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Day 0
There is a period in our lives when we fall to the bottom and don't know how to get up. It is the period when we fail hard and lose faith in ourselves; the time when we feel stuck and don't know what to do next. The tough times of our lives. I also went through this when my ambitious business plans failed miserably after putting in more than three years of genuine hard work. Potential acquisitions were turned down at the last moment, new ideas practically didn't work out, my savings were depleted, I became depressed, my family lost faith in me, and eventually, I lost myself. It was tragic. In such times, we can either stay lost, keep persevering, or leave everything behind and reinvent ourselves. Staying lost isn’t going to do any good, so it’s better not to follow that route. At the same time, I have persevered a lot and reached a point where I hate what I do. Can’t persevere anymore. So, only one option remains: self-discovery.
Self-discovery is about trying to answer the fundamental questions of life: Who are we? What is the purpose of life? How should we live? These are some of the toughest questions in the world, with no well-defined answers—questions for which some dedicate their lifetimes seeking answers. Some learn from spiritual leaders, others gain insights from experience, some read scriptures, and some meditate. I, too, considered connecting the dots from my past, consulting psychologists, and taking a break from everything. The last one—taking a break—felt the most interesting. A break from all problems, worries, and failures. An opportunity to look into others' lives, gain various perspectives, and ultimately find more clarity about life. A journey to explore new places, new cultures, new experiences, and, most importantly, a new self. That journey is the eight-week-long solo trip across India that I undertook from August 20 to October 14, 2022.
It takes two to three weeks to create a plan and prepare for the journey. At a high level, India is classified into seven regions, with one week planned for exploring each region. An extra week is also included for contingencies, making a total of eight weeks. That's all for the itinerary; everything else is decided on the go. In terms of money, I have around 70,000 rupees. To put this in perspective, that’s the price of a decent laptop in India. No other savings or investments—just that much. For luggage, a cheap 65 L rucksack is ready. The luggage includes six t-shirts, three pairs of pants, one raincoat, a small 10 L backpack, a pair of flip-flops, necessary medicines, pepper spray (better safe than sorry), and some essential tools and accessories like scissors, a power bank, a water bottle, a wallet, a phone, and a charger. In total, the luggage weighs around 10 kg. Packing completed successfully!
Now it's time to overcome the biggest challenge: convincing my family. I haven't been a traveler before, and as you can expect, my family members resisted. Their main arguments were, "You haven't done anything like this; it's dangerous to travel alone; you are a kid" (I’m 22, by the way); "We can't help you in case of an emergency," and many more. But, as decided earlier, there would be no turning back. After a few days of strong disagreements, they agreed to two weeks of travel. At least it will get the trip started—that's more important. So, everything is set. From now on, it's us. You and me. Together, we will explore India and the philosophy of life. Hope you are ready :)
Day 1
We are starting from Ernakulam in Kerala and will be going to Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu by train. These are the southern parts of India, almost. Since it's the first day, we have no idea what to expect on this journey, but it feels incredibly exciting nonetheless! From the open windows of the train, we can see rural houses, green paddy fields, calm rivers, small forests, rocky hills, and much more. It's all beautiful. We can also spot lots of playful monkeys and shy peacocks along the way. As we reach Coimbatore, we notice small houses with similar square-shaped structures, adorned in a variety of stunning colors. When we see them from afar, the combined beauty of geometry and color captivates us. It continues until we reach the Coimbatore railway station. Thanks to Indian Railways for offering affordable travel options across the country; most of our journey will be by train. We will come across many railway stations and train memories. We will book our tickets online, usually 2-3 days before each ride. And of course, we will try our best every time to get a window seat! :)
Having arrived in Coimbatore by afternoon, we head to our accommodation on Raja Street. As you know, we are on a tight budget. We can only spend around 1,000 rupees per day on everything, including travel, food, and accommodation. So, we will be staying in the cheapest accommodations we can find, costing around 300 rupees per night. We book these rooms online once we reach the destination. After reaching the room, we keep the big rucksack there, take some necessary items in the small backpack, and then go out. That's the process. Ready to head out?
