Patriotism is one of the most debated and hot topic of our current times. By definition it means, the amount of love one has for it's country or native nation. Generally, most men and women love their own country, though the intensity and level of indulgence might vary from person to person. This difference also comes with our level of awareness and perception, from the region we find our affinity for. In that context, I was wandering to myself , how much did traveling affect my love, for my country ? I certainly had my answer as I retrospect through my experiences from the different corners of the nation. My love is certainly shaped by the truth I was fortunate to see with my own eyes. But before, I share my opinion on how much traveling one country , shapes our love for it, I was also interested to know what other people thought about this. I took to my Facebook and Instagram and asked for people to write their opinion on the following question " Is it necessary to travel to Truly Love your own country ? ". What followed is interesting answers from both faces of the coin with some insightful explanations. Here is a try to sum it up in this blog , the views that shows correlation between travel and patriotism is at all necessary or not. More importantly , the reasons behind it. I made a fascinating observation from the responses to my question. Most people who did not travel a lot, or those who generally are happy with vacations and two week long holidays, justified that it was not necessary to travel to love your country better. Obvious to say, the people who cannot think of their life without wandering aimlessly and perpetual travel, felt the opposite. I am gonna uphold both their explanations, before putting in my opinion. But before you read the opinions, you must understand, to travel or not to , is but a human choice. There is no good or bad about it. Hence, you must keep a neutral mindset before understanding why the two groups think differently. ![]() It is true that many a people did not necessarily see the length and breadth of their country, before contributing their whole lives in the service of the nation. People doing social work and helping the citizen of a nation for the love of their country are very devoted. Their actions speak for their patriotism, which might not be an effect of the travel they might have had. A similar case study is of the people serving in our army and other defense forces. One cannot question their intent , who brave the rough conditions in protecting the people of the nation. Most of them are not wanderers or have not traveled a lot before fulfilling their duty in the love for their nation. Love for one's country can come from the books one read or other mediums that might have interacted with us, to build a nation's image. It then serves to built a pride inside of us and make our identity as citizens of the nation, to find happiness in feeling belonged. So definitely, the explanation given here, that it is not necessary to travel to love your country better, is justified. However, perspectives differ and both can be simultaneously on point. Those who traveled far and wide, simply had a beautiful explanation why traveling is necessary to love your country. Most of them put forward the idea, that traveling in a country as diverse and beautiful as India, enriches your love for your nation, when you see, touch and smell them live. It is one thing to read about the Taj Mahal and know of its architecture and every mind blowing information, And another when your pupils get shocked to take the flash of white marble gigantic monument with your own eyes. It is one thing to know its history through movies and songs, and another to smell the marble or touch it's masterclass craftsmanship decorated in it's the wall. Truly travel might forge experience that builds on the love, and truly cement your pride for your nation much better. Also when you travel the different parts of the country, you help them to grow financially. Your contribution in actions towards nation is much more worthy than words or slogans. When you travel, you also inflate the bond between the different people from the different part of the country. Since, the people who host you in their home stay or hostel, or in their region also get to know about your diverse lifestyle in some distant land. So it is a national integration process, when people travel their own country. It can be also pointed out, that army or people serving in defense are exposed to indirect traveling a lot. That also gives them a varied insight of their country which definitely adds up to their patriotism. With such strong reasons, it is justified why so many people who travel thinks, it is absolutely necessary to wander and see far lands of own country as a sign of patriotism. Now, it is time for my opinion on this topic, and it is a bit complicated one. Any form of love has no definition or criteria to go through or adhere to. Its personal choice how we love somebody or something. Similarly the love for one's country can be differently expressed and adhered to by different individual, and it's justification should be satisfactory to oneself only, and not to others. With such a view, I believe, it is necessary to travel if you want to love your country better. Here is my explanation to it. When I started traveling, not all times, did I feel proud of everything my country has