as an attack on Jewish people or using it to promote antisemitic views.
At the heart of the debate is a question about who gets to access and shape spaces within popular tourist destinations. For Khanna, the issue is not the presence of foreign travellers but the alleged denial of entry to Indians in their own country, and the need to confront such practices without turning criticism of individual conduct into hostility towards an entire community.