Foreign tourists served food by local family

BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, November 20

Foreign tourists, who were at their wits’ end due to demonetisation of Indian currency notes, received hospitality of a local family in Pithoragarh town yesterday.

Six foreign tourists, along with their guide, reached the local branch of a bank looking for new Indian currency notes but could not get the money. However, they met Yogesh Pathak, a local resident, who took them to his home and offered them lunch.

“Angil Kosmal (Poland ), Dionio Olgo (Ukraine), Torznov Alkasi (Russia), Max Stephen (Haiti), Oliver Fablus (Lithuania) and Lionid Martinez (France) and their guide, Mumbai-based Rahul Himati, a film-maker, met me in a local bank branch where they were trying to exchange their foreign currency. They told me that they did not have money even for lunch. I took them home and offered them lunch. Later, a bank employee arranged Indian currency notes for them so that they could travel to Nepal where they wanted to go on Saturday,” said Pathak, a local artiste.

Pathak’s family said the foreign tourists were offered Kumaoni delicacies and were given a happy send off after giving them ‘dakshina’, according to the Kumaoni custom.