I travelled 14 cities in 22 days. Things I learned on this trip to India.
Note #8
This trip will always be in the top of my all time favorite trips. The amount I’ve learned is insane, it really opened up my eyes. I’ve become a lot more aware, more conscious of my actions, desire to give back, more. I realized what a tiny bubble I live in. I’ve met such incredible people on this trip, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’m so grateful to have indulged in such unique and amazing experiences. I actually had no idea what to expect on this trip, I just went into it curious to see where it would take me.
I break my experience down into 3 sections: my trip overview where I talk about each city I went to & what I mainly did there, then the lessons I learnt on this trip, and finally interesting people I met, their stories, and what I took away from them.
Let me start of by giving you a quick rundown of what cities I hit.
Except for Bangalore and Chennai, none of the cities were super metropolitan, all of these were low-key cities with each holding their own unique vibe. The pictures should be able to give you good taste of what the vibe was like. On this trip we didn’t really stay in hotels, it was mostly airbnbs or home stays. We wanted a very authentic experience of staying in new places, meeting people and we got just that.
Bangalore
I stayed here for a week. In this week, was doing all spontaneous plans, I met such amazing people like Sanjana from Second Chance Animal Shelter, I was exploring all these new food places. I met all my internet friends that I met through twitter. I know it sounds crazy but after being in touch with them, for 2-3 years I finally got a chance to meet them in person. They are the absolute sweethearts, Anmol, Manan, Saumya, Raj, Palak, Shivam, I could see myself living in Bangalore. After my parents left, I was just exploring the city alone, or with friends, exploring new cafes, going to the movies, It felt like I was living there. Home away from home.
Chennai.
This is my parents home town. It felt nostalgic going back here, We would visit every year growing up, but it’s not the same without all my cousins together. It was bittersweet going to my mom and dad’s favorite places growing up.
Mahabalipuram
This was so stunning, lots of interesting historical architecture here from the 7-8th centuries.
Pondicherry
This town is straight out of a movie, it’s a beautiful blend of Tamil and French culture. The cafes are a world of its own, each with a different story to tell, all hold unique vibes from different homemade recipes and organic recipes. Life here is simple.
We went to Auroville, which is just a 30 min drive from Pondicherry, Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity. This was super unique to experience, I didn’t get to interact here as much, we just went as tourists, but I would love to go back.
On our way from Pondicherry to Coimbatore We stopped on the roadside and had Kanji, This is my first time having it, it was sooooo yummy, and its so healthy for you especially in the hot, it cools your body. Was so fun. Had some of these fruits too.
Coimbatore
Isha Yoga Center. I attended Mahashivratri celebrations for the first time. When I tell you it was insane, it was INSANE. The energy in that place was next level. My body was giving in completely to the energy. I went at 12pm and Stayed till 6am the next day. Everyone together, in one place, celebrating, meditating wholeheartedly was so surreal. The energy is addicting.
Marayoor/Munnar
Marayoor is a small remote town, one hour away from Munnar. We stayed at the Mudhouse Marayoor. It is a must visit, this was my absolute favorite location out of the whole trip. Please make a trip out here once in your life and stay at the Mudhouse. The tea plantations were breathtaking, just driving around the western ghat mountains are enough, visiting the city of Munnar isn’t even needed, it’s a bit too commercial.
Kumarokoam
This is Kerala’s backwaters. Everyone in the village knows each other, everyone helps each other whenever needed selflessly. Our Airbnb host Sanu took us around the village with his boat and he told us about a story about how one pregnant women was stuck in the house during a storm and she had to get to the hospital ASAP, at that moment everyone in the village dropped everything they were doing and collectively put together their efforts to transport her to where she had to be. It’s so heart warming to see such a positive sum environment. There is a massive diverse existence of birds in this area and everyone in the village knows every species of bird. These people truly know their earth in and out, You will not see a single piece of trash outside in Kumarakoam, they treat the land with respect. They are a perfect example of coxisting with nature. One home we visited was of Sonu’s friend, he climbs the coconut trees in the area and sources Toddy, which is this non-alcoholic drink made from the sap of coconut palm trees. Sanu taught me a lot about Kerala cuisine, he taught me how to make idiyappam.