to offer. I could see the dark sides of my culture and society that I so openly felt pride in, until I visited different regions. It is often true, that unless you travel, your idea of any country, even your own, will be stereotypical and limited. Your ideas coming from anything but your own experience, will mostly be flawed. Such flawed reasons might be narrow minded justifications of loving your country. One might think all is good in their beautiful country when it is not. And another might think, nothing is right at all. You might ask why your country does not take the necessary steps to right the wrongs, and might feel a less pleased for your nation. Take the example of Kashmir. Some of us may be happy with how the government is dealing with it, and some of us are totally against it. However, unless you are someone who has lived in Kashmir for a little prolonged bit of time, you will not have actual insights, you truly need to understand the complications there. More often I see, people putting their opinions on Kashmir, either for the government or against. It does not matter much to me, since personal opinions like perspective can be different and yet to be respected. What does matter to me is to know that those people have, either never visited Kashmir, or may have been there just for a vacation of maximum two weeks. Now I hope you understand how much of truth can someone dig up in such a less time, or just by sitting at home and collecting his or her facts through news and media, which is always a propaganda in play. It is absolutely necessary to see everything about a country, the good , the bad and the ugly. Because my personal opinion is, only when you can accept all the faces, can you truly be able to love it in its wholesomeness. And that will be for me a full view of patriotism and not just the pride that an identity brings without justification or my own experience. I am not saying, Travel is the "only thing" that brings about this learning experience, but surely travel is of all the most effective way, to participate and pamper your patriotism. Why else do you think , great citizens who pushed a nation through their patriotism had raw travel experience and wandered around the whole of country. You can take the examples of Gandhi , Bose or Swami Vivekanada, or the likes of such , and you will find one thing in common. They did travel through their beloved land to understand it better, which helped them to make an impact full change in long term. Think about it.... ! THANK YOU ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN GIVING THE RESPONSE TO MY QUESTION THROUGH FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM STORIES. PLEASE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE AND CONNECT, HOPE WE TRAVEL SOONEST ENOUGH. ![]() Travelers from around the world who come to India, has always a fetish and fascination for Indian Hindu Gods. It is remarkable how every time, I might tell them a story about certain deity, and they listen to me like children adhered to fairy tales. There's no doubt that Indian mythology is Rich with stories and fables which are metaphor to wisdom of life. And among such many a stories and Gods, certain ones enjoy much more favor in popularity among the outside countries and foreign Nationals than others. Ganesha , among all makes a very popular notion among them as the famous elephant God from India. With my experience of guiding and aiding so many travelers from around the world , here is a brief analysis of the secrets that make Ganesha so famous. Ezra , a Dutch girl on a tour in India with me bought six pieces of Ganesha idols from the clay crafting markets of Kolkata we were hovering. She was to gift them to her different friends and families back in Netherlands, and took them as souvenirs from India. I asked her , what compelled her to buy idols of Ganesha , out of other Indian Gods such as Krishna and Shiva in display. Her reply in brief was her affection to elephants ( the beast that wander in India free in wilds unlike caged in other south Asian countries) and the cuteness that Ganesha idols hold with a baby like portrayal. It is true that among all God's , Ganesha looks different with a head of elephant and a body of a man. His image is a mix between animal and human. It's very essence is the coexistence and correlation among things in peace. With it's cute baby like demeanor, it puts out positive vibes throughout. Even though it looks like a kid , it is considered wisest among all Gods. The elephant as an animal is also known for it's adept memory, and the huge head is a symbol of brain amassed with loads of knowledge, which reflects in Ganesha too. So if wisdom attracts you, Ganesha is your Go To God. Even though Ganesha is wise , but in no sense it is a hermit who has let go of worldly pleasures like a saint. Ganesha puts a coexistence between materialistic life and the spirituality. Ganesha is always in love of food and is adored by his mother Goddess Parvati in mythology. This reflects the essence that even if he is wise , he still relinquish being pampered by family and enjoys worldly hunger of a physical nature. Ganesha is associated with wealth too, as most people having a business in India surely worships Ganesha. With it's wisdom , it can attract fortune, and inspires people to use their wisdom to the same in healthy manner. It can be told that Ganesha coexist with