28 States In 51 Days, This Mother-Son Duo Drove 16,800 Km To Explore Incredible India

by Suchismita Pal
28 States In 51 Days, This Mother-Son Duo Drove 16,800 Km To Explore Incredible India

In 51 days, doctor mom Mitra Satheesh from Kerala covered over 16,800 kilometres through some of the most picturesque expanses in the nooks and crannies of India. With the support of Incredible India and the Ministry of Tourism, Mitra started her expedition ‘Oru Desi Drive’ in March 2021, and also took her 11-year-old son Narayan along. In less than two months, she managed to cover 28 states and 6 union territories. While on her journey, she explored diverse cultures, their art forms, cuisines and practices.

 

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A post shared by Mitra Satheesh (@windin_my_hair)

They Travelled Through Tamil Nadu, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim And More

Mitra Satheesh went on a 51-day all India drive with her son Narayan in her Maruti S-Cross. Apart from being a professor at Tripunithura’s Government Ayurveda College, Mitra is an ardent traveller, and her social media is proof of it. While on her journey, she ventured through Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kolkata, Bastar, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim and more. As it is said, travelling is a great learning experience, Mitra learned about unique cultures, art forms and cuisines from some remote corners of the country.

 

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Also Read: This 24-Year-Old Boy Is Walking Thousands Of Kilometres Across India Discovering Places & Making New Friends

Learning Unique Art Forms, Cultures And Cuisines

She came to know about the unique technique of making Cheriyal masks from tamarind seed powder in the Cheriyal village of Telangana. Mitra also witnessed the mask making culture at Assam’s Majuli. In one of the pictures, she is seen holding a Puthana mask from Majuli. She tasted the unique til pitha, made with sesame and rice, while in Assam. In Mizoram, she and her son donned the traditional Mizo costumes.

 

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A post shared by Mitra Satheesh (@windin_my_hair)

She met the people of the elusive Bonda tribe who had come out of their forest homes to visit the haat in Koraput, Odisha. Mitra had also spent a day with the Dhurva tribe at Jagadalpur and had a meal with the Gadaba tribe in Kangrapod, Odisha.

 

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She watched the striking Gaur dance of the Madiya tribals in Madhya Pradesh’s Anjer. The noteworthy aspect about these tribes is that they wear bison horn headgear. In one of the videos, Mitra is seen wearing the unique headgear of the Madiya tribals.

 

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Also Read: This Mother Went Backpacking To The Northeast With Her 4-Year-Old Against The Odds Of The Family

Creating Memories In Old City Alleys, Historic Buildings, Mountains, Rivers…And Everything!

Mitra soaked in the breeze by the Teesta river in Sikkim. The mother-son duo also scaled up to Jammu’s Vaishno Devi. They explored the iconic College Street book market of old Kolkata and the historic terracotta mosques of Malda-Murshidabad, West Bengal.

 

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A post shared by Mitra Satheesh (@windin_my_hair)

In Bastar, they learned about the Tuma craft and wrought iron craft. Not only Mitra, but even her son Narayan had a profoundly immersive experience at a very young age, which will surely help him a lot ahead in life.

 

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Overcoming The Challenge Imposed By COVID-19 Second Wave

Mitra and her son had begun their journey when COVID-19 virus cases had started dipping in the country. But then, the second wave came as a major challenge. The situation had become stressful when they reached Assam’s Guwahati. Upon reaching Shilling, they faced a lockdown. Therefore, Mitra travelled to East Sikkim’s Bardang. From there, she continued her journey to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, Haryana, Ludhiana and reached Jammu and Kashmir. From Kashmir, she returned to Kochi via  Vadodara, Daman, Mumbai, Pune, Belgaum, Mangalore and Kozhikode.

 

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Also Read: These Young Peeps Went On An Auto Ride Covering Over 1000 Km Along The Western Ghats To Promote Girl Child Education 

Upon reaching home, the two of them went into isolation following the COVID-19 protocol. Nevertheless, they definitely had the experience of a lifetime.