Kochi
Fort Kochi is an hour from Kumarakoam, This was another city that had been colonized by the Portuguese so there was a lot of French influence here as well, similar to Pondicherry. The highlight of this city was the Kathakali dance performance, Kathakali is one of the most complex forms of Indian theatre, it combines literature, dance, music, and acting. The dancers first taught us how they perform each emotion and what techniques are used in the dance. The Navarasa (9) different emotions portrayed in different ways was so fascinating. They are Adbhutam (wonder), Hasyam (comic), Sringaram(love), Bheebatsam(repulsion), Bhayanakam(fear), Roudram(anger), Veeram(pride), Karunam(sympathy) and Shantham (peace). All of them need extreme facial control.
Thekkady
We visited Periyar Tiger reserve. While we didn’t get to see wild tigers, it was fascinating to learn a lot about the forest. Here is where I learned about agriculture the most. How crops are grown, how to identify spices, The place we stayed at was Spice village its a zero waste area, an eco village where everything is organically grown, sourced, and recycled. Even the water is recycled. The water goes through a Reverse osmosis that removes all the impurities to make it drinkable again. All of the food waste is composted.
Rameshwaram
I went to the Sri Ranganathanswamy Temple. This temple is The shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve jyotirlinga temples in India. This is where Lord Ram prayed to Shiva to absolve any sins that he might have committed during his war against Ravana. Fun fact Rameshwaram translates to The god that Lord Ram Worships, which is Shiva. I went to also Dhanushkodi where you are at the very tip, were the 2 seas collide and Sri Lanka is visible across through a telescope. This is where the Ram Setu bridge is located, where Hanuman and Lord Rama’s army of monkeys built the bridge from india to Srilanka.
Madurai
Meenakshi Amman Temple : This is a major pilgrimage location. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, who is seen to be the divine ruler, unlike most Shiva temples in South India where Shiva is the principal deity. The Tamil Sangam literature mentions this temple in 6th-century CE. This was so beautiful to see, the temple is so massive we got lost inside finding our way.
Keeladi. a small village in the outskirts of Madurai. The significance of this village is that it had a lot excavation and archaeological sites that uncovers remains from the sangam civilization that was in the period between 5th century BCE and 3rd century CE. There is evidence of Tamil scriptures dating back to 5000 years old, recognizing Tamil to be the oldest language in the world.
Thanjavur
Brihadeeshwara Temple. This temple holds the second largest Linga in the world. Built by the chola king Raja Raja Chola in 1035 AD. It’s absolutely breathtaking, the style of architecture is so different than most other temples.
Trichy
Ranganathaswamy Temple - this temple is where there is a massive idol of sleeping vishnu, you all definitely need to go visit this. The dravidian arcitecture in these temples are so so stunning, the amount of effort it takes to even build these is unimaginable. Its said to be one of the oldest surviving temple’s In south india, this temple dates back to 100 BCE
We ended our trip in Trichy and flew back to Bangalore.
I Learned a lot, here is a few of my big ones:
I’ve learned to be present. Not using your phone for a couple days will teach you to be present. Just simply being present just allows you to experience the world so differently.
My mom and I found that big calling from this trip is our passion for caring and rescuing animals. Especially after meeting Sanjana our motivation and conviction that we can make a difference really picked up. On our trip we came across a lot of stray dogs in horrible shape, in the time we had there we did the most we could do and contacted local shelters to care for them after we left. Most people in the village see stray dogs as a pest, they don’t like them thinking that they will attack. Most of these people are unaware of what neutering is or how to even care for dogs. Yelling at people and making them feel bad for treating dogs badly is the most instinctive response by a dog lover, but it’s not the right thing to. People when yelled at don’t take it well, it hurt their ego. If you want to teach a lesson to someone, explain it to them nicely, make them understand why. They like when they learn something new, it feels good, and they want to share it with others. Spreading the same message. Yelling at them won’t do anything. A simple explanation brings more awareness int the community. Teaching them coexistence goes a long way.
What it means to follow your passion. Everyone I met talked to me about how they are following their passion. This really showed me that Taking that risk of not following the social norms will result in long term fulfillment. I have the utmost respect for people that have taken risks to pursue their passion. Pouring your heart into something is what makes the difference. This made me realize, if you have a passion, the impact and fulfillment is 10x more. it won’t feel like a job. In fact you shouldn’t look at it like a job.
