I didn't expect this…An American tourist in India reflects on a journey in India that changed him
For many tourists, the experience is gauged in the number of landmarks ticked off, the number of meals savoured, or the number of itineraries checked off their list. But for one American tourist who has been documenting his adventures in India, the experience has been anything but that, at least not in the way he expected.
The tourist, who posts his adventures under the handle @itsmebabachichi, recently posted something that has struck a chord with many. It was not about the landmarks or the food; it was something else entirely.
During his visit to ISKCON Mayapur, situated about 130 kilometres from Kolkata, the traveller captured his journey in detail, documenting not just the place but also the people he encountered along the way.
Located at the confluence of the Ganga River and the Jalangi River, Mayapur is widely regarded as the global headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The site is also home to the grand Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, along with important shrines dedicated to Pancha Tattva, Radha Madhav, and Narasimhadev.
Even though his musings do not have any particular location, his stay in places like Mayapur is part of his larger journey that he had been sharing on the Internet.
“India really did something to me,” he said. “I don’t know how to explain it, but something shifted.”
This is not uncommon for first-timers traveling through India. India, with its high density of experiences, rarely lets visitors be passive observers. The pace, unpredictability, and movement in India often make it an overwhelming, disorienting, but not forgettable place.
For this traveller, it was not only the enormity of the chaos that was noteworthy, but what was also present alongside the chaos. “Maybe it was the chaos… or the kindness that I didn’t expect, that I kept finding everywhere,”
This contrast of chaos and kindness is what most people describe as the defining quality of their experience of travelling in India. The crowded streets, unfiltered life, and activity are all accompanied by acts of kindness. For those who are used to living in a more ordered environment, this can be both disorienting and challenging even.
The traveller’s reflection on his experience in India is that it is a place that can disrupt routine, but in a way that is unprogrammed, in the way of everyday interactions. “India has a way of breaking you out of your routine, and reminding you what it feels like to really be present,”
As his travel came to an end, the tone of his reflections changes from observation to something more personal: departure. “This is the hardest part about leaving India,” he writes. “It’s not the food, it’s not even the places. It’s the people who treated me like I belonged, before they even knew my name.”
The sense of belonging, particularly in another country that is strange to him, is certainly not something that any traveler anticipates. For most travelers, however, it is one of the most memorable aspects of the whole experience. “It’s the strangers who became friends in five minutes. The smiles, the chaos, the warmth…” he writes. “You don’t just visit India, you feel it.”
As the traveler prepares to leave the country, he reflects on the experience that stays with him even after the journey has come to an end. “Somehow it follows you when you leave.” For him, the experience was not about the destination; it was about the moments that led him to that destination.
The tourist, who posts his adventures under the handle @itsmebabachichi, recently posted something that has struck a chord with many. It was not about the landmarks or the food; it was something else entirely.
During his visit to ISKCON Mayapur, situated about 130 kilometres from Kolkata, the traveller captured his journey in detail, documenting not just the place but also the people he encountered along the way.
Located at the confluence of the Ganga River and the Jalangi River, Mayapur is widely regarded as the global headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The site is also home to the grand Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, along with important shrines dedicated to Pancha Tattva, Radha Madhav, and Narasimhadev.
Even though his musings do not have any particular location, his stay in places like Mayapur is part of his larger journey that he had been sharing on the Internet.
“India really did something to me,” he said. “I don’t know how to explain it, but something shifted.”
This is not uncommon for first-timers traveling through India. India, with its high density of experiences, rarely lets visitors be passive observers. The pace, unpredictability, and movement in India often make it an overwhelming, disorienting, but not forgettable place.
For this traveller, it was not only the enormity of the chaos that was noteworthy, but what was also present alongside the chaos. “Maybe it was the chaos… or the kindness that I didn’t expect, that I kept finding everywhere,”
This contrast of chaos and kindness is what most people describe as the defining quality of their experience of travelling in India. The crowded streets, unfiltered life, and activity are all accompanied by acts of kindness. For those who are used to living in a more ordered environment, this can be both disorienting and challenging even.
The traveller’s reflection on his experience in India is that it is a place that can disrupt routine, but in a way that is unprogrammed, in the way of everyday interactions. “India has a way of breaking you out of your routine, and reminding you what it feels like to really be present,”
As his travel came to an end, the tone of his reflections changes from observation to something more personal: departure. “This is the hardest part about leaving India,” he writes. “It’s not the food, it’s not even the places. It’s the people who treated me like I belonged, before they even knew my name.”
The sense of belonging, particularly in another country that is strange to him, is certainly not something that any traveler anticipates. For most travelers, however, it is one of the most memorable aspects of the whole experience. “It’s the strangers who became friends in five minutes. The smiles, the chaos, the warmth…” he writes. “You don’t just visit India, you feel it.”
As the traveler prepares to leave the country, he reflects on the experience that stays with him even after the journey has come to an end. “Somehow it follows you when you leave.” For him, the experience was not about the destination; it was about the moments that led him to that destination.
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