Why do Bag packing in India ?

India Clipart 

Why does a Traveler want to explore the East and why are seekers from all over the world drawn to to India so much ?

There are 4 types of travellers in my opinion:

1. They have the money and want to spend it by going to different places. It's a part of their lavish lifestyle.

2. Countries with higher currency find India to be really cheap and not only enjoy a great time with lesser amount of money, they also feel that they have better standards of living as compared to their life in the west.

2. Escapism: Many people travel because they are either heartbroken or dream of a better new life elsewhere. 

3. Quest of seeking: These are seekers, healers, musicians, hippies and all kinds in this category like rich, poor, average income generators etc. These people are seeking to add fulfilment & meaning to their life. 

Changing your life requires work and effort. When someone is seriously thinking about exploring other places the fundamental reason is that they are looking for solace away from the rigmaroles of their life. The concept of vacations was created to give relief to those who have difficult schedules and have no time to pause and be present to enjoy life. Bag-packing to another country especially India which has so much to offer is not similar to a vacation over 4-5 days. Just like there are different categories of travellers are, there are also various type of activities that people do in order to appear interesting on social media. 

• India is diverse and there are people with various physical (skin colour), religious and societal differences but all living in peace under one umbrella. This can broaden anyone's perspective on accepting people with their differences. During Bag-packing you can experiment with your own temperaments, succeed and fail a few times and then attain an experiential realisation that the one person who is always with you, is none other than your own self. When there is Harmony in diversity it's a good place to be in. This also means you have definitely reached some where in the journey and as a bag-packer you won't see any dearth of places where your connection with yourself with strength everyday. India has a lot to offer to those who enjoy their own company and are seeking for something extra. There are various festivals that are a lot of fun like Holi, Diwali, Christmas and every season comes with something to look forward too. This cannot be fully described in words thus experience is a must.

• Bag-packing is about being independent and in a diverse country like India this quality comes in handy. People are mostly friendly towards travellers and if you plan to explore websites like couchsurfing.com you can meet new people and be a part of their families too. I have personally spoken to people who used couchsurfing and wrote great reviews on how nicely different families had treated them. It's an age old tradition 'Athithi devo bhava' which means a guest is equal to a deity and Indians still believe in this.

• Food here is a delight and street food is not only delicious but also insanely cheap. A bag-packer is happiest when they get a good meal at a reasonable price. I have personally enjoyed some unique dishes like potato momos in Mcleoganj, butter prawn gravy in Goa, Laffe (a tibetan dish) in Tibetan Market in Delhi, spicy marathi food & pain puri in Bombay etc. From Lucknow to Kerala, every state in India has there own flavour and they have interesting delicacies. Junk food is not what Indians rely on completely for survival and most people crave for either home-made food or street food. People also go out for fine dining and while you can get a pizza at dominoes or pizzahut, you can also grab one on the streets which is made right in front of you. 

• India is not an expensive country for bag-packers and yet you might not able to cover it totally in one trip because there is so much to do & so many places to explore. Right from Leh Ladakh to Kanyakumari there are more and more breathtaking places as you go, with the availability of Hostels to Guest houses, ranging at different budgets. In Mcleodganj you may get a bed for 150 to 200 bucks and a beautiful room with wooden floors and a breath-taking view at only for 350- 500 rupees. Ofcourse there are hotels and guest houses too but its completely your choice because all options are available. One doesn't have to worry about finding a comfy place other similar like-minded travellers too. 

• India is the land of spirituality, be it yoga or meditation or reading sacred texts, there's a lot that a bag-packer can learn. You can go to different schools during your stay where some would charge a nominal fee like the Shivananda Ashram and also teach you rigorous yoga which is totally your call and some would require you to work there for certain hours for that you can register on various websites available. These places not only offer jobs but you get accommodation and food and the best part you can learn so much from those people who offer work and space to you. You can also do Vippassna in India and the centres are literally everywhere. It won't cost anything, but it's a very serious course spread over 10 days. This course requires the student to be mindful and at the end of 10 days it turns out to be helpful in many way. Some travellers even talk about turning into a completely different person after the course. In any case, it's worth doing for once at least. 

• From beaches to mountains to plateaus to plains to lakesides to forests and all kinds of climatic conditions, India literally is a package deal. You have so much variety in terms of nature and climate that you can hop in and out and feel like total badass!

• Connecting with like minded people is easy because there's a good number of traveler count that comes to the land of India every month. You can connect with people in person as well as online and join various groups and activities that won't even cost any money. It was very interesting that during my stay in Arambol, Goa I used to go to the evening sunset dance were more than 200 people would turn up with their bongos, djembe and drums to form a group and play during sunset every evening. At least a 1000 people would be there to dance to the beat of the drums while the sun would town down the horizon. 

Lastly, Mishaps can happen anywhere but only if we focus too much on it and it does also come with learnings. One has to be responsible towards your ownself and if you don't get good vibes from a place then better to move away from there or try to change your perspective. Be confident of your journey and who you are. Think Positive as that will attract positive experiences. 

Love, 
The Sunamoon