the polar opposite features in a nice balance. He has attained wealth and wisdom, something very difficult to balance in human life. It is this, that highlights his prowess. Even when you pay notice to the symbolism of his statue, you will find the existence of snake and rat together there. The predator and prey existing in perfect harmony just like other polar opposite thoughts. It is needless to say , that followers of elephant God , mostly would want to learn that art. To attain wealth without forsaking spirituality. Or to attain wisdom without forsaking the worldly pleasures. After all balance is the essence of life, which for some of us would make our life harmonious. Indeed bringing in a Ganesha statue at home or surrounding brings a positive vibe, with it's happy halo that it spreads. Ganesha is wise enough to be not bothered by his very fat body. He has no issues of body image , for the huge belly or the non human head he carries. It is the symbolism of his wisdom , that what truly matters is our idea of ourselves and NOT how the world sees us. For many of my foreign clients this symbolism matters the most. Since most days , our world is changing into a platform , where external validation is given high importance. In a world , where everyone is trying to look good to others , Ganesha preaches to being happy about yourself and not be bothered. Eat what tastes good, enjoy being loved and keep attaining wealth without disregarding wisdom. There are many more secrets related to the Elephant God. And I hope someday when we meet , may be we will uncover more of them. Till then , hope Lord Ganesha brings you wealth & wisdom , as much as you need , and not for your greed.
" Laila , Chado " Bashir motivated his mule to climb the Great Gadsar pass. It's been three days I have had the chance to be close with the community of mule men from interiors of Kashmir. They are our lifeline for logistics, to carry us through this range of Karakoram, as we trek. In our journeys and travels we generally come across various people of different culture and habits , who makes us wander how different the world is than we actually perceive or knew, if we are sitting at home. This is the beauty of travel that we get to meet such souls and get to hear their stories. Of how they live , how they pray, and how they fight to survive with a smile. This piece is dedicated to one such community the horsemen of the North. In my journey to kashmir great lakes, time and again, I have met the finest horsemen or rather mule owners. It is from one of them I have heard how mules came into India, and it is a fascinating story to share. It is said that when Alexander the Great, came to Hindukush, with his mighty army and cavalry, he failed to cross the great mountain range. His finest Bacterian and Persian steeds could not climb the treacherous pass. And without them the army could not take their provision. It was a sucideal mission for Alxanderean Army , without their provision in the conquest that lay East of the Hindukush. For six months , they tried but failed to cross over. At that moment of need. They observed certain mountain tribe's that lives high on the Hindukush. And they saw , their horses so small in sizes yet so sturdy and expert in climbing the vertical gradients. On further enquiry , they found that this were a certain subspecies of horses created by the mating of a donkey to a horse. Alexander and his army took hold of this species, the Mules, and with the help of them , took their rations and all other necessities to cross over Hindukush and finally arrive in Indian subcontinent. Since then in Himalayas , or Pamir , or Hindukush, or Karakoram. Everywhere mules are used for traveling through the high altitudes of mountains and climb the high trails. Regardless to say , I felt a lot like Alexander , when for the first time with a horde of mules , I crossed the Kashmir trail. Why I think the Kashmiri mule men are finest, in my perspective is because their dependency on mules is far more than anywhere else in other parts of Himalayas, I have trekked. The situation is also because or the regular interval or interuption of normal civil life, that Kashmir faces from time to time. People here need to have mules in the countrysides for their rations being deported when a strike or curfew comes to place, and no public transportation is allowed. It is also true due to age old Amarnath Yatra , mules have played an important role since ages. Pilgrims are driven near to their God's with the help of this animal, and their drivers, the horsemen, are quiet efficient in it. As Bashir had informed me, he learnt it from his grandfather how to handle a mule. He was only six , when the lessons began. Now after four decades of existence, he has his expertise and he passes on to newer generation who are interested in the tricks. This ancestral history of owning horses and mules, have played a very important role even in their culture and tradition. Mules and other livestock have been their primary assets and are very core to the lives and habits of livelihood. This men have a precious talent of managing 10 mules at a time , and that too without touching them. They roll their lips and whistle to direct the mules, and very rarely I have seen Bashir or such experts, have to cane their mules. Bashir had told me " the leading mule is important. I keep Jaffa ( a white mule) in the beginning. She