5-yr-old's video urging tourists to wear mask in Dharamsala goes viral

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, July 7

Amit (5), a slum-dweller who lives near the Dalai Lama temple here, has become an internet sensation for his innocent act of pointing out to tourists in Bhagsunag that they should wear their masks.

The video of Amit dancing and making the appeal to tourists, while walking along a narrow lane to the Bhagsu waterfall, became viral on Tuesday. Sources here said the video was shot and uploaded by Kailash Doval, an antique dealer in Bhagsu.

The district authorities of Kangra and mediapersons had been looking for him since then. He was found today in the slums near the temple. He was alone at that time as his parents had gone to Pathankot in Punjab to buy balloons and other material that they sell as street vendors to tourists in McLeodganj.

When the authorities found him, he was dazed due to the sudden attention. The little child, who sells balloons or begs for alms from tourists, looked curiously at officials and people who gathered around him and showered gifts on him. He was given new clothes and shoes by a revenue official deputed by the district administration. An SHO of Mcleodganj made him sit on the bonnet on his official Jeep to click his picture.

Sources said some NGOs even approached the authorities to adopt him.