The Stiff Start: Mysore in Monotone

It was in December 2023 that this soulful journey began….

It started like just another official trip. Delhi to Bengaluru by train, then a bus to Mysore. No expectations, no excitement. Just work.

I checked into a small room, wore my formal shirt and pants, polished vegan leather shoes - that official outfit which somehow feels tighter than it actually is. I went for my assigned official work at an official center. After some days it got finished , I stepped out around noon, still wrapped in that stiff formal look. I was sweating, uncomfortable, and honestly, not in the mood for anything. But something inside me said - "Don’t just go back. Go somewhere. Go to Isha."

The Sudden Switch: Toward Adiyogi

So I made a spontaneous plan. Coimbatore first, then Isha Foundation - Adiyogi.

I headed to the bus stand. The heat, the noise, the rush - and no one willing to help. I was asking in Hindi, in English, even with gestures. But it felt like people understood me and chose to ignore. The language barrier wasn’t just linguistic - it was personal. Still, after 20-25 minutes of wandering like a clueless tourist, A policeman pointed me toward a bus. Coimbatore it was.

Now came the real twist.

Locked Out: The Bag That Wouldn’t Open

I needed to change from my formal wear, but my trolley bag’s lock - jammed. Not budging an inch. My wallet, charger, comfy clothes - all inside. Bus was leaving. No time to fix it. I boarded the bus with just 500₹ in cash and a phone battery blinking at 2%. No internet, no idea when I’ll reach, and no water or food.

Seven hours passed.

Click of Relief: Coimbatore Rescue

By the time I reached Coimbatore, it was around 9 PM. I was drained. Starving. Phone - dead. My body was screaming for rest. For food. For a little peace. I dragged myself through the dimly lit roads, looking for a hotel, found one after 25-30 minutes. As soon as I reached the room, I sat down with the bag like it was a bomb to defuse. Tried something - a trick - and click! The lock opened.

Never felt so victorious.

Changed clothes, charged phone, grabbed some food finally around 11 PM at a good veg restaurant. Came back, showered, and passed out. I had to go to Adiyogi next morning. The real journey was yet to begin.

The Vibe Shift: Entering Isha

Early morning, I packed, checked out, and went to Gandhipuram bus stand - luckily close by. After a little wait, I got the bus to Isha Foundation. About an hour’s ride. And suddenly the whole tone of the trip changed.

Cool breeze. Hindi-speaking travelers from across India. Positive energy everywhere.

I explored the entire center. Had sattvic lunch. Kept my phone, shoes and baggage in their clock room and entered the spiritual space barefoot. That silence, the chants, the giant statue - it was calming.

Evening came and I stayed for the light show. It was magical. And now... it was time to go back to Mysore. Or at least I thought so.

Detour into Darkness: The Midnight Maze

I took a local taxi to reach a railway station. Told him I need to go toward Mysore - but language again played its game. He dropped me at some random station near Kerala border. No trains. None. My mobile battery was dying again.

I checked - train cancelled. No route to Mysore or even Bengaluru from there.

I booked an early morning flight from Bengaluru to Kolkata. What now?

I started walking.

Yes, at 12:10 AM, two bags in hand, I was walking on the highway in the middle of nowhere. Stopped a few people - got ignored or misled again. After almost an hour, I saw a small dhaba with a few trucks parked. They had a plug point. I charged my phone.

I quickly checked online. Found a bus on the same highway going toward Bengaluru. Booked it in time - thank God. I boarded, slept a bit. Reached Bengaluru around 7 AM.

Collapse at the Airport: Lesson in Humility

Now comes a big mistake. I was taking antibiotics that week. And I took two tablets in the airport without eating anything since the previous evening.

Within 10 minutes - everything went wrong.

I was puking non-stop, dizzy, couldn’t stand. Fever hit. I asked for help. A guy working at the airport came for help, he was a good guy - arranged a wheelchair, took me to emergency, and helped me with security check and check-in.

I was shivering and still vomiting when they boarded me on the flight in a wheelchair.

Window seat. Warm coffee. Some snacks. Sweet air hostesses who took care of me like I was a patient. And still, I was half-conscious. That flight stopped in Goa.

The Pause in Goa: Healing Unexpectedly

It got delayed there by 6-7 hours. But something happened in Goa.

I stepped out, went to a nearby beach, sat alone for a while - and slowly, my system reset. Sunlight. Sea. Silence. It healed something.

Last Stretch: From Rain to Curzon Gate

from Goa ,took the delayed flight. I landed in Kolkata around 11:30 PM. It was raining heavily, and I was already feeling weak. Somehow, after walking in the rain for 30–40 minutes and dealing with a few people misguiding me outside the airport, I booked a Rapido and found a hotel near the airport to rest for the night.

Next morning, around 6 AM, I left for Bardhaman. It was still raining non-stop and the air was cold. I took a bus from Airport Road. After some time, we got stuck in a huge traffic jam. I waited for a while, then left the bus and started walking on foot - fully drenched, with all my luggage getting soaked too.

After walking for quite a distance in the rain, I caught another auto, then switched to one more that dropped me near Bardhaman. And finally, I reached.

I and my luggage was all wet - clothes, shoes, everything. But finally, I was standing there… right in front of Curzon Gate, tired but peaceful.

Homebound: Ending with a Smile

And That Was It

I finished my work there in 2-3 days, then took a flight back to Delhi. When I finally sat back on that Delhi-bound flight seat, I smiled.

No adventure park could match that roller-coaster.

Final Thoughts: No Map, Just Faith

This wasn’t a trip. This was a test.

Of patience, trust, silence, strength. From the discomfort of vegan leather shoes to the silence of Adiyogi… from ignored questions to shared smiles… from walking alone on highways to being wheeled into an aircraft - every moment wrote itself into me.

This trip reminded me - life doesn’t wait for a perfect plan. It just flows. You have to flow with it. With dead phones, closed locks, language barriers, wrong turns - and faith.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s the only real itinerary worth following.