knows the trails and is disciplined well. The rest knows to follow her. I just stay mostly with Laila , since she is new on this trail, and hence I keep her in the middle, so that she doesn't get lost or out of party." There is a science even in driving mules , and often in commonplace without observations , one might miss out such. It is important to learn the science, at least if you have in mind , a plan for solo expedition some day like Indiana Jones , leading your own group of mules through unmapped territory! The mule owners are not only talented but most hard working too here. Generally , when we are done with a camp in the morning , we require to fold the tents back , organise the stuff and rations , and prepare it manually for being packed and transported on mule's back. This whole process requires time and attention by the cook and other helpers. For lest , you miss out on anything even a small peg or spoon, you might not find it in the next camp. Such trivial things matter a lot in treks and expeditions. Small items such as sugar and salt is of great essence , worth more than golds on treks and expeditions. Hence , the cook and other trek staff need to be on high alert while the folding of camp is done. But in kashmir , mostly we do not worry. For the horsemen , takes care of everything here. They know how important packing up is and with great attention do it. Such care gives cook or trek guides like is , respite and enjoy the morning for a bit. Their expertise goes beyond at times, and horsemen like Bashir Bhaijaan with help of cook and helpers who reach next campsite long before the trekkers, usually set up camp and then sit around , joking and smoking up good Kashmiri Charas. That is their moment of delight. In my journeys I have come across many mule owners and sometimes fortunately I have been invited to their homes. Once the trek ended I have attended their invites and have had a tummy full of splendid meals cooked with love and local delicacies. Some mule owners have other jobs while not walking the great trails. They work as high priests of the local mosque, some are teachers and mostly farmers. It is not only to earn extra that they work as mule porters or handle the mules. It is community service , for without the mules how would sometimes provisions reach their rightful places. How would villages and communities survive. As for the trek, the love for adventure also infects the heart of the mule owner as much as it does to any common man wanting to trek the grand mountains of Kashmir. To such, many a horsemen just come with their mules to satisfy their own wanderlust, even though they have enough in home to sit content. They also feel happy to walk the trails, to climb , to eat and to make merry in the paradise along with other visitors from far and wide. I have known horsemen who sang greatly of their folk songs and entertain us in the bonfires , at the cold chilling nights in depth of mountains. In many emergency issues , trekkers are stranded on the high passes of kashmir , not feeling good and their health might deteriorate. Their is always high altitude mountain sicknesses or they might have a cramp, or twist or any medical issues. This horsemen act as saviours then. I have seen them walk ten kilometres transporting the luggage, and then again comming back, to fetch the trekkers on the mules to safely cross them over. That is the kind of intensity and value of the life they lived. And regretfully I have seen , trekkers not even tipping them anything even after so much they have done for them. Quite a funny world we live in, the more we eat , the more we want to keep eating. Yet , the horsemen live in peace and smile, far from this selfish social world from where most of us come to trek and climb. They continue to serve us to the best of their abilities as they have done for centuries before and shall do for years after. For this high mountains , no human innovation might be sacred enough to pass the test of times. They will fail, but the horsemen of the North will continue their traditions.
It is of no surprise, that when I meet people and talk about my experiences, the incidents that include wild animal encounter, creates the best of buzz. Of all animals, tigers the most, captivate the hearts of my listeners, as I share with them my moments with the majestic big cats. It is also very eminent , that when I talk about the tigers , my eyes glow , and a different energy vibe through my words and sentences. A lot of times , those who heard me explaining them about tigers told me " You really love your Cats, Deep! " My listeners can always feel how much I adore and worship the wild cats that forever changed my love for nature and jungles. It is their I realized how much sins , we commit by visiting zoos and such captivity where the animals are but only the skeleton of their real image. Before you read my blog, it is earnest request, avoid visiting zoos and tourist tiger sites , such as tiger temple. I know you probably feel divine about your picture with the animal, half dozed off with drug, but it only adds to your ill karma. Only if you see them in the wild, you will know why this felines in their natural form, and you will be able to learn about them, to love them truly. Hands down, tigers are the coolest creature, to have walked the earth and here is why I Love Tigers So Much ! My first beholding of this beautiful