Udaipur : In a heart whelming incident,a NewZealander tourist who visited Udaipur in 1999 and got attached to a tourist guide here, wrote to the Rajasthan Tourism Department recently, seeking help to get connected with his long forgotten friend. The tourist approached the department after his efforts failed to search the guide on various social media platforms.
With the efforts of the department, Robert James aka Rob has been able to re-connect with Ghanshyam Singh Chouhan through email after 22 long years. Robert, a motorcyclist by profession, had come to India as a part of travel for 18 months and had met Chouhan while eating in a restaurant in Udaipur. Chouhan had helped him hire an Enfield 350 motorcycle and hosted a meal for Rob at his home.
“Robert sent an email to the Director tourism on June 10, showing concern and asking details for a guide who helped him during his Udaipur stay. He said he would like to help him with 200 dollars as they may be suffering from the current COVID circumstances. The letter was forwarded to the local office” Shikha Saxena, Dy Director Tourism, Udaipur told Udaipur Kiran.
One of the senior staff, Jitendra Mali happened to know Ghanshyam as he was an approved guide. Another staff member Neelu Rathore assisted in tracing the guide and asking him to visit the office. Chouhan met the officials and confirmed his old affiliation with Rob.
He was glad and so overwhelmed by the love and concern shown by a foreigner, however he declined the monetary help from the kind man when he came to know that Rob himself has been ailing and had a shunt (bypass) inserted in the base of his spine last year.
He took the email address from the officials and wrote back to Rob giving details about his family and sharing concern about his younger son RishiRaj who after completion of a course in Hotel Management is yet unemployed and looking for a job.He asked Rob to help him find a job in New Zealand. Rob assured him to help his son find some opportunity and also said that if he arrives in New Zealand he could stay at his home in Gore.
“Guides have always played the role of cultural ambassadors. The humanitarian gesture by the tourist after two decades speaks volumes about Mewar hospitality and Rajasthan tourism which is unprecedented in the world” Shikha said.