Abhijatrik by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay [Hardcover]

"People leave their country in pursuit of a better life. They often say how many places there are to see abroad, how many beautiful experiences await. What is there to see in one's own country, after all! And yet, just a few steps outside one's home lies an indescribable treasure trove of beauty that we fail to see. As Bibhutibhushan rightly said, the joy a traveler feels in a ten-mile journey is the same as the joy felt traveling a thousand miles—ten and a thousand are equal in that sense. Bibhutibhushan never traveled abroad. But he explored many places within the country—sometimes walking, sometimes for work, and sometimes just for passion. However, the joy he found in the bushes of flowers near his home is something people fail to find even after traveling thousands of kilometers. This definition of travel—this is the essence. Joy and experience are the true essence of travel, whether you go far or stay close. Bibhutibhushan explored the country, became one with nature, and observed people. To him, nothing was greater than people and nature. Through his journeys, he came to know people—people of diverse colors and shades. To truly understand eternal Bharat-Mata (Mother India), one must go to those poor but internally noble individuals—there is no other way. 'Aparajito' (The Unvanquished) is a different kind of travel story. It may not describe famous places, history, grand structures, luxurious seats, or food. But it contains the scent of the roads, the scent of the earth, which narrates the true essence of travel. That is why 'Aparajito' effortlessly becomes a timeless favorite among travel narratives."