cat was in Kanha national park back in 2012, when I went there to visit and stayed about a month working as a language interpreter for a resort. It is in this time, that I learnt about the beast that is adorned and feared at the same time by people. Opposite to general belief , the tiger doesn't kill unless it is hungry. It has been seen quiet a numerous times that in playful mood they appear very casually in front of it's prey. Obviously, the prey, like grey faced langurs and spotted deers ( Chital ) , are cautious and go in a frenzy spotting their embodiment of death. Yet the tiger casually just walks by taking all the fun of being most sought after being in the vicinity. To understand how much attention it gets, one must visit the wild forest , where other than the animals , we humans clog in our jeeps to catch a sight of the majestic cat. Every person goes into a devotion like state waiting for the tiger to appear. Photographers of most , reach levels of orgasms when the sighting happens. Ask anyone who visits a national park , and you will see , how less I am actually bragging about the reality! This exclusive importance comes from it's majestic way of living and the image of sheer power that it dictates. A tiger is Biggest of all cat species! Yes, I know you think it's the Lions, but go check again and you will know! I don't blame your ignorance , since maybe you haven't had the luck to sight a wild tiger yet. With such a huge body , it is super athletic. Try imagine being a cat and catching a monkey for food! You know what I am talking about when I say it embodies power and flexibility! Also add to the fact they are solitary predators which means there are thousands of odds acting against it , when it goes for a hunt. Which is why it's success rate of a kill, is one out of ten. I tell you it isn't easy being a tiger, yet it does damn well to live and not just survive. The hunt of a tiger is something incredible owing to the patience and persistent it performs. It takes around an average of two hours, to stalk the prey and make a kill. In the hunt , the tiger moves slowly towards the target. The tiger is a master of disguise , which is why , if it sits a twenty metres from you calm and quiet , you wouldn't even know. With such it lays down and one step at a time moves closer. It's stripes which are brilliant in colour actually helps it to disguise itself in the grasses that it crawls through. You see , unlike primates , other animals do not have colour vision, and for that the tiger has a benefit, as most animals never see it coming. A very wrong notion is that tigers hunt with it's speed. It is not the case. The tiger depends on it's hind legs with it's powerful muscles to lunge and jump on it's prey. In average a tiger can jump twenty yards !!!! If a tiger ever participates in long jump, it will clearly win and break records!!! The tigers are also the cat that loves water very much. They are fantastic swimmers and generally prefers to chill in ponds during hot summer days. If you ever visit a jungle during the hot humid months , go straight to the water bodies, you will find the cool cat taking a beauty bath always. The tigers are ferocious lovers. It has been recorded that a tiger in search of a mate have crossed hundreds of miles in average to be with their partners. With their extra smell and cunning minds they can be found directing through unknown landscapes be it hills, rivers or mountains. Many a tiger has been recorded for using the railway track as a road to move. With more and more it's natural habitat getting lost to human civilization, it is forced to walk hundreds of miles sometimes even for a search of a right and appropriate places. It is indeed sad, that we are probably among the last generation to be able to see the tiger in wild. Unless though , we really do something about it. Which I don't think our selfish species is capable of though sadly. There are so many things about the tiger that holds the heart and I can't simply write it all here. It is eminent that this majestic cat captured the top spot as the favorite animal in the world, beating even dogs in the public voting. I can't agree more with the opinion, as if you have seen a wild tiger in the jungle, not only will you be a devotee , but your entire life , you might be spending a good load of money trying to find the big cat in the wild.
For people who haven't seen the tiger in it's habitat might feel it stupid , that we pay so much to see glimpse of this royal cat for a minute or two or at most twenty. However, I can't justify ( at least in expressing) what it is like, to see them in wild. The only thing I can say is , how much money do you think justifies if you had a chance to see the God itself???? Hope you do see a tiger in the wild , as it is surely "once in a lifetime" experience to do before you die. And for those of us , who are already devotees of it, I hope you all get more sightings of it in your next safaris. P.S - All pictures are mine , unless mentioned in the caption of the rightful owner. You can always consult me to plan a perfect wild tiger sighting trip! I give a money back grantee for tiger trips! Before, I begin, I must put it out as a disclaimer that by stating my thoughts and ideas on travel, I am only giving my personal view. Do not travel until its absolutely necessary for you. For people like me travel is not just a vacation or part