Viral video: 5-year-old boy asks tourists to wear masks in Dharamsala

Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, July 7

A five-year-old boy, Amit, who lives in a slum near the Dalai Lama temple, had never realised that he has become an internet sensation for his innocent act of pointing out to tourists in Bhagsunag area of Upper Dharamsala that they should wear mask.

District authorities of Kangra and media persons had been looking for the child since yesterday when his video urging people passing through a narrow lane in Bhagsunag to wear mask went viral.

He was found today in the slum near Dalai Lama temple. He was alone 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.

The child could not tell to which place he belongs as questions were poured on him to identify him to some state, district or subdivision. He could just utter the word Nainital.

When the authorities found Amit, he was dazed at the attention he got. The little child who used to sell balloons as a street vendor or beg from the tourists to make a living was looking curiously at the officials and people gathering around him and showering love and gifts to him.

He was given new clothes and shoes by revenue official deputed by the district administration. The SHO, Mcleodganj, took him in his lap and did a photoshoot seating Amit on the bonnet on his official jeep. The child sat timidly looking at the cops.

The video of Amit dancing and pointing out to tourists walking along a narrow lane to Bhagsu waterfall to wear mask became viral yesterday.

The sources here said that the video which went viral was shot and put on internet by Kailash Doval, an antique dealer in Bhagsu.

The sources also said that today many NGOs also approached authorities to adopt the child. However, it remains to be seen if this sudden publicity helps in improving the life of the 5-year-old.