DEHRADUN: At a time when travellers seek the fastest route and instant information, 23-year-old Chandu Karki of Manikhet village in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district chose the opposite path: walking across India for 806 days to discover its culture, history, spirituality and people.
Karki, a resident of Berinag tehsil, said he covered 18,554 km in two years and two months, completing the Char Dham pilgrimage in Uttarakhand, visiting all 12 Jyotirlingas and travelling to several religious, historical and natural landmarks across the country.
“I began my all-India journey on foot from Manikhet on September 19, 2023, to understand India closely and experience its cultural traditions, spiritual heritage and natural beauty,” Karki told TNIE. “Before leaving, it took me nearly a week to convince my family.”
The journey took him through most major states and Union Territories, bringing him into contact with communities speaking different languages and following varied customs. Yet the strongest lesson, he said, was India’s underlying unity.
“Despite differences in food, language, dress and rituals, the idea of India is rooted deeply in its soil,” he said.
Karki was particularly moved by the hospitality he received in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
“The warmth and gentleness of the people in these two states were unmatched,” he said. “Their way of life still reflects the values of India’s traditional culture.”
Among the most demanding stretches were two Kanwar pilgrimages: from Haridwar to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, and from Haridwar to Nepal’s Pashupatinath Temple. On the Nepal route, he crossed the international border and walked through Mahendranagar, Attariya, Dhangadhi, Butwal, Narayangarh, Hetauda and Kathmandu before reaching the shrine.
“The purpose was never merely to clock kilometres,” Karki said. “It was to understand the shared culture of India and Nepal, their spiritual inheritance and natural landscapes, and the everyday lives of ordinary people. I now share these experiences on social media so that others can also see the country through my journey.”
The expedition tested his endurance repeatedly. Several routes were so remote that he would not encounter a village or market for two or three days. With limited supplies in his backpack, he sometimes survived an entire day on biscuits and water.
Weather, isolation and uncertain shelter added to the hardship, but turning back, he said, was never an option.
“There were stretches where I had only a little food and whatever I could carry,” he recalled. “But I never thought of abandoning the walk. Every difficult day gave me a new reason to continue.”
Karki describes the 18,554-km feat as a record, though independent certification has not been cited. He hopes to undertake larger adventure expeditions in India and abroad and has sought support from the government and relevant departments.
“Such journeys can inspire young people to explore responsibly, respect different cultures and understand the country beyond textbooks,” he said, appealing for institutional encouragement and sponsorship.
