JOIN USThere are those who travel and those who go on a trip. “The traveller,” as English author Gilbert K Chesterton so beautifully put it, “sees what he sees; the tourist sees what he has come to see.” Paloma Monappa and Meraj Shah drove across 29 states and covered 28,000 km in their quest to ‘see’ India. This epic journey of over six months is now Discovery’s 13-part TV series #Indiamyway.
It is more than just a travel show, says Paloma, an actor, model, surfer and DJ. “The focus of the show is not the places, but all the interesting people we encounter along our journey. The viewers get a chance to travel vicariously through us. The series encapsulates incredibly liberating and empowering works of young Indians, which paints an inspiring picture of the emerging India,” she elaborates.
It’s time to think beyond the Taj Mahal and the Gateway of India. From the lush vineyards of Nashik and underwater photography in Goa to India’s first digital village in Gujarat and first 3D museum in Chennai, the show takes you on breathtaking journeys that are often beyond the realm of tourist itineraries. You see them wander, talk to the locals, feel their pulse and indulge in the local cuisine.
Meeting mavericks
While there’s every chance that you may envy the duo, their river rafting experience in Zanskar, Ladakh, and safari in the Rann of Kutch, you will also be inspired by some of the most incredible stories of eclectic folks who dare to do things differently. The meetings with Vicky Roy, a ragpicker-turned-photographer in Delhi, and Ponni, a transwoman teaching bharatnatyam in Chennai, are Paloma’s favourites — the ones that moved her deeply.
And don’t be surprised if you learn a valuable lesson or two in entrepreneurship. Whether it’s from Ritesh Agarwal, founder of OYO Rooms, or Kaushal Duggar, founder and CEO of Teabox, the show promises to have something in store for every viewer. Did you know of the courier company that employs only deaf boys? How about the initiative to ensure that recyclable waste does not end up in a landfill?
For those who consider TV viewing experience incomplete without the celeb quotient, the show doesn’t disappoint. In Mumbai, actor and author Twinkle Khanna talks about her association with Raasta Chaap, an endeavour to save dying trees, while in Kerala, an encounter with music director Amal Neerad and actor Dulquer Salmaan gives an insight into the new wave in Malayalam cinema. And then, there’s Kannada actor Samyukta Hornad taking you to all the cool hangout spots in the IT capital of India.
But why travel by road? “There is a richness to traversing the land an inch at a time that is absent from the experience of climbing into a metal canister and climbing out at your destination,” responds Paloma. When a mountain trekker reaches the summit after hours of painful climbing, she elucidates, the reward is not just the view from the top or in saying “I did it”. The true reward lies in the preparation and the journey, the unexpected moments in between and the fact that you stumbled upon and discovered the unexplored.
What stands out
Understandably, it can’t be easy to choose one’s most memorable moment from such an expansive road trip that covered the entire length and breadth of the country. But, for Paloma, the answer is crystal clear. “Driving into Arunachal Pradesh was one of my favourite moments. It was foreign terrain for me and I was in complete awe of the natural beauty surrounding us. There was something so pure and untouched about the place. I remember feeling a sense of pride for the country I live in,” she recounts.
The road trip from Manali to Leh was another unforgettable experience. “We drove 500 km up to Leh, crossing some of the most dangerous and treacherous passes. It took us two days. The spectacular terrain will be etched in my memory forever. It really does transport you into another world and makes you wish you had a 360-degree vision! A surreal experience; it’s definitely something I would recommend to everyone travelling in India,” says the actor. #Indiamyway airs every Sunday at 8 pm, on Discovery Channel.