Travel

“Dilpasand”

(the rough translation would be ‘favourite’ but the English counterpart cannot even begin to describe the true essence of the word)

Meaning:

-Flaky bun filled with coconut, fruit and nuts

-Or the word most commonly used by my grandmother to describe Pakistan, the country she is originally from

Dilpasand is also the philosophy she lived by and ingrained in us. Travel to places that make your heart burst into a song and dance or do things that make your heart pound faster with exhilaration. Dilpasand was her way of telling us to love the world and to #SayYesToTheWorld.

How successful have I been to follow her philosophy? Why don’t you judge for yourself? 🙂

SayYesTo New languages

I have to be very honest here and tell you that I used to hate learning languages as a child. I would cry, tear my hair, throw tantrums but no matter what I did, my grandmother would respond to me in Sindhi, thus making me learn the language in her way.

I attribute her persistence to my appreciation for languages which made me take up French and Japanese which I have learnt for 5 years and 1 year respectively as well as my strong will to master Marathi

Language, I think is the ultimate icebreaker in any culture. I have travelled to villages in Gadchiroli and visited Gond tribes without any knowledge of their language Gondi. Yet, a simple ‘how are you’ would make them break into a smile and invite me to their homes.

Say Yes to Curiosity

Curiosity can either kill a cat or broaden a human’s horizons. Take your pick 😉

Questions thrill everybody. People love to share their knowledge and customs with you and they, in turn, are curious to know more about you.

My questions have sometimes met a slammed door or an inviting smile but I don’t regret any of them. I once asked a tribal elder about a beautifully decorated wooden pole located in the middle of his verandah.

It had a beautiful story to it; as per their traditions, this pole would be would help hold up the mandap (tent) during the wedding and would then be gifted to the couple to remind them to stand by each other no matter what. It would be carved with various designs which signify an important aspect of their culture.

Didn’t I tell you that curiosity can broaden a human’s horizons?

Say Yes to Trust

I was and still, am to a certain extent terrified of travelling alone. You hear such shocking stories every single day. The news is filled with terrible incidents that make it difficult to trust anybody. Yet, my unwavering belief that everybody is a good person at heart, has never let me down.

-Trust in my own city

It was raining heavily and my umbrella could barely fight the onslaught of monsoon. I was confused, lost and could not find the way to the nearest railway station. In comes an autorickshaw driver and says let me drop you.

A strange unknown man asking you to get into the auto on an almost deserted street. Scary right? But somehow my gut told me to trust him and you know what? Not only did he drop me at the station but also refused to take fare for this trip.

-Trust in a new place

I had terrible three weeks at Bangalore when I first moved to the city. I was lonely, lost and felt unloved. The language was different, the culture was different and I was staying in a very strict hostel. I hated the food, the public transport and was just a miserable and unhappy person. I decided one random weekend to go for the city tour and went to Majestic bus stop without any clue of the process. Even though the tour was sold out in advance, Mr Dheenadayalu, Driver-cum-co-ordinator of Bengaluru Darshini Tour gave up the seat designated for him and allowed this lonely girl to be wowed by his city.

That day was the changing moment for me where I let go of my complaints and prejudice and allowed Bangalore to charm me.

Say Yes to Homestays

Homestays are a thrilling adventure on their own. Living with locals, eating with them and understanding their day-to-day life is a fascinating insight into a place or a country. The days I spent in Japan with at a homestay has been my favourite travel experiences so far. From being gifted kimonos by the host’s grandmom, my host trying to make Indian chai as a surprise for breakfast to eating sakura dumplings (a delicious dessert) and learning Japanese calligraphy, my time at Mito city was truly unparalleled.

Say Yes to Spontaneity

A handbag, party T-shirt and chappals are not ideal for a trek but one fine Sunday me and my friends decided to be spontaneous and just go for it.

Let me tell you, our feet were badly blistered and sore, we were dirty, hot and sticky, we ran out of water midway and yet that trek was the best trek I had ever undertaken.

Take your backpack and just say yes to spontaneity 🙂

Say Yes to Food

I have done it myself and I think most of us are guilty of this horrendous crime. After trying out the local cuisine for a bit, we start craving the food we know and love. It is not uncommon but should be avoided. There are so many things to eat in the world and most of the times I am too hungry to bother clicking photographs of my meals. Each and every one of them has been a truly cherished experience for me. Always say YES to the local food! 🙂

Say Yes to MADness

Music, Art and Dance aka MADness is the crucial ingredient of any part of the world and I think without their presence, the world would be a bleak place. While I can’t really dance well, play a musical instrument or know any art form, I am appreciative of people who excel at MAD. I love exploring and discovering new things.

I took up a pottery at one of my trips and made a wonky pot, met a family of traditional Warli artists at Jawahar and came across this talented musician at Amer Fort, Jaipur.

No matter where you go, never ever forget to Say Yes to MADness 😀

P.S. A short music clip from my recent trip to Jaipur

Say yes to Nature 

Being one with nature is so important but in our fast-paced busy lives we rarely get the time to get away from it all. The concrete jungle is our reality but sometimes it is important to take a break to smell the roses, marigolds or mogras. People always assume that one needs to travel long and far to experience nature. I just visited a Fruits, Plants and Flower show in my neighborhood to be close to nature. Take a walk in a park or start your own windowsill garden and say yes to Nature.

Say yes to Discovery and Wonder

It is the small things in life that you expect nothing from that make you stop in wonder. I decided to visit the Byculla Zoo in Mumbai a couple of months to go and was surprised to find how beautifully it was revamped by the local authorities. It was a sweet surprise to walk through the entire space and remember all my fond childhood memories.

The discovery of the Global Vipassana Pagoda was a happy accident, 100. I was planning to take a few guests to Essel World when I chanced upon the Global Vipassana Pagoda which is very close to the water park. With its peaceful and serene environment and delicious food, the Global Pagoda is a day trip that everyone should undertake at least once.

Say हाँ, Oui, हो,はい, ها, and Yes to the world

Go on, give the world a chance. It truly is a beautiful place waiting with its arms wide open for travellers to come to it and explore all its hidden gems.

And if you need more convincing, you should know that grandmoms are never wrong and Dilpasand is truly a way of life.

Just see my happy grin in case you need more convincing 😀