Other Tourist Scams in Jodhpur

Fake Holy Man Blessing and Cash Demand

Men dressed as sadhus or holy men approach tourists near Jaswant Thada, the Mehrangarh Fort entrance, and the ghats of the Gulab Sagar lake. They offer an unsolicited blessing, tie a thread or apply a tilak, then demand a large payment — often 500 to 2000 rupees — claiming the blessing is sacred and that refusing to pay brings bad luck. The encounter is designed to exploit unfamiliarity with genuine Hindu customs.