A Swiss couple was attacked in Agra recently after they refused to get selfies clicked with a group of guys. ‘Selfie with foreigner’ is a very popular trend on Facebook, and guides say that local men often see it as an achievement

We tell guests before starting a tour to not entertain people seeking selfies: Tour guides

The 'white skin obsession' makes people go crazy about selfies with foreigners

A simple #selfiewithforeigner search on Facebook revealed many posts by people who got themselves clicked with foreign tourists and uploaded the pictures on their profiles

'Some believe that taking a photo with a white-skinned person will bring them luck'

'As tourists, we do feel uncomfortable, but we think it might be rude to say no'

The dream Indian holiday of a Swiss couple recently turned into a nightmare after they were brutally attacked by a group of men in Agra's Fatehpur Sikri for refusing to take selfies with them. What the couple faced was extreme, but foreign tourists and guides tell us that white-skinned tourists being approached for selfies is quite common in India, with locals sometimes not even asking for consent. In fact, the ‘selfie with a foreigner’ tag is very popular on Facebook. Tour guides say that because of such selfie seekers, they now have an added responsibility to ensure the safety of their "white-skinned female guests." Most tourists are also warned about selfie seekers even before they begin their India tour to avoid any unpleasant situation.A Swiss couple was attacked in Agra recently after they refused to get selfies clicked with a group of guys. ' Selfie with foreigner ' is a very popular trend on Facebook, and guides say that local men often see it as an achievementAlong with the day’s itinerary, guides also give an introduction to the city’s history and culture before starting a tour with their foreign guests. Now, there is an addition to the list of dos and don’ts: Don’t encourage people to come close to take selfies.Danish Mohammad Khan, who conducts guided tours in Agra, Delhi and Jaipur, says, "This problem has grown a lot. Also, if the tourists say no to selfies, people try to click them sneakily. Some even start following them. Recently, I was with four Mexican guests at India Gate, and two boys approached one of the guests (a 17-year-old girl) for a picture and she said yes. I noticed that they both were trying to touch her inappropriately while taking a selfie. I had to intervene and tell them strictly to not even come close to my group. I have also noticed that people only want to take pictures with white-skinned tourists. Guys think that there is some sense of achievement in having a picture with a woman who is fair, friendly, the picture makes them a hero of their group." Danish adds that at popular historical monuments where foreigners come round the year, some guys "who have nothing better to do in life only spend their day in harassing female tourists with an excuse of taking selfies."Foreigners who have now been staying in India for some time are used to people walking up to them for selfies. They say that while the first couple of selfie requests come across as a friendly gesture, it soon becomes irritating when they realise that "most Indian men are obsessed with white skin."Hamed Barmaki, a student from Afghanistan studying in SRCC, says, "People approaching me for selfies happens quite often. I find it irritating, especially when I am with a female friend. Preferring a particular complexion is okay, but after the Agra incident, it is obvious that most Indian men are abnormally obsessed with white skin."Karen Mkrtchyan, who recently completed his MA from JNU and is from Armenia, says, "Male foreigners usually get approached for selfies if they are dressed in a funky way. Usually, it is the female tourists who face this problem. I can hardly remember any Indian girl approaching me for a selfie, but foreign women are often approached for pictures by Indian guys. If I am with a female friend, after taking a group selfie, locals usually ask if they can take one with her alone. Having said that, I don’t think most people do it with any bad intention. No foreigner generally objects to selfies the first few times they are approached, but after a point, they tend to get irritated with the sheer number of requests. It also depends on who is asking – they don’t mind families, but groups of young men tend to creep them out. I think that fair skin is what makes us ‘different’ and therefore people want to click pictures with us."A simple #selfiewithforeigner search on Facebook revealed many posts by people who got themselves clicked with foreign tourists and uploaded the pictures on their profilesSome foreigners like Salla Kallio, who is from Finland and is pursuing MA Sociology from JNU, say that now when they step out, they are prepared to deal with people "who make us feel like the weird odd-one out and therefore they want to click a picture with us."Salla says, "I have encountered this many times, mostly at tourist spots, when people would rush to take a selfie with me. Most of the time, these are group of guys, but sometimes couples or families also ask for selfies. It's weird and I feel like I am the odd one out. I also feel that this too is objectification." She adds that she doesn't let strangers click her anymore, though she has never had a scary encounter. Laura, an MA student from Italy in JNU, was warned by her friends to not allow random people to click pictures with her as those can be misused. "Initially, I was okay with people taking pictures with me at public places, I used to smile and let them take a selfie. But then I was told by my friends that I shouldn’t allow this because you never know where these photos would land," she says.Stella* from Australia is in India on a holiday. After touring Rajasthan, she landed in Delhi this week and will be going to Agra next. She shares that in the villages of Rajasthan, she and her friends had taken many pictures with the villagers, who were happy to oblige. But as she moved to popular tourist spots like Jaipur and then Delhi, she realised that people were coming to her for pictures. "We don’t mind taking photos, but there is a difference in the way they look at us. That is a bit uncomfortable, but then I feel it might be rude to say no, what if they are just being friendly. We also don’t know how that "no" will be received. We are in a foreign country, we just try and adjust to its ways," she says.Katie, another tourist from the US, says, "It’s funny. In most countries, nobody even notices us, but here in India, they make us feel like a celebrity. However, sometimes it becomes too much because random people come to you with selfie requests. How many times can one smile for strangers? But we knew about these selfie requests before coming to India, so it is not that annoying. Sometimes foreign tourists also want to get their photos clicked with the locals. Personally, I have no issues, but I think privacy and one’s space should be respected."(*Name changed on request)