Coimbatore is known for its markets, textiles, industries, and history. There aren't many attractions here; it's the place itself that's the attraction. We can take a leisurely stroll along the Smart City walkway near Valankulam Lake. It's like a couple's area, full of couples everywhere, young and old. While some are chatting with ice creams, others are trying their best to take pictures with the lake in the frame. Click! With the calm lake beside us, we lie on a slab, resting under a tree as we reflect on what we're doing here. Like all deep thinking, it will probably lead to a good nap. :) And it’s not just us; we have a few rats for company as well. By the way, vehicles are bustling on the road beside the walkway, so the nap doesn’t last long. As we walk further, we can find the bustle in Raja and Vysial streets in the evening nerve-wracking. There are a lot of shops and street vendors on both sides of the road, filled with shoppers, vehicles, and even cows! What’s even more interesting is that large buses navigate right through all of this, of course, without hitting anything. Everything is in harmony. We roam around those streets without even checking the maps while also enjoying some street food along the way. Cut fruits, omelets, juice, and more. Anyway, by around 10 pm, we quit wandering. :)
As we go through all of this, we experience a lot of happiness. If we reflect on what truly made us happy, it wasn’t any luxury or success. It's just the small moments we experienced: the old couples trying hard to take pictures with proper poses, the rats playing hide and seek near the tree we slept under, the way the bus maneuvers through the bustling street, the taste of an inexpensive omelet served on a leaf, and more. All such moments and encounters are a pure source of happiness. But we somehow forget to notice, comprehend, and feel them. Happiness is everywhere; we just need to look carefully. :)
Day 2
Usually, we stay around one day per destination, but certain days will be just continuous travel. Today is such a day—an all-day travel day. Coimbatore feels so calm in the early morning. At least the buses are now moving freely through the streets, and the shops haven’t opened yet. Before the city wakes up, we need to leave for Mettupalayam, which is a connecting bus station for our actual destination, Coonoor. It’s a bit of a struggle to find the right buses because the signboards are in Tamil only; nothing is written in English or Hindi anywhere. We have to ask around five people to find the right bus, using gestures more than words. This is a fun challenge we'll encounter often in many regions. Why? Because India is home to over 100 languages! Yes, that's far more than we can handle. :)
On the bus, we notice a middle-aged man who appears to be somewhat mentally unwell. He starts making noise and causing trouble for the passengers beside him. While some people understand the situation and try to remain patient, not everyone is so forgiving. A few passengers stop the bus and begin questioning, scolding, and even assaulting him. In the end, we see someone pushing him out of the bus! The rest is unknown. Some may find it brave, but I find it outrageous. Imagine if we were that person who got pushed out of the bus. What would we feel? Before we do or say something to someone, if we ask ourselves how the other person feels, we will know what’s right and what’s wrong. Empathy is the foundation of our actions toward others.
Coonoor is a hill station. Yes, we are going up! The bus journey is wonderful, with lots of hairpin bends along the way. Hundreds of monkeys line the roadside, playing, eating, and grooming each other. Many of them look to us for food as the bus passes by. Sorry, monkeys, but we don't have any bananas! :) The lush green trees and the morning sun provide us with a serene view throughout the bus trip. It’s getting colder, though. As we reach Coonoor, we are welcomed by a unique mix of rain and fog. It’s fascinating to see how both work together. Steam locomotives are quite rare now, and operating them on top of mountains certainly qualifies it as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It will take us to Ooty on a one-and-a-half-hour ride through the hills, surrounded by scenic trees. Hundreds of eucalyptus trees packed together beside the track provide splendid views. The distant hills, homes and markets dotting the valley, and the beauty of Ooty all make the train ride fascinating. Those desktop wallpapers we used to admire in childhood are becoming a reality now! :) The train runs very slowly; even walking could be much faster. But it's the slowness that makes the train ride so enjoyable. Sometimes, it is better to enjoy the slowness, right? Yes. How we cope with circumstances changes the actual impact of the same!
Ooty is a small town and hill station that offers stunning views of tea gardens and a pleasant climate. That’s not all; we can also stroll around the lake and the flower gardens. As time passes, the cold gets much colder now. We also need to go, so we’ll get on another bus, to Gudalur. It is also part of the Nilgiri Mountains, associated with the Western Ghats. The journey offers good views, a forest vibe, and mists along the way. We can also find fresh carrots for sale by the roadside as the bus stops in between. That’s our food! :) From Gudalur, we are going to Kozhikode. It’s raining heavily, and the bus is almost empty. Late at night, we arrive in Kozhikode and stroll through the vibrant city, passing Sweetmeat Street, a culturally significant walking street. However, the market is mostly empty, likely due to the rain and our late arrival. We can't help but notice a few suspicious looks from some people. To avoid any trouble, let’s make our way to the railway station quickly, as our train will be departing soon.