Importance and impact of soil health on our food intake. Soil is eroding, it’s losing its minerals. Because of these the nutrients found in produce are 1/3 of what it used to be. For example the nutrients that we use to get from one orange, we now have to eat 3 oranges to get the same nutrients. With the population growing and the soil eroding, soon the world won’t be able to grow enough food to feed the population of the world. https://consciousplanet.org/en/save-soil - is the largest movement in the world addressing this.
I found that india has an amazing food scene, very interesting fusion of dishes here. Each restaurant has its own community and culture to it, it’s more than just a restaurant. People pour their hearts in the food, it’s not just a business for them. And you can really tell that from the taste itself. In New York you won’t find such pure food, cool fusions. And in Most places we went, everything was so fresh and organic, even the sugar is pure jaggery. The quality is evident.
Bangalore is just oozing with talent and innovation. If you are a a builder and are passionate about the building the future, Bangalore is the place to be. I feel like coming back here and working with all these talented people, and supporting impactful projects. You learn so much from everyone here. It’s a collaborative ecosystem, everyone is helping each other out. It’s so unique and refreshing to see. I met a guy building Ai virtual reality tool for the visually impaired, electric rickshaws, women Hygiene initiatives targeted to rural areas, it’s so inspiring to see.
Spices. Agriculture. You never realize how crops and spices are grown and collected. Just being able to grow your own food and then be able to source and eat it is just a whole other feeling. Indulging in Agriculture keeps you connected with this earth.
Cardamom grows on a bush, cinnamon is sourced from the bark of a tree, black pepper grows on vines.
What is the difference between a spice and a herb? Spices are dried version of a plant, they are most beneficial in its dried form. Herbs are best in its fresh form.
Blind faith is a disease. Question things, don’t blindly believe. Understand, don’t memorize.
In the Sri Ranganathanswamy Temple, I saw this big board with a writing on it, it read this: “Unselfishness is the ultimate test of religion. He who has more of this unselfishness is more spiritual and nearer to Shiva. Whether he is learned or unlearned. He nearer to shiva than anybody else whether he knows it or not. And if a man is selfish, no matter if he has visited all the temples, seen all the places of pilgrimage, and painted himself like a leopard, he will still be farthest away from Shiva” After reading this, it stuck a chord in me. I realized how selfish I have been in my spirituality journey. I was so obsessed with me and my saadhana that I turned a blind eye to everything around me, my family, etc. Be aware of your surroundings, do your duty only when you have responded to what is around you to, prioritize accordinglyy, you can’t be first all the time. I talk about also the whole irony of temples that I’ve noticed, I write about it here: https://ishikamukerji.substack.com/p/the-irony-of-temples?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
Getting where you want to be takes time, be persistent, be consistent, be patient.
The power of seva. Serve selflessly give wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return The way you know you are passionate about something is if you serve selflessly to that passion. To me there is no higher action in this world than seva. Seva grounds you.
I never realized how much of a tiny bubble I live in, I’m sitting in my room thinking I’m working on the coolest things and I’ve achieved so much in life already. I realize these people that are working on real world problems and there me who Is obsessed with building things that aren’t necessary in this generation. Reality is, compared to the people I’ve met here, I’ve done nothing. And I’m not saying this in a bad way, this is more in a motivational way to start doing something with more direct impact. Direct impact is more powerful and fulfilling.
My life really isn’t that hard. There are people out there struggling. But will still have a smile on their face, When we see them we pity them, but to them they don’t pity themselves, they are happy with what they have. I and most of us are very fortunate have a lot of things in our lives that we take for granted.
The people I met. I met 5 new and incredible people on my trip:
Sanjana Madappa: Founder of Second Chance Sanctuary, dedicated to animal welfare. She is my absolute role model, she spends day and night caring for dogs, rescuing abuse and cruelty cases. This is not easy at all. Risking your life and putting your entire time to this. These are dogs that have been abandoned, abused, breeder’s discard or the ones given up for various reasons. After meeting here I feel like “what am I even doing in life” Nothing remotely is as impactful is as what she does. And I am not beating myself up for it. This has prompted me to go out and make more of an impact in the community wherever I can. I understood the difference you feel in fulfillment between being hands on vs passive. There is a different fulfillment you feel when you are hands on volunteering vs just a passive donation. The fulfillment is addicting, it really fuels you.
