On 15th may, three enthused souls left their home for a 42-day expedition with excitement in their eyes, anxiety in their hearts and plans in their minds! A journey which started in the Red Fort in Delhi and ended on the largest man-made lake in Bhopal turned out be an experience of a lifetime.
From the snow-covered mountains of Manali to the sacred river Ganga in Haridwar, from river-rafting in Rishikesh to the Imambadas of Lucknow to the Industries in Kanpur, From the soul-stirring temples of Bodhgaya to the mesmerising beauty of Gangtok, from the temples in Guwahati to the falls in Cherrapunji, from the sweetness of Kolkata to the spice of Hyderabad, from the traffic in Bengaluru to the greenery of Kerala, from tea gardens in Munnar to backwaters Aleppy, from the coast of Kanyakumari to the beaches in Goa, we travelled 14 states of the country! We have seen beautiful rains and satisfying snow and also scorching heat and terrifying storms. We have seen mountains, beaches, rivers, plateaus, streams and a lot of other natural beauty. We have seen varied flora and fauna and also interacted with people completely different from each other. From analysing the history of every place to savouring its cuisine, from relishing the sceneries to understanding the several cultures of India, we experienced the true meaning of “Unity in Diversity” and explored it all!
We three worked like a family, from sharing food to rooms, from walking 10-12kms someday to travelling in all kinds of local transports, from sleeping on platforms to eating on streets, from daily bargaining for each and everything to clicking unlimited pictures, we have done it all and together! This journey was not a fairy tale but a roller-coaster ride, with lots and lots of ups and downs. We learned to manage in the minimum, to trust, to ask, to try, to wait, to plan, to be punctual and live every moment to the fullest.
With tears of joy in our eyes, satisfaction in our hearts and memories of a lifetime in our minds, we ended our amazing journey on 27th June 2017. All that we saw, felt and experienced is beyond the description of words, pictures and videos. Interestingly, our name is “Trailblazers” but this beautiful trip and the exquisite experience has blazed a trail in our hearts for a lifetime.
Words won’t be enough to thank IIT Gandhinagar which received immense appreciation from each and every one we told about this unique and unmatchable programme. We consider ourselves lucky to have received such an awe-inspiring opportunity which helped us understand the country from the grass-root level.
