Beyond the Tourist Gaze: Exploring the Experiences of Differently Abled and Neurodiverse Individuals in Matheran, India

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I recently read an article by #KatyGillett titled Is the global travel industry failing people with disabilities? Siobhan Daly shared it on LinkedIn. Being a passionate tourism researcher and father of a neurodiverse kid, I decided to check the ground reality myself. I travelled to #Matheran, a picturesque hill station in Maharashtra, India. Matheran is located in the lap of western ghats and relatively closer to one Megalopolis, i.e., Mumbai, and a Metropolitan city, Pune. It has good connectivity through roads and Indian railways.

The place is dotted with old British cottages and luxury resorts, some of them owned by big corporate conglomerates of India. I found tourists from all over India in Matheran. It was the weekend, and the hilly town was bustling with vibrant tourists. However, to my shock, I could not find a disabled tourist. It was obvious due to several issues my kid faced during our stay.

Foremost, No vehicle (including non-polluting ones) is allowed to enter Matheran. They are stopped near a place known as Aman Lodge, and from there, options to climb or reach Matheran are the handcart, which is pulled by one person from the front and pushed by the other from the backside. It was extremely painful and dehumanising to see humans pulling other humans. The handcart felt like the remnant of the British colonial period when Indians used to pull the carts of Gora Saheb and Memsaheb. In Matheran, horses are extremely popular among the tourists. The Toy Train is also a major attraction. But getting its tickets during peak tourist season and weekends is a tough nut to crack.

All three modes of transportation to the destination are extremely difficult to access by persons with disabilities. The handcart and horse ride are tormenting for the neurodiverse kids due to their sensory issues. Suppose the disabled or neurodiverse tourist manages to reach the train station. They cannot move beyond the train station since only two modes of communication exist inside the hilly town: horses and handcarts. The family members of people with disabilities must carry them to the hotels and resorts. Due to the lack of requisite tourist infrastructure for people with disabilities, the family members and caregivers are left with only one option, which is to exclude them from trips to such places.

Similarly, people with disabilities cannot go to any famous spots or what they call the “points” in Matheran, as there is no facility for them to travel with caregivers or independently. I tried to check the level of awareness from the stakeholders about the issues of disabled and neurodiverse people. A handcart labourer told me:
I have a very vague idea of neurodiversity. I have never come across any tourist who is neurodiverse. He added those having mental issues shall not come to visit this place. It is not for them.
I asked a local shopkeeper why there were no battery-run vehicles or durable roads in the town. He only spoke when I promised him of anonymity.
The authorities introduced battery-run vehicles a few months back, but due to the protests and lobbying of horse owners, the authorities failed to continue and dropped the idea.
When asked about neurodiverse and disabled people, another major stakeholder, the hotel manager said,
It is the responsibility of their family to take care of the disabled or neurodiverse. We cannot do anything about it. We are helpless as such a matter should be taken up by the resort owners and the decision-makers.
We should not single out Matheran for the absence of infrastructure and training necessary for the inclusion of the disabled and neurodiverse tourists. A similar or worse scenario might be observed in other tourist destinations of the country. However, it is important to make decisive efforts to create more inclusive tourist spaces in India. It can be achieved through the following:
  • Sensitisation of all the tourism stakeholders about the existing physical and non-physical barriers for people with disabilities.
  • CBOs and NGOs should create awareness regarding neurodiversity in the community and key stakeholders at tourist destinations.
  • Development of disabled-friendly infrastructure at tourist destinations.
In a rapidly growing country like India, changing the status quo will be resisted and linked with the loss of livelihood of the people involved in the exclusion business. For example, in the case of Matheran, if the government decides to do away with handcarts and horses, it will be blamed for snatching livelihood opportunities from a significant population group. Therefore, the challenge is extremely complex and daunting for the decision-makers. It requires not only a strong political will but also huge public support and mobilisation of resources. The tourism sector and businesses must also realise that excluding people because they are differently-abled, or Divyang, will deter India’s zeal to become a sustainable tourism destination and also weaken the brand image of India.
Location: Matheran, Maharashtra, India