Why are there so many Israelis living in Kasol, Himachal Pradesh, India?
20 Answers
Mark, former Wanderlust and travel writer
Kasol = Mini Israel
Kasol village in Paravti Valley in Himachal Pradesh is a haven for Israeli tourists coming from the desert land Israel. In Israel, city life offers no peace so youngsters and wanderlusts opt for a serene place with all party stuff and facilities without adding any burden on pocket. That is why Kasol is the new hotbed of Israelis who see Kasol as their second home. Moreover, the following reasons also magnetize Israelis looking for fun, adventure, and peace in the foothills of the mighty Himalaya.
In-habitation of Israelis in the region in a large number
Ideal for trekkers, backpackers who can’t control their adrenaline rush
Tranquility and peace offered by nature to Young Israeli (20+) getting a break after mandatory military service
Place for karmic cleansing and nonstop buffet of drugs, adventure and sex
Hebrew speaking people and café offering Israeli food
Israelis live in groups and rarely mix with other; so you spot them in groups in any place
Chabad House is Kasol for practicing Judaism—Israel’s main religion
Café and restaurants with Hebrew signboards serving Israeli, Italian, Indian cuisines
Availability of the Malana cream (premium hashish) for smokers
Non-stop parties with international DJs
River rafting, trout fishing, Camping, trekking
Internet cafes and body piercing parlors
Reggae bars and cheap rentals with Western-style restaurants
Israeli flags spotted near Kasol making Hebrew speakers feel at home
Higher exchange rate against INR and hotel rooms just INR 300 per day
Camping in the woods; Trance and Psychedelic parties; Hippie shopping
Rice beer with zero alcoholic content
Great Indian hospitality and friendly nature toward visitors
Kasol welcomes all Israeli…..
Image resource: Google
Neeraj Kumar, Content Manager, ClearHolidays™
Kasol: Hebrew speakers’ Mini Israel in the beautiful Himalayan Village of Himachal
Locals in Hiamchal say Israelis live in groups and rarely mix with others. Most part of the day, they enjoy eating, drinking and chatting while a few try to explore the tranquil Himalayas and trek to the overlooking mountains. Kasol embraces tourists with significant amounts of cash and the local village has become a hotspot for Israeli tourists looking for sex, drugs and adventure.
According to UK’s Daily Mail, “About 70 per cent of the foreigners visiting the state are from Israel. Places such as Dharamkot village (near Dharamsala), Old Manali, Vashishth, Kasol and Tosh Village have nearly half of their population of Israeli nationality.” “Even Sign-boards in Hebrew have begun to pop-up in the area. The peaceful Kangra and Kullu valleys have become a safe haven for lakhs of Jews who migrate here for many reasons – including karmic cleansing, and an uninterrupted feast of drugs, adventure and sex,” adds The Mail.
Why Kasol for Israelis?
In the last decade, Israel has emerged as a great ally to India and it can be seen in the increasing influx of Indian and Israeli tourists in Israel and India respectively. It is also known that Israeli backpackers live in groups and rarely mix with others.
Meical, a young woman from Israel, says, “Israelis see India as a second home.” “We love India. Israelis have a great fascination for this country, its culture, history and the people.” Let’s have a look at some of prime reasons that attract Israelis to this remote Himalayan village:
· Internet cafes and body piercing parlors
· Reggae bars and cheap rentals
· Western-style restaurants
· Israeli flags spotted near Kasol
· Hebrew is spoken in internet cafes
· India is a haven for hippies
· Indian’s hospitality toward foreign tourists
· Higher exchange rate against Indian currency
· Hospitality, beautiful environs, and wild charas (hand-made hashish)
· All signages in Hindi and Hebrew
· A room to stay there for just INR 300 per day...
· Presence of virtual Jewish settlements
Kasol for Israelis after 2 years of a compulsory military service
Kasol is also home to a large population of Israelis. According to locals, the town is a hot spot for a lot of young people who finish their compulsory military service in Israel and then escape to the Parvati Valley. After receiving a mandatory military training, which is hard and exhausting, in their country, they like to visit this village for a well-deserved vacation.
Michael Alon, a tourist from Tel Avi, is fascinated by Himachal’s magic and says, “Israel is all about cities and deserts. We love these hills, they inspire us towards spirituality.”
“We sing, we dance, we want to enjoy day and night. No place can be better than these peaceful villages, tucked deep in the Himalayas,” she added her views on Kasol.
Kasol new destination for party freaks and animals
Villagers claim that Israelis are also drawn to Himachal due to the easy supply of narcotics. While the police are not exposing anything on the issue, yet there were some crackdowns on Kasol Himachal Pradesh rave parties at Kasol occasionally. The connection between Manali and Goa has come to light a number of times. Records of Israeli, Russian, Italian, Japanese and Nigerian tourists show that many of them first reach Goa and then plan their trip to Delhi, Manali and Dharamsala.
Besides Goa, narcotics are also traded in Paharganj and other areas of New Delhi. It is also said that the well-oiled networks of Israelis, Russians and Nigerians have their roots in Manali and Dharamsala.
· Dharamsala is an easy destination for money exchange for Israelis.
· Manali has turned into a charas trade center.
Israelis are not restricted to Kasol only
Apart from Kasol, there are also some other places in India that are also seen as little Israel, including Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu and Palolem Beach, Anjuna
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