of life that is avoidable, as it is the only reason I live. Also for some it might be absolutely necessary to see the ocean or mountains to find peace and gain mental strength and avoid depression. This post is for them, in a way to help. However, I will strongly advice, in case you do travel , try not to come back to old people or very young ones, for whom, Corona can be more riskier as a disease contracted. With stronger immunity we generally will face mild symptoms of the deadly virus, but that might not be the case for everyone out there, if you are not sure about your immune health yet. In the end, I trust all my readers are mostly mature men and women and I put my faith on your intuitions and decisiveness. It is upon yourself, to decide if traveling and going out is an worthy option for you, depending how and where you live. Governments of state has slowly opened tourism with rules and regulations to follow, and it is absolutely necessary that all of us must comply to this rule if you decide to hit the road. For every travel lover out their, the pandemic and lock down has been a lesson of patience and frustration both. Mostly because, eyes that find beauty in the vast expanse of mountains and beaches , had to resort to pictures on social media to soothe their eyes. The freedom lost in the times of pandemic will be remembered for long. But the good news is slowly but surely the world is opening up. So even if in immediate future, we cannot plan our dream destination or vacation, we can certainly, have some flavors of wanderlust and take upon journeys. Here I am assembling some great ways to take a vacation, journey and trip during the times of pandemic which might satiate your hunger for the world for sometimes. 1. City Walks & Exploring unknown facets of your own town. Most of us might have been , living in our cities and towns for long, yet I am a cent percent sure, there are spots in cities , that we have not yet experienced or been to. As a tour guide, who gives multiple city tours in Kolkata , Delhi and Mumbai, there is always something new coming up in my tour, even if I had been there before. Every city has a rich history, various communities and their folklores, waiting to be discovered. If you google a bit or read a book based on your city , you will find lesser known places which might amaze you , when you visit them. Hence, for a start it would be a great idea to have explore your unknown side of the city. You can do morning explorations, perfect to avoid the crowd and maintain social distancing. Walks or on bicycles, are both a great way to explore your town and stories unheard in your own cities. Also do not forget to take your camera or phone to indulge in street photography, which will be a pleasure for you surely ! 2.Road trips with your friends or family. As more normal life get back on, it will be a wise idea, to take road trip in a rented vehicle or self vehicle to some places accessible to your current location with four to five hours of drive. Road trips are always great , and in current times , road trips will help you be securing better movement , avoiding public transportation. I am sure , we all have lesser known villages or natural spots near to our current locations, where we did not visit yet , and we kept it for someday. Often it happened to me, being young , I always thought of wandering the furthest places, and kept all that was good in my surrounding for later years, as retirement plan. Well now , it is exactly such a time, to test your choices. When we should access, this remote yet near places, we must savor the journey more than the destination. Take breaks on road to click more pictures. With monsoon just finished in India, most roads are vivid green and beautiful. Even if the spots are not in your bucket list, I recommend this highly, since in the end , Travel is more about journeys than destination. And what better way to enjoy journeys, than a good road trip! 3. Camping or hiking in nature or remote places. Camping does not always have to be on mountains, neither hiking. But if you can somehow access hills and mountains, your luck is with you. Even if not, you can always search out for a place, which is quiet remote and go for a camping trip. Do it alpine style to involve your adventure senses more. Alpine style camping or hiking , defines , when you go for a hiking trip or camping in the wild on your own, without any help of professional hands. It is indeed, one of the best experiences in holistic ways, where you learn a lot about survival. With right people it is often too much fun, and even if you are alone, it is a great time to spend under the spell of nature and solitude. There is no better way to see a sunset or sunrise, or take a bath in a natural lake, than from a vicinity of a tent. Generally , camping and hiking takes your to places which are not too crowded, and that will help your chances of social distancing. Hiking is also safe , as not much people are involved in it. Already goverments of Kashmir ,Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have opened up hiking and trekking. Following their rules one must be able to go back again to wilds of the unknown. If you are interested , I am myself going hiking in next month. Check out the simple plans here, and connect if you would like. 4. Travel to Homestays. Home stays are run by people , who live and run their lovely homes and