It all starts here......

It was the last quarter of 2021, the 19 pandemic was setting low and off course every one was effected, frustrated, locked, some went homeless where as some went kilometers to reach home. A really tough time for all of us. Back then during my 4th semester, me and bunch of friends had planned to visit historical places around India ,as part of our academics. Eventually it was then we thought bring it to reality as it was the perfect time for us to get out of the bubble and explore. When we reached out to our VP then the only thing he said was – jao bacho jao , jeelo apni zindagi , and then the itinerary was prepared , permissions were granted (no that easily though ), bags were packed, it was a road trip, my first ever road trip as an architecture student, the travel was arranged with help of the seniors – a big thanks to them, and everything was perfectly set.

It was a fine Wednesday early morning; I was ready with my bags packed waiting for the tempo driver to reach the pickup point. It all started here, when a thought raised in my mind – let’s not just got out and enjoy, let’s explore, experience and capture that moment. Exploring that side of photography where you just don’t capture because the monument is intrinsic, or it’s the best frame, angle whatsoever to impress the world, but a side where you capture the way you are exploring it, the way you learn about it and through the factors that let you discover. Soon, the tempo arrived, and my dad accompanied me to meet my friends at college. Parents came to send us off, seniors helped organize, and the atmosphere was charged with positivity. With the almighty’s name, our journey began.

With so much excitement filled the journey began and it was a good start. Since childhood, road trips fascinated me—the curves of the road, scenic landscapes, and the breeze on my face. By 9 a.m., we took a pause for breakfast. Finding a suitable spot to eat together was a struggle, but after an hour, we discovered a small hotel run by an elderly couple. Unsure if they’d allow us to eat our homemade food, we approached them with hope. To our surprise, they graciously offered us a room to sit and eat. This act of kindness restored my faith in humanity—reminding me that grace still exists if we approach the world with honesty. We resumed our journey, entering lush green ghats. The scenic beauty was captivating, and the divine energy of nature seemed to embrace us. By mid-afternoon, after covering over 250 kilometers, we arrived at our destination where the subcontinent witnessed many intricate ancient temples and surreal landscape, the land where the epic witnessed a major turn, the land of one of the greatest rulers in the Indian history – HAMPI  (kishkindha in Ramayana , Capital of Vijaynagara in 14th century)

Hampi

To be continued........