New Delhi

India’s famous travel vlogger Kailash, who is known for bringing stories of tribes and people living in remote parts of the world, has brought out a heart-warming story about how Afghans including the ruling Taliban have positive feelings for India and its people.

On his YouTube channel Indo-Trekker, Kailash, who hails from Jaipur, Rajasthan, shared the story of how, contrary to his expectations, he was hosted by the Taliban during his journey in Afghanistan. A day ago Kailash and his team were arrested for a few hours by the Taliban in Kabul and released after checking their antecedents.

In his latest video posted on Indo Trekker, Kailash said: “I was surprised to get such a grand welcome and hospitality from the Taliban.”

The Taliban invited Kailash, his team, and local guide Saifi for a tea party at Jalalabad as they undertook a road journey through the barren mountains and passes of Afghanistan.

Kailash inside Taliban office for tea party (Pic grabbed from video)

In a small clipping of his video that Kailash shared on Twitter, he is seen being welcomed by the Kalashnikov-wielding Taliban fighters inside an office that has walls on which the paint is peeling off. Kailash is hugged by everyone as the Taliban officials pose with him to record the moment on camera.

Interestingly, Kailash also shakes hands with women passers-by outside the office of the Taliban. The girls are normally dressed and wear a headscarf and smile at the visitor.

The Taliban then stop the traffic to make way for the vehicle of their ‘Dost’ and Kailash speaks emotionally about his experience.“They were so loving and affectionate; they served me copious cups of (green) tea and snacks and would not allow us to leave,” he says in the video.

“I experienced such hospitality across Afghanistan from the Taliban. They would offer us food and tea and it was impossible to tell them we are done with food.”

Kailash in Kabul (Facebook)

At the tea party, the fighters are repeatedly saying “Hindustani dost.”

One of the Taliban is heard telling Kailash that he is free to travel to Kunar and beyond and that they need not fear anyone in Afghanistan.

Kailash says initially, he was in for a shock to see the Taliban fighters everywhere he visited in the country and during his road journey from Kabul to Jalalabad with his local guide Saifi.

The Afghans often referred to him as “Hindustani dost and Mehmaan (Guest) and at times shopkeepers refused to accept money for the goods he purchased from them.

Kailash at the reception of a Kabul Hotel

He shared a heart-warming scene where a local roadside vendor on the highway to Jalalabad refuses to accept 400 Afghanis for the chadors he purchased for his sister. Kailash is seen insisting that he will not accept the gift from him since it was his bread and butter.

The shopkeeper did not accept the payment until someone intervened and told him that his “guest will leave without taking the chaddars home.”

Kailash also showed the downside of a globally isolated Afghanistan and especially its economy as he during his visit to the local fruit market bought seven kilograms of Pegman apple for 150 Afghanis (INR 150) while the average price of one kg in India.

The Kabul hotel he stayed in looked more like a dumpyard. He said it was like most other hotels that once had all modern facilities.

Kailash with a common Afghan citizen

Kailash was taken to an area outside Jalalabad city, which was the stronghold of the Mujahideen during their war with the Soviet Union where a seizer or an abandoned Soviet tank is kept as a war trophy and a symbol; of Afghan pride. Kailash not only went inside the tank but also was given a Kalashnikov to pose with atop the tank.

“I wonder how I developed such good bonding with the Taliban; Initially, I was very scared and my heart would pound on seeing them.”

The video “Taliban invited us for lunch” posted a day ago had recorded 595,873 views and 39K likes so far.

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Kailash have traveled to 19 countries including Papua New Guine, Brundi, Sri Lanka, Namibia and Indonesia and he aspires to cover all 197 countries of the world.