The furthest I traveled as a kid was an overnight journey once and 4 or 5 hours bus ride twice and 30 minutes by bicycle often. The destinations weren’t any different from my home town, most often the destination was in my hometown - then a small town in Andhra, South India. That much travel was clearly deficient to whet my curiosity (for me personally), to know, to explore, to understand and expand my experiences and thoughts. Some people are fine not traveling much - I get it but that’s not me.
Tyagarja (1767-1847) whom I intensely adore, argued against the need to travel and instead asked people to try deeper contemplation and dedication. I totally appreciate that advice. But when he did travel once, only once in this lifetime, this artistic output was extraordinary - he composed some of the most beautiful music he ever did.
When you are exposed to the unfamiliar, your senses, your conscience gets a fresh breath of air, new stimuli open new doors in one’s mind, and I think every traveler craves. I do too and that’s a reason enough to travel.
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