In an attempt to understand and soak in the Indian experience, Naveed Mulki (from Bengaluru) embarked on a 145-day journey through India from Leh to Kanyakumari to Bengaluru. The trip was filled with exciting, unpredictable turns and fun experiences. “When I woke up in the morning, after staying in an abandoned boat in Dapoli (Maharashtra), I had become a tourist attraction. There were locals murmuring amongst themselves and chuckling at the sight of me. Funnily, they all wanted a photo with the boat and not with me,” he laughs.
Naveed, along with his friend Rishabh Malhotra, even spent nights on abandoned boats, schools and sometimes, out in the open. For directions, they relied on Google maps and spoke to many of the locals, language never being a barrier. “The locals in every state refused to take any money from us and they offered us food, shelter and anything that we might need. They have truly humbled us with their love and support,” he adds.
What was the biggest hurdle they encountered? “Rishabh had a serious arm injury after 100 days on the road. He had no choice but to stop in Pune and could not finish this journey. At that point, I had to continue on my own and that was quite a challenge.” How does it feel to be back? “The reaction to finishing this journey from family, friends and a whole lot of people I didn’t know (online and on the road) has been incredible and very overwhelming!” he signs off.