KOCHI: The purpose of his life is to find happiness. And for most people, pure happiness comes when they travel. This is why Maheen S decided to make his life all about adventures, travelling like a gipsy, wandering, with no roots. He finds family in people he meets in those destinations, those who are part of the fleeting moments. At 20, Maheen has his life charted out, many experiences to his credit. “I am going to live a nomadic life. I believe we must exist with no regrets. And I should continue travelling vividly,” says Maheen.
A native of Thiruvananthapuram, the youngster started travelling while doing his BTech in Gujarat. He has been funding his low-budget journeys since he was 18. He takes up work wherever he goes. In college, he proved to his friends that one doesn’t need savings to travel. “I left everything I own at the hostel and took off without any money, without an ATM card. I hitchhiked, worked in dhabas, and got paid in food,” recalls Maheen.
When he couldn’t identify with the subject he was being taught, he decided to try another course. Maheen is now pursuing BBA in travel and tourism at the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel (IITTM) in Delhi. With classes being held online, Maheen has the luxury of travelling and learning more.
He was in Dehradun when the pandemic hit. He came home during the first wave. When places started opening up, he started travelling again. He was exploring the North-Eastern part of India during the second wave and is travelling still. His friend Arunima joined him soon. “Now that we travel together, it is interesting. Both of us are like-minded and adventurous,” says Maheen.
This youngster has a myriad of experiences to share. Recently, he even had to spend a night in jail. “We were camping in a forest in Assam when inter-district travel wasn’t allowed. We had crossed districts and we didn’t know that. The locals took us to the police but they let us go the next day without any charges,” says Maheen. There were bitter experiences as well.
“I have been harassed and molested. But that doesn’t hold me back. I am only motivated to travel more,” he says. Travel has changed his perspective too. “I believe there are only two things that can change a person — travelling or reading. For me, it was the former that became a life changer,” says Maheen who hopes to start a travel-related business soon.