Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
Pitch stop - 01
Sabarmati Ashram, Gujarat.
Shri. Sasikumar Vadamana & his son Anand traveled 1800+ km from Thrissur - Kerala to Sabarmati Ashram in their two bicycles. Inspired by Gandhian values, Sasikumar started his lifetime wish - Journey to Sabarmati Ashram on 2nd October 2021 with his son. One month of arduous bicycle journey through the toughest terrains of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat states, the father-son duo spread Gandhian thoughts and philosophies to the public through the language was a great barrier. Meeting them and spending a day with them in Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram in the heritage city of Ahmedabad was a wonderful experience for me. I admired the spirit of Mr.Sasikumar and the influence he created in his family to go ahead with this bicycle yatra at the age of his retirement.
I personally feel people like him are the real Gandhians who truly carry forward the legacy of Mahatma to the new generations who are used to admiring Gandhi only in currency notes. I bow my head with reverence to both Mr.Sasikumar and Anand for their indomitable Gandhian Spirit.
Pitch Stop - 02
Badi lake few km away from Udaipur, Rajasthan.
Nauf Seyyal & his life partner Azzu, the youngest travel couple I ever met. Indian-origin mallu Nauf, raised in an Arab land, who had an illustrious career in Australia quit his job and flew to Incredible India to find himself traveling through her woods and roads. He completed his solo road trip pan India in 232 days on his super-cool Qafila (Auto-Rickshaw modified to a Camper Van) and continued another few months of trip with his girl Azzu until the country went into lockdown. They restarted their journey 2.0. Meeting this couple was an experience. One can imagine the countless stories of traveling the diversity of India in an Auto-rickshaw.
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Nauf & Azzu are adorable and super-cool couples, and we had a wonderful time with endless conversations while we swam across the secluded waters of Badi lake, watching the sunset in Aravalli ranges, partying till the wee hours of the morning in a very remote cafe. Later, I slept a few hours in their Qafila while the couple stayed outside on the coldest winter night. I felt more privileged when I learned, that I'm the first person to sleep in their Qafila.
This is traveling for me.
Not to see places, but to meet interesting people, listen to their stories, get inspired and be a life-long learner of life.