Narayn Manepalli: Geist Brewery founder, emphasizing sustainability and clean eating. I asked him, uncle what made you want to quit your well paying 15+ year tech job to build a beer brewery. His answer was simple, I love beer and wanted to do create my own. His brewery is absolutely incredible, 0 waste, everything gets recycled or reused, he never played by a formula, he just experimented and took what stuck. Recipes, to design, to everything. He gives so much credit to all his staff. His goal is to eat clean. All ingredients used in his menu are all organic and clean. If you think about it, you Geist could’ve just been just a regular beer business to make money. It’s the same business, what really makes his unique is his story, his passion, and community. I am that person who would be least interested in visiting a brewery, I dont even drink beer! But somehow vision Geist, it wasn’t about just the beer it was about this vision of clean eating, and a open organic space.
Ambily : Ambily was the property manager at the Marayoor Mudhouse. Mudhouse was my favorite experience in the entirety of the trip. I literally felt like I was at home away from home. 7 max cottages, Very very intimate experience. On the property there were 4 dogs, Roxy, brownie, blackie, and cookie. Ambilly took them in, they all were rescue cases. Ambily goes out of her way to care and treat these dogs. The area is not very friendly to dogs, most people in the town see dogs as a nuisance to society, they don’t treat them well. It really breaks my heart to see. From our interactions, feeding and caring for any Ambil’y selfless service to these dogs, to everyone that stays at the madhouse is just incredible to see. This isn’t just a job for her, it’s much more. Amblily is an Ayurvedic doctor, and I asked her how did she get into being a property manager, she said “by profession and skill I am a doctor but my passion is meeting new people and building new relationships and so that is why she is a prperty manager.” She was just absolutely amazing. It felt like she was my long lost friend. She’s an inspiring example of following your passion and doing giving back to this world. She took me on her scooty to her village area, there she showed me all around and she started telling me about her life. Ambily comes from a very poor family, and she said told me: “If I was born poor it’s my parent’s fault, but if I die poor that is my fault.” She really is such an incredible human. Building that personal relationship with her gave me a reason to come back and visit Marayoor again.
Surya Anna : was the host of the Airbnb we stayed at in Madurai. It was an absolute pleasure talking to him. He is absolutely incredible, he lives in Berlin, is an aerospace engineer. He has so many different interests and just is able to pursue them all while also growing a family of his own. He has his own farm as a hobby, I asked him how did you know what to do or how to start, his answer was simple : “There’s nothing to learn, I just planted the seed Ishika, that’s it, They’re always not a rule book for something, if you want to do something just do it, you will learn by doing, not reading a rule book.” He built the airbnb I stayed in, himself, he designed and built it as well, he farms, and he writes! I asked him “I was always told to go deep and focus on one skill, but I find it so hard to do that given I have so many interests, what are your thoughts on that”. “Honestly Ishika, I’m like you, I have a lot of interests, and personally I don’t see a problem being average at lots of different things, it gives me the ability to adapt to any situation, and I would hate going deep into one thing knowing that there are so many things out there that I haven’t tried. So to me its okay that I am a jack of all trades, it makes me happy :)” This response gave me so much comfort, it’s like I was waiting for someone to tell me this. I feel so much more at peace.
Sanu: was our airbnb host in Kumarakoam, While I got to know him, he mentioned how he grew up uneducated and how his family has always been uneducated as they never had much money. He decided to take advantage of the tourism business, but he wanted to take it to the next level to provide a better income for his kids so they can be educated. Him and his friends together built the Airbnb from scratch, all the way from design to foundation and everything. They had no idea how but they figured it out. On top of that, He used his skillset of cooking and opened up a kitchen, its all his mother’s recipes that he cooks and serves through a cloud kitchen model. He has scaled his airbnb and kitchen to such a level that people come all the way to Kumarakoam just for the house. It is beautiful I must say. I’m so proud of Sanu for doing this all this. It’s just so inspiring.
Here are a few pictures.
You can find a lot more pics and videos on my instagram @ishika.eth
I tried to summarize a lot of what I felt and learned throughout this trip, there is a lot that I wasn’t able to put into words, just the experience it self are undescribable. But I am so gratreful for having the opportunity to do this, I cannot wait to go back. I hope you all enjoyed this and gained a new perspective. If you have any questions about the trip or any experience that I had, feel free to ask me, would love to chat :)