A year ago we embarked on a journey that many were baffled by. Sometimes, ourselves included! Without much warning we had quit our secure jobs, with a detriment to our careers or so many thought, and decided to pack backpacks and get on a train to discover India. We thought we’d cover a decent amount of the country in a year, satisfy our lust for adventure and fulfil our souls with clean air and a break from structured life. How silly and laughable!! Not only have we covered less than half of India, it really is a massive place, we’ve managed to awaken some not so deep rooted sense of wanderlust, and found ourselves wanting to move even further away from grey cubicles and structured lives. And so we are now on a new adventure, of trying to figure out how we can complete the entire country, bit by bit, state by state, and earning a little along the way.

It would be foolish to say that we realized India is huge and utterly fascinating; that’s stating the obvious and not in a clever manner. What India is, as a whole we cannot say, perhaps ask us again in a year.. or five. However, we do know that India is a mammoth, slow moving amalgamation of a series of events, catastrophes, invasions, inventions and prophesies. It is as at once demanding and difficult and at the same time embracing and comforting. India is a place for everyone and yet no one can truly say what this country stands for, what it means and where it is headed. 250 days, 13 states, 29 trains and countless conversations later we are possibly even more baffled and even more in love with this country than when we started.     

We are even more baffled because we spent the most time in places we least expected to; we ate more in the vegetarian state of Gujarat than we thought we would; towns and villages with the harshest living conditions have the warmest people; and the so called dangerous places had locals welcome us with open arms, making us feel safe and alive. We discovered that life without electricity in a tiny village in the middle of Arunachal is wonderful, and quickly adjusted to a 5-9 kind of day. We chanced upon tiny fishing villages and hidden beaches in the most unexpected of places and have set up imaginary homes for future retirement. We’ve rediscovered cities that were at once home and familiar but threw up hidden gems and bountiful treasures. We confirmed our suspicions that “Indian” food, if there is such a classification, no matter what state or village is simply yummy and we will never lose weight. We’ve also, somewhere along the way, learnt a few things about ourselves and each other and that above all happiness is a state of mind. And India is a state of mind.

Having completed all the five states in the south, two in the north east, one in the west, one in the east, three in the north and one Union territory; we have a fair idea of what makes this country tick. Beyond the mythology and history and stunning landscapes and monuments and diverse food, it’s the people. It’s the wrinkled old sheep herder in Ladakh; the fisher woman peddling her wares in Manapad; it’s the jovial army officer at Bum La pass; the resourceful auto driver in Bihar; and its most certainly the little boy who wanted to be our tour guide in Fatehpur Sikri for a grand sum of Rs 10. They all have a story to tell, and it is this collection of stories and memories that make this country what it is.

We are now in a unique position to tell you these stories, of people and places and history and heritage. As our year ends and a new year (and perhaps a new direction in life) begins, the need to see and experience everything this country has to offer is as strong as ever. 13 states do not make India and to truly get under her skin we must know the rest of the country. The head hunters of Nagaland,  the icy deserts of Spiti, the painted havelis of Shekawati, the endless walls of Kumbalghar, the exotic carvings of Ellora and Khajuraho, the waterfalls of Chitrakoot, the villages of Malana, and of course go back to the place where it all began, the snow clad mountains of Uttarakhand and the majestic Nanda Devi. While we attempt to uncover the next part of our adventure, we hope to work in relevant forums and spaces, to bring you the India we have discovered, in our unique voice and fashion. Along the way we hope to find a new life, one where travel, writing and photography not only satiate the soul, but also helps us earn a living doing what we love.