Tonight, we are going to sleep on the train. Usually, if a train journey lasts longer than six hours, we will take the Sleeper Class at night. This way, we can save a lot of time and accommodation costs for that night. So, expect this strategy to be reused many times as we go further! :) We also need to take many precautions while sleeping on the train, such as using the rucksack as our pillow, keeping our phone and wallet hidden in the rucksack, keeping the pepper spray in our pockets, and, of course, being more vigilant. We need to take risks, but not foolish ones. That’s why precautions are important. Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Oh, I didn’t mention where we are going next. We'll see tomorrow! :)
Day 3
We are in a deep sleep, even though it’s our first train-sleeping experience on this journey. The tea sellers and the train horns wake us up early in the morning, and they surely will, no matter how sleepy you are. The first thing we do is check if we’ve lost any of our belongings. This isn’t just for today; we continue this ritual throughout the journey. Anyway, today, we are going to Goa. The train glides through the scenic Konkan zone, offering beautiful hill views and numerous tunnels. It’s a fascinating journey. Each time we pass through a tunnel, we feel a sense of joy, knowing that at the end of the darkness lies light. Witnessing that light is a satisfying experience, even though the light was there before we entered the tunnel. We only realize the presence of light when we go through the darkness. Similarly, life is filled with peace and happiness, which we appreciate only after experiencing some conflict and sorrow.
Our first stop in Goa is the Madgaon railway station. First, we need to go to a lodge to unpack. We have a lodge in Fatorda for our stay today. For most of the journey, we will stay in dormitories and shared rooms because they are more affordable. Hope you remember the budget! :) Goa is full of beaches and has a rich Portuguese history. Normally, a tourist visiting Goa would go to a beach, swim in the sea, visit some heritage sites, and then enjoy some wine and food. So, will we do the same? Not exactly. We will try to see all aspects of Goa. There are shuttle bus services that connect different places within Goa, and they’re electric too. So, we will use one to reach Panaji, the capital of Goa. The roadside view is filled with short trees, and we can’t spot any buildings. Panaji is a small city but busy with tourists and shoppers.
Nothing is particularly interesting in Panaji until we head to Dona Paula via the Dayanand Bandodkar Marg, which runs alongside the Mandovi River. The river is filled not with water but with casinos and cruise boats. I don’t think we can find that many casinos anywhere else in India. The roadside is crowded with cloth vendors and fashion shoppers, creating a busy street market. Traveling through the inner streets also gives us insight into the Goan lifestyle, which is colorful and vibrant.
In Dona Paula, we get a good view of the bay and the unending Arabian Sea. Just stand here, feel the breeze, and enjoy the beauty of the sea waves. There are also three or four other beaches within a 1 km radius. Beaches, beaches everywhere! But no matter how many beaches Goa has to offer, we are not going to get into one just yet. Patience, mate. We will surely get to one somewhere else! :) The Dona Paula beach pavilion is not exactly a beach; it’s a viewpoint. The area is filled with small vendors, and everyone seems to sell almost the same items. Some vendors actively attract customers, while others scroll on their phones. It would be better if the vendors offered different items so that the less salesy ones could also make some money instead of competing with others. See, our world is filled with competition, which is part of our survival instinct too. However, as we become more educated and informed, it’s time for us to embrace an approach of cooperation rather than competition. Let synergy prevail! Let everyone win!
