Welcome,
My name is Kaushik Rai and when I was 18 years of age and about to start studying history at University in September 2017, I embarked on an epic journey.
Before deciding on this journey, I knew I wanted to explore the world, pursue my love of history and to travel in someone’s footsteps but could not decide in whose footsteps.
This question was however settled In late August 2016, whilst reading a book on the place of myth and legend in history and en route to Scotland, thinking about how I was going to spend my year. As a child I was regularly exposed to tales from all over the world, whether it had been Icarus and Daedalus or Robin Hood, and I started to wonder whether I could investigate a myth and its history for myself.
My Dad was driving at the time and I shared my thoughts with him. He paused for a moment, and seemed to reflect, before giving his reply.
‘The Rāmāyana, follow the footsteps of Rāma.’
The 18 year old in me, equipped with the naive feeling of invincibility and without much thought of the difficulties of travelling in a country as enigmatic as India, knew it was what I wanted to do.
I had grown up listening to and watching the adventures of Sita, Rāma, his brother Lakshmana, and the mighty Hanuman. I was given the opportunity of exploring one of the greatest stories of the world.
I was going on a journey through India, a 3,500km journey to follow the epic Trail of Rāma.
Now I have written about some of these experiences and I would like to share them with you and will be releasing my manuscript on Diwali. Please follow me and travel with me on this very special journey.