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| Vinieta Bhatia |
Indian social structure is not really lenient about women travelling alone. There are a number of concerns that each and every person has, some of them legitimate while most of them being completely useless. The first thing that everyone does in this country when they hear about a girl/woman travelling alone is that she won’t be able to manage herself, then comes the safety question. So, to get over all these obstacles and to become a female traveller and explorer in this country is something which deserves praise from each and every one of us. This is exactly what Vinieta Bhatia (traveller) has done.
The first few hurdles
It is customary for most Indian women to follow the society’s wants and needs throughout their lives. A girl is expected to make her family happy by learning about how to cook and how to maintain a household so that after marriage she can have a happy life. Well, times are changing and so are our women; Vinieta Bhatia (traveller) is just the perfect example of that. From a very early age, she loved to travel and she always had a craving to see the world. After learning about other solo female travellers throughout the world her confidence grew.
The story begins
After struggling through social pressure she started out with small trips in her own state. Just going to different cities and exploring the countryside. Her initial experience was not good because almost everyone was against her. This is when her parents’ support helped her. They stood beside her every step of the way and supported all her decisions. Vinieta Bhatia (traveller) went on her first long trip to Ladakh with some friends. But during this journey, she realised that this was her life’s goal, her reason to be here.
The unending journey
Although she went to Ladakh with her friends, she realised that she was never meant to be someone who holds a 9 to 5 job and does groceries on her trip back home. She understood that exploring the world was what she needed to do, and so she started her journey. From that point on she started to visit the different states of India and within a short period of past 3 years, she has almost completed her journey throughout the country. On her trips, she visits the different religious places because she loves to gain knowledge about the history of a city, how it was formed, how the people used to live in the past.
A shining star for everyone to look up to
What Vinieta Bhatia has done is something that will inspire the generation for years. She faced our society’s narrow mentalities and came out on the other side with a life she wants to live. She was very lucky to have parents who supported her, and most people don’t share that luck. But still, her story will inspire many parents to let their kid go on trips, let them explore the country. Vinieta is now planning a world tour, her goal is to travel and explore every country and learn about their culture and history. We all hope that she succeeds in achieving her dream.