The Travel Diary: A journey through the mist and magic of India
- Text by Mehdi Hasan
- Photography by Mehdi Hasan
I’m originally from Bangladesh, but I’ve been to India a couple of times now. Each journey lasts from a couple of weeks to a month. I travel there because of the diversity – you’d be surprised at how different each region is from the other. It feels like a dozen countries have mixed together to form a vast mystical land. It’s a culture shock heaven.
I’m drawn to India’s people, who are the most memorable I’ve ever met, and the spirituality. Saying my prayers at the Delhi Jama Masjid, talking to the crimson cloaked monks in the monasteries of Darjeeling, and meditating in the underground temple in Hampi were some of the most memorable moments of my life. I particularly love the mountain city of Darjeeling. The mist-covered streets are one of a kind.
Some say if you want to experience true Indian culture, you go to Varanasi – I think they’re right. Varanasi is the epitome of the ‘Indian experience.’ The long haired, bearded sadhus, with their calm expressions, are iconic. You find plenty of them just chilling on the Gangaghat river.
The pyres of Varanasi [which sees people ritualistically burn the dead] are also a really important thing to witness. It’s possible to have epiphanies while watching the bodies burn to ashes.
The village of Hampi, in the south, is unique in its own ways. It’s a Unesco world heritage site, with vast landscapes covered with stone boulders. The temples and historical sites there are from the Vijayanagara Empire, dating back to the 14th century. It’s a bewitching place – like a city frozen in time.
Travelling through New Delhi and Kolkata were similar experiences. Both are India’s major cities; their infrastructure and transportation systems are much more developed. Watching the sunset by the Howrah Bridge felt dreamy.
If you are planning to go India, don’t be afraid to explore and find new places that you haven’t read about on the Internet. Set yourself up for a journey of a lifetime, and serious spiritual discovery.
See more of Mehdi Hasan’s work on his official website or follow him on Instagram.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck
Bobby Gillespie: “This country is poisoned by class”
Primal Scream’s legendary lead singer writes about the band’s latest album ‘Come Ahead’ and the themes of class, conflict and compassion that run throughout it.
Written by: Bobby Gillespie
Vibrant photos of New York’s Downtown performance scene
‘Balloons and Feathers’ is an eclectic collection of images documenting the scene for over two decades.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Picking through the rubble: Glimpses of hope in the US election results
Clambering through the wreckage of the Harris campaign, delving deeper into the election results and building on the networks that already exist, all hope is not gone writes Ben Smoke.
Written by: Ben Smoke
US Election night 2024 in Texas
Photographer Tom “TBow” Bowden travelled to Republican and Democratic watch parties around Houston, capturing their contrasting energies as results began to flow in.
Written by: Isaac Muk
In photos: “Real life is not black and white” – Polaroid x Magnum Open Call winners
See pictures from the competition organised by two titans of contemporary photography, which called upon artists to reject the digitalisation and over-perfectionism of our modern world, technology and image-making.
Written by: Huck
In photos: Rednecks with Paychecks
‘American Diesel’ is a new photo series that looks at the people, places and culture behind the stereotypes of rural America.
Written by: Ben Smoke