This warning is for everyone visiting or wanting to visit Mathura-Vrindavan and all the holy sites around.Basically it works like this…..
Once you hire a tourist taxi randomly, the driver will take you to the temple where his accomplices in the form of guides, priests etc are waiting to scam you of all your money and more.Vrindavan and mathura is filled with numerous temples at any one site.If you don’t have a plan to visit any particular temple, the taxi drivers will drive you to the temple of their choice where an accomplice is waiting to act as your guide.Once you take him on as a guide, he will take you around the legitimate temple (in our case it was the govind temple at Vrindavan) and explain the various aspects, asking you to clap your hands and laugh in praise of Lord Krishna.He will then concoct a story of how a diamond embedded in the ceiling was taken by Aurangzeb when he attacked the temple, and how his mother gave it back to an adjacent temple to repent when Aurangzeb went blind.
Once he leads you out of the temple to see that diamond in its new place, you are on your way to getting cheated of all your money.In the narrow alleyways and bylanes around the main temple are various ashrams, temples etc.where you will be shown beggars and widows who are fed by donations of visitors.Finally you will be led to the temple where the scam starts.You will be shown various statues etc and finally be told to switch off your mobile.You will then be seated in front of 3 statues where the priest then takes over.He will conduct a sham ceremony and ask you to utter a few mantras.After that he will ask you for a donation in 1000, 3000 and 4000 denomination.In return he promises you that your name will be engraved on a marble stone and fixed on the wall of the temple.He will also show you a few famous names engraved on the slabs.eg.amitabh bacchan, karishma kapoor etc.After that he will whip out a fake receipt book and start by asking you your name, your fathers name etc. and then ask you for the money in 1000, 3000 or 4000 denomination.If you try to talk to each other, he will scare you with curses and bad luck.If you try to discuss it with your friends who are seated around you, he will stop you and ask you to mind your own business.While all this name taking is going on, his cohorts in the temple will be seated behind you and pronounce their donations out loud.Making you believe that it’s a genuine donation.If you part with your money, you will become the newest victim.In our case 3 people lost 1000 rupees.I used my presense of mind and asked them for a credit card donation, since I knew it would lead me out of the temple and give me time to think.Trust me, once you are seated and the ceremony is complete you will need all the fortitude to get out of that situation with menacing faces surrounding you.Once we were led to the so called ‘temple trust office’ it was all clear that it was a sham since it was one of the dingy shops around the corner and not a temple trust office.I faked that I needed a temple trust receipt from the machine and not some screwed up shop’s name.
So all those of you who visit India or are planning to visit India beware of these scams.They are everywhere.Guides who will lead you to shops where they get the maximum commission and you get ripped off.Get your head out of the sand and plan it carefully.
I will be glad to send you a photo of the scamsters taken inadvertently while clicking inside the main temple.They wont allow you to take pictures while you are in the temple citing the monkeys around.
Take care…and best of luck.