After Dona Paula, we are heading to Vasco Da Gama. Confused? Haha, it’s a city named after the Portuguese explorer himself. The journey alongside the Zuari River is beautiful. We have plans for Vasco Da Gama, like visiting a fort and a Japanese garden, but we can’t do anything. Guess why? Because there are no public transport options! We see everyone moving in private or rented vehicles only. Since it’s about 10 kilometers to walk, we can't walk. The only thing we do in Vasco Da Gama is eat biryani. As colorful as Goa is, so is the food! The plate is filled with rice in red, blue, green, and yellow! It all tastes the same, though. We wait for more than half an hour to get our food, just like the cat that sits beside us. :)
Actually, nothing worked out for us in this place. Better to leave! We can try going to some beach at last, but again, bad luck. The shops, transportation, and attractions are all closed by around 7 pm. After returning to Fatorda and walking around disappointed for an hour, we survive on two apples from a street vendor, as there aren’t any open restaurants nearby! Our evening in Goa is a disaster. But don't worry. This kind of situation happens very rarely throughout our journey, and it’s okay. Sometimes, things won’t work out the way we plan. We just need to cope with it, learn from our mistakes, and hope for a better tomorrow. Everything will be alright :)
Day 4
Run… run… run… When we have a train to catch and we’re running late, this is what we tell ourselves—maybe a hundred times; who’s counting? Due to the lack of public transport in the morning, we find ourselves in a race against time. A rickshaw driver shows his skills to help us reach the station. To get inside and find our train, we still need to run another 1-2 km. And remember, we’re running with a rucksack on our back that weighs 10 kg! We need to move quickly while making sure the bag straps don’t tear. Thanks to the rickshaw driver and our morning energy, we luckily manage to board the train just in time.
Today, we have one main destination: Hampi. As the train moves, we pass through the lush green hills of the Western Ghats. We get to see one of the best waterfalls in India—Dudhsagar Falls. It’s spectacular. The water cascades down the mountain, looking like milk pouring from above. That’s how white and beautiful it appears. The name "Dudhsagar," meaning "sea of milk," is aptly given. We can see it clearly from the train—not the milk, but the waterfall! :)
The journey from Goa to Hampi takes around 7 hours by train. We’re in a sleeper coach, where the seats are long enough for us to sleep or for multiple people to sit. A young guy comes straight toward us, gives us a tough look, and sits next to us. We don’t speak any of the languages he knows, and he doesn’t speak ours. Since the seat is supposed to be shared, we accommodate him. However, he acts like he owns the entire seat! When the ticket examiner arrives, our seatmate quickly makes himself scarce. Guess what? He didn’t have a valid ticket! We’ve been fooled! Realizing this, he apologetically collects his things and leaves. What a drama! Funny, though. This reminds us that all the drama others create will eventually come to an end. When we realize this, we can either laugh it off or dwell on it and seek revenge. The outcome is up to us. Let’s choose to let go and enjoy the ride instead. :)
With such interesting experiences, we finally reach Hampi. As we enter the heart of Hampi, we start to believe the history lessons we learned in school. We realize that those lessons were not myths; seeing is believing! There are around 10 different historical sites and archaeological ruins scattered across the area. Since the distance between these sites is significant, walking would be quite difficult. The taxi and rickshaw drivers see this as an opportunity and are ready to take us on board! :) After some bargaining, we agree on a fare of 500 rupees for 2 hours. Finally, we’re off to see the real gems of Hampi!
We visit many sites, including the Underground Shiva Temple, the Royal Palace, Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stables, Zenana Enclosure, Old Ponds, and bathing places. These 14th-century sites, combined with the big rocks scattered throughout Hampi, undoubtedly make it a UNESCO World Heritage site. At many sites, we take the time to imagine how people lived during those ancient periods. We can visualize the royal family residing in the palace, devotees praying in the underground temple, royal guests being hosted in the enclosures, and ordinary people bathing and washing clothes in stepped tanks—festivals being celebrated all around. We can even imagine ourselves as one of those ordinary people, maybe as a servant to someone else. This keeps us thinking about the transformations in civilization and society. Comparing today’s century with those centuries, we realize how lucky we are in terms of freedom, ease of living, and equality. Instead of complaining and worrying, we should be more grateful for living in this era. Whenever we feel bad about the world and our lives, we just need to visualize ourselves as that ordinary person in ancient times. We’ll come to appreciate what a world we’re living in! What a life it is!
