Dehradun, Oct. 28 -- I am an eighteen-year-young man, shaped by the restless rhythm of Mumbai, a city of glass towers, endless traffic, and hurried ambition. Having grown up in this urban jungle and studied in an English-medium school where every goal was measured, I realised I had never truly touched the living essence of India, its wisdom, culture, and spirituality. My world was modern and comfortable, but somewhere it lacked meaning and connection.

After finishing class twelve, I decided to take a gap year, not for rest, but for rediscovery. My father, my constant guide and companion, encouraged me to travel beyond the concrete landscape and experience the India that breathes through its villages, rivers, and rituals. He wanted me to ...