give out exceptional experiences for travelers like us. Safety in times such as this, can be found best while traveling to their homes. Since they as residents will want to keep themselves healthy and safe, they will take the best measures for a secure stay. A lot of home stays, can be found remotely located which are not destination specific , but can add up to a travel experience greatly. I think , this is the perfect time to try those locations out. A simple relaxing stay in a new and strange place can calm your mind , and help you against the stress, the world is going through and putting on you. Add to that meeting the strangers and listening to their stories, which in itself , is of great adventure. For your part you are helping them, by letting them earn a little after the long cease of their work and livelihood. It is also true , now you are more prone to find better deals as not much people will be heading anywhere. Grab this opportunity to visit some of the most wonderfully located home stays around yourself. I will definitely recommend you to start shortlisting home stays now, by checking on Google and may be fixing a destination in mind. You can always also consult me for a free advice.Do connect with the host before traveling , so that they can aid you with the current scenarios, which will help your travel. Making sure, when you are arriving , also helps them to prepare for a safe stay. 5. Workactions This is a new term for the wanderlust stricken youth of India. In world wide travel, a many of people are known as digital nomads. They work but their job does not require them to be mandatory, to be situated in a single destination. With good internet, they can work from anywhere in the world, and that is how a lot of people , including me live from place to place of our desire. With the pandemic, most working companies have now WORK FROM HOME scenarios, where you are also a kind of digital nomad, if you have the will ofcourse. There are great many a hospitality properties with amazing wifi, giving the chance to people to come and stay with them and work from their beautiful properties located in amazing destinations all around. For example I know a property in Pushakar who charges only 7000 INR to start with for a stay plan , in their super cool hostel, and work from their. High speed wifi to connect and work, and amazing places in Pushkar in vicinity to go around. Ping me up privately if you want to know more. For a lot of people, they are moving to small towns and villages in the Himalayas, through me. They have rented amazing rooms in the heavenly destination and for next two to three months at least will enjoy travel and work together. This is one of the brighter side of pandemic, that this chance is on offer, and will surely not repeat. So for people who had a long wish of moving to mountains and staying long, this the perfect time, as your life could be a mix of vacation and work. Check out some amazing properties to work from mountains here. I hope soon enough, you can hit the roads, and start the journey. Travel will help your mind , and relax the stress we have been going through. Lastly , it will help people and regions economically , when you can take services from them. You can connect with me to know more about planning your travel during this times. Advises and friendship are free to those who love to wander! Do connect with me through my social media buttons on your right top corner.
Lastly , though we did cage up ourselves for the need of survival, I hope all of you can take up a little courage to take calculated risks. For life is not just about survival, it is To Live! The Reality about the People of Nagaland.It is not unusual in my country to be discriminated for being different. Traditionally, India has always soaked in anyone from any background who came here. Religions , linguistics and every other form of social categories have always found a belonging in our country. So even after huge masses of immigration happened through out centuries , and everyone found a home in India, from time to time , we are be fooled to believe they were merely invasion. Not going into that discussion , as history is all about assumptions , yet we can see our ignorance as even in present times, we keep discriminating people of our own country for their different way of life. Here , from my experience I will try to light the true nature of Nagaland , as far as my experience of being their in my travels and tours. The Nagas , refer to a cluster of tribes that belong from the northeastern states of India. To be told a fact , even outside Nagaland , Naga tribes spread in other states of Arunachal , Manipur , Assam and Mizoram. This tribes came into light under the British occupation of the region in late eighteen hundred. The origin of this tribes are disputed , as no strong historical evidence can be put forward to claim the source. However , at present there are 16 official tribes are inhabitants of the political region of Nagaland. English being brought in by the British with Christanity went a long way in bringing this tribes together. The ever warring Naga trives are now coexisting together for its development and in a quiet content way of living. They have reformed their practices , such as hunting into newer ways of economical avenues, saving the fine balance of nature and mankind. Being tribes, they always lived on hunting , and their ancestral accesories are all made of mostly tiger or leoprad claws, bones or skins of bear or deers found roaming in the wild, Bird feathers and meats are also quiet common for beautification and survival. However, with modern age , hunting has stopped , and they have conserved their forest for eco tourism to bloom and form the path towards a brighter future. Being tribes, the people were very close to nature from there ancient days , and even now that can be seen in their general lifestyle. That dependency to nature and subsequent caring for it with utmost respect is what NAGALAND might inspire the rest of India to do. Almost all villages and tribes have a self sustainable living here. They depend highly on the nature that surrounds them. Wood from the forest , herbs for medicines or wild fruits to make wine and food is still a huge part of living in the modern Nagaland. In ancient times, every tribe was almost at natural war with each other. Head hunting was a famous practice, where in , when two tribes met on battlefield, the winners would decapitate the fallen, and keep their heads or skulls as prize. These were awards to show the strength of a tribe and people. This practice is bygone now, and no more carried out. With modern social rules coming in, the tribes have found a cooperating existence among each other. Even though their languages and rules and laws , still differ, they adhere to the rules built up by the government. This is the proof , that if people are intending enough with good will , they can exist in peace. The Nagas known for their fierce battles and being warriors are also caring and happy family people, if you look closely. This myth , that Nagaland is only about soldiers and war , will soon perish as more and more travelers head there to see this beautiful culture. Even though , in terms of GDP , the tribal areas do not contribute much , yet in the form of visions, they go a long way. Almost all houses in Nagaland have sustainable living, They make their general needs out of things they can find in their surrounding forest. From cultivating fishes to fruits and vegetables, each family has its treasure trove in its own , in the Naga country side. While on the tour in Nagaland , the food we eat in homestay is generally produced with in the surrounding of the house or cultivated, or found in the jungles nearby. That was the way they lived hundreds of years ago, and still do. It is of importance to learn and realize this super value of the Naga society. Their needs are not much , and generally adheres to things that can be found with in the grasp of their natural habitat. The people here know how to make things and utilizes there time in every kind of handicraft possible from natural products, leaving no after effect on earth. The question is, with the advent of high consumerism , till when they can hold to their satisfied living? Nagaland can also be called a state , where the rest of India must look up to for some inspiration , to diminish its conventional patriarchal miseries. Its a state ran by female power mostly. The Naga family heir is generally the youngest daughter of the house, and yet mostly family feuds are rare here, since their is a benevolent atmosphere. The homestays, where I lived in ,were all managed by women and they did a tremendous job. The women are also very productive here , since they create every house hold things necessary in the homes itself, rather relying on markets. Optimum utilization of time and nature can be seen, which needs to be implemented in our modern lives as much as possible too. Being a feminine driven state , the vibes are much more peaceful and relaxed here. Nagas are primarily a non vegetarian population. The meats vary from tribe to tribe , but almost every tribe depends on that consumption. They have a healthy cuisine with lesser use of salt , as per my personal observation , which also helps their strong built. Chilies are heavily used , and cuisines mostly have meat as its primary ingredient. There is a negative obsession with what Nagas eat , specially the meat they consume. For the rest of India it is borne of classical conditioning. This curiosity behind the obsession , rather than being genuine, can be termed as a product of ethnocentrism of the Indian society. A lot of this acceptance , that everything of a culture and tradition is because of the Geo political situation of a region and place , can be seen once you visit and live with the Nagas. This acceptance can breed tolerance and help our diverse country in bringing the ever glorified unity we so boast about , just like the different tribes of Nagaland has successfully practiced for modern coexistence. Let me know your thoughts if you have been to Nagaland. If not, do plan up once, and let me know if my article motivates you to do so. |
Note from the Author," Travel made me rich and free. Magic and miracles are true , once you wander on the roads to places different and divine. I have collected so many thoughts and stories while being a Tour & Trek guide for last seven years. Sharing with you all, those memories and stories , and wishing you all , that someday you guys travel far and wide too. I am not a great writer , so ignore my grammar and spellings, read it with feelings, and you might just be affected with the wanderlust to hit the road" Categories
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