We also venture beyond the major attractions. We step outside the fort boundaries, view the sites from different perspectives, traverse less-traveled paths, and explore inner rooms and spaces. This gives us a clearer picture of the site, its history, its culture, and the lifestyles of ancient peoples. So, how do we find the time for all this? The answer is simple: "No photography." Throughout this journey, we won’t capture any photos for ourselves. No pictures of us, the places we visit, or the people we meet. We also avoid news, phone calls, emails, and social media during the trip. Basically, we stay uninterrupted. These choices help us focus on the journey and the experience, which is why I can recollect the adventures and share them with you now. Thank me later! :)
Coming back to our exploration, that’s all for Hampi. Since Hampi is in a very remote area, there isn’t much to see nearby. So, we’re heading somewhere else by train and bus—someplace far away…
Day 5
Today, it wasn’t the circadian rhythm or the mobile alarm that woke us up; it was the bus conductor. In case you forgot, we were traveling by bus. When we travel at night, our means of transport also serve as our accommodation. So, when we reach our destination, the conductors ensure we wake up and get out. We’re now at Shivaji Nagar, close to the center of Pune city. It’s early morning, and since nothing is open at this hour, we look for a place we can enter. The Pataleshwar Cave Temple is the perfect spot. A peaceful 8th-century temple carved into rock. We are the only visitors in the temple compound at this time, accompanied only by a few pigeons. Enjoying solitude is a special feeling; the soul truly revels in such peace! Later, many devotees arrive to perform rituals, and only then do we realize it’s an active temple. As the temple grows more crowded, it’s time for us to escape. Oh, the pigeons managed to escape before we did! :)
Pune is an interesting city. There’s a lot of energy, plenty to see, and much to explore. Unlike the past few days, today we will visit many places. After a short walk, we arrive at Shaniwar Wada, an ancient palace fort of the Peshwas. Almost everything inside the fort is accessible, with no hidden gems. From the top floor, we enjoy a stunning view of the garden. Great work, old landscape designer! The fort is located in the city center, so inside its walls, it’s completely peaceful, while outside, the city bustles with activity. We notice that many visitors seem lonely, maybe seeking solace. When we don't have a person to comfort us, it's better to find a place that can comfort us. Shaniwar Wada is one such place.
As we stroll through the city, one place catches our attention: a museum named "Darshan." It’s one of the most technologically advanced spiritual museums. Inside, we’re taken through the life of Sadhu Vaswani, an educationalist and sage. With magnificent artistic sets, spatial experiences, holographic representations, and various technical applications, the museum beautifully combines spirituality with biography. Here, too, we are the only visitors at this time. Without hesitation, the guide takes us across the 10,000 sq. ft. interactive museum for a 1-2 hour tour. She is very respectful, even though she knows we have nothing to give back. However, we purchase a couple of books written by the sage himself. He advocates social service, frugality, vegetarianism, and more. Such ideas prompt us to reflect and question our everyday choices, possibly altering the course of our lives. To seek answers for a better life, we must start questioning, right? After all, how can we know how to live better if we don’t examine our current way of life?
After taking a nap at our today's accommodation near Swargate, we head to the Pune-Okayama Friendship Garden, an elegant Japanese garden. Here, we could peacefully walk around, enjoy the flowers, and spend hours gazing at the colorful fish in the ponds. It’s so captivating that we never want to leave. Sorry, garden; we need to go! Since it’s evening and everything is starting to close, there’s nowhere else to visit. We’ll simply transit across the city, maybe a bit far. So, we’re heading to Pimpri Chinchwad via the rapid transport bus. It’s a large industrial and highly populated suburban area, evident from the big brands, stylish buildings, busy roads, and faster transport systems.
As we move around Pune, we notice two uncommon things. The first is the bus stops. Normally, bus stops around the world are located at the side of the road, but in Pune, they are in the middle! In the center of the road, there are small raised platforms where we can board and disembark. We only get a few seconds to jump on or off the bus. It’s so quick! While we read the destination sign and try to figure out where the bus is going, it may have already left the station. Sometimes we have to let go of the bus so that people in a hurry can board without incident. Don't worry. This experience can serve as a unique method for developing patience. :) The second uncommon observation is the use of scarves. We see that most girls and women cover their faces with scarves, especially those who drive. This isn’t necessarily due to religious or cultural practices; it’s more a fashion choice. It's interesting. It protects against pollution and heat while also enhancing privacy and confidence. It took me a while to figure that out. Some things take time; we just need to wait, just like we did for the right bus. :)
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