[VinsWagen]

This is so heartwarming. Amazing to read this. It shows the perseverance and will-power of the human spirit and I'm sure it will inspire a lot of us to do something more than what we manage to do otherwise.

That said, I never could understand the effectiveness of such walks or ventures to promote lofty ideals like world peace or harmony. I could never find any social impact as intended, of such rides or yatras. The common man is too busy to change his behavior seeing someone walking or riding with boards around. At the most, it evokes curiosity among everyone and it dies sooner than later. However, I'm pretty sure it can be a life-changing experience for those who undertake such ventures. Benefit to Self = 99%. Benefit to Society = 1%. And one of the things that I really liked about your write-up is that you never claimed to have changed something or someone else but rather had been authentic and mindful to find the change within. Kudos to you bro!

[gabrielthomas]

Did you say the pictures you took were not good? my god! They were outright awesome. The colors and tone in the pictures speak of the journey you undertook. No wonder your words were less and the pictures did the talking.

One of the best travelogue errr... I should say 'walk-a-logue'?? I had one of the best reads in recent times. Thank you for taking us through this.

[Imran.Syed]

I love walking and due to a few temporary medical issues, have been advised not to use feet for too long. Made me a little emotional reading your posts.

Absolutely in awe of your experience and your words. You experienced India when it was at a politically historic turning point. I am not sure if a feat like this would be welcome in today's condition, but I digress.

I am scared to even want to do such a thing in my life, but you have gone and done it and for that, you are a real life hero.

[NPV]

@Red Liner ji, R-E-S-P-E-C-T for undertaking such a journey

What a wonderful way for me to start my day, woke up early and dove straight into your travelogue and completed it in one go, it is mesmerising, thanks for sharing

This is E-P-I-C indeed and to be treasured for posterity in the Travelogues section!

Oh, and the pictures are so colourful and vibrant, surely they help bring out the emotions from the journey.

[dust-n-bones]

I'm sure most people like me cannot even begin to imagine the kind of tenacity it needs to do this for 18 months, day in, day out. RESPECT.
And yet, you go beyond, cut through the daily grind it must have taken to achieve it, and give us a sublime taste of your epic effort.

Thank you.

I would though request you to also record your interactions with the people you met. Recording a people's history is as important as recording a 'formal' or sarkari history.

And your thoughts on how is it that we, the people of such generous traditions, are becoming increasing inflexible to respect the 'other' in the last 8-10 years since you undertook this yatra.

[knp]

wow.. your every sacrifice is worthy in everyway. What a journey! My humble respects to you and your team! While scrolling through your narration and pics, felt like this is another movement. I am sure this whole experience would have made you like getting 100 graduate degrees of knowledge and wisdowm, moreover life lessons!!

[chhotagujju]

WOW !!! Hats off to you sir. This is one of the most epic travelogue i have read.

I cant even imagine the amount of determination this would need. Thinking about such a trip itself requires so much courage. Starting it and then continuing till the end is sheer guts.

[harishpr]

We never know what life has to offer. Hats off to your resolute, and energy !!!

There is no way to measure this fete, and I don't know of anyone in my circle having achieved this. 500+ days on road with a bunch of adventurers is something many dream of.

I'm planning for an all state road trip for many years, let alone walk; I'm very hopeful that life will make my wish come true.

[jithin23]

This is phenomenal Sir. Giving up your job and following your heart is a very big thing which only a few dare to do!

Good to see that you have documented the journey raw, unlike uploading everything over a video

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

This is the stuff of which epics are made. I can only salute you and your resolve and discipline.
Wish I receive the privilege of meeting you one day. What a phenomenal journey you have shared.
Thank you for opening my eyes in a different way.
Someone will certainly step up and make a film of this epic journey like they did with Bill Bryson’s a Walk in the Woods. Only this is far more serious and you have traversed far more diverse and difficult terrain and circumstances along with a riot of cultures.
With best regards.

Dear Shankar, thank you for your kind words. I truly enjoy reading some of your witty posts. I hope your health is in better shape now after all the scares in the recent past. Inspite of being just internet acquaintances, I do try and empathise with what people might be going through in their lives. I hope fate allows us a meeting one day.

Originally Posted by Amrik Singh

A good and strong back up is one thing and strong will power & determination, another. First one is provided, second one is self built.
Great efforts and equally great results.

I am beginning to question the premise of self will being self built. With will apparently being built comes along pride and the fall is probably not too far away?

Originally Posted by AtheK

Wow, what a read and I can only imagine the experience you would have had living through it. Would you have changed in the time you walked, you definitely would have, and for better.

Hats off to you, to pull this off, I can only imagine doing this on a bike, and that too I would probably take the shortest route!

Thanks for sharing.

I am still considering whether I have changed or not. I think everyone expects a switch turned off or on, almost overnight, a light bulb or eureka moment. But I think the changes can also be gradual and ephemeral. Putting a measurement on "how much" one has changed...how does one measure this? What are the parameters? On what basis do you measure? What is the hypothesis? And what are the expectations of before and after against which you do these measurements?

[vivek_lo]

Though I am repeating whatever said earlier, this is just incredible! Salute to you and the team. Your determination and resilience has been aptly rewarded by the experience you gained which is beyond what others can imagine. Though you wonder if you have changed after this national walk, I am sure you are a different man now and can face life with abundant confidence. I see even elderly persons in the team and astonished by their inner strength. Truly inspiring. Special respect to your organisers! Mindboggling to even think of the efforts for organizing this.

[cka]

We live in a world of "Click and Bait" where there are many articles with fancy titles just to increase the number of people clicking .
But this one is truly remarkable journey. Looking forward for you to share more of such experiences.

[deathwalkr]

A few steps taken can be a journey for the legs, but thousands of miles will be a journey for the soul!

I am simply awestruck reading your post and words fail me. I really wish I had the will of body and mind to even think about doing something like this.

Just amazing!

[Red Liner]

What follows are posts and a few pictures from my personal collection to round off this "log". These will contain my thoughts and ramblings.

A girl who came out to see what the commotion was all about. Shy, like most little girls from a deep rural background. Her mother can be seen standing in the background, hands clasped and smiling.

This journey also took me to places that I would never have normally set foot in, like this school for differently abled children. Schools like these in the tier 3 towns get no recognition, no funding, nor access to the latest teaching methods crafted specifically for differently abled kids.

Another little girl, this time deep inside a village and seemingly of moslem descent, her kohl lined eyes and an almost Indonesian batik style floral salwar draped around her being a dead giveaway. Her demeanour seemed stern with a touch me not stance.

Two girls, part of a dance celebration that was put together. They were running off to participate before I held them back for this cheerful photo-op, dressed in all of their traditional clothing.

Having stopped at a non descript rest house for lunch off the highway on a rainy afternoon in Karnataka, the location was also important for the local village as a point of water collection. These two young girls were making their way home with pots of water balanced precariously on their little heads. With no piped connection, this was the only way the many rural households in India managed their water supply for their cooking and household chores. Though taken in jest, I look back at this picture today wondering.

Just wondering.

[dgoyle]

I am amazed. This is incredible. Bravo Zulu!