In the present day an increasing number of Indian girls are selecting to undertake journeys travelling solo, ignoring the incredulous query, ‘Are you travelling alone?’ Debayani Bose provides a lowdown on this new development.
Breaking the stereotypes and bending the gender norms, Indian girls are selecting to journey solo greater than ever with nobody however themselves as an organization. Solo girls travellers are discovering a definite voice as journey corporations design packages that cater completely to girls travellers.
Solo journey isn’t about proving some extent or being a girl’s rights activist who has got down to make issues proper. It’s about exerting one’s selections, going as per one’s personal schedule, making errors and studying from them, and most significantly studying to rely on oneself.
As per Google Developments for 2017, greater than 10 million girls had looked for web sites for solo journey.
“I feel we’re coming of age. I keep in mind once I did my first solo journey again in 2014, I discovered folks taking a look at me in amazement mentally maybe pondering, ‘what’s this feminine doing on their own within the practice?’ remembers Supriya Aggarwal, a writer-turned-psychotherapist.
“I’m glad that I travelled solo and contemplate myself blessed to have witnessed the nation’s (India’s) magnificence at my tempo. I keep in mind assembly this tremendous useful driver throughout my go to to Puducherry. He was guiding me all through my journey, would patiently look ahead to me whereas I explored the cafes, the Promenade seaside, or just roam within the by-lanes,” she reminisces.
Occasions are altering absolutely for solo feminine travellers, however is there sufficient infrastructure, and help programs that encourage girls to journey solo? The reply is a powerful no.
Sharing her solo journey experiences, Aggarwal says, “I gained’t like to check it with every other nation, however sure, I’d say that the federal government ought to take note of infrastructure for ladies travellers. A lady-friendly transportation system involves thoughts, as does the important lack of ‘usable’ public restrooms.

                                                  Be alert, be secure

Listed below are a couple of security suggestions from our solo journey consultants
Be alert: Be ready to answer any unsafe state of affairs. all the time use your presence of thoughts.
Analysis the place earlier than you go to: Analysis whichever place you intend to go to.
At all times journey gentle: Journey gentle, as a result of it makes mobility simpler
Select lodging correctly: When selecting lodging, go for a steadiness of high quality, worth, and site.
Obtain offline maps: There are locations the place the web and GPS won’t work (no community areas). In such instances, downloaded offline maps of the place turn out to be useful.
Carry money: At all times have some money helpful
Use public transport: Attempt to use public transport as a lot as attainable as an alternative of personal ones, in order that there isn’t any security situation in travelling alone.
At all times seem robust and assured: Being assured is essential when travelling solo. Don’t appear misplaced.

Drawing a comparability with the West, Sanchita Guha, a solo traveller and journalist, says, “Within the West, it doesn’t matter in any respect whether or not a solo traveller is male or feminine. Nobody ever asks any questions, and there are single rooms, combined dorms, and/or feminine dorms obtainable in most cities. The police can be found equally for each women and men.”
“I feel anticipating the legislation enforcement in India to vary in a single day and develop into responsive could be an excessive amount of to count on. A reputable authorities score system for accommodations and homestays which might be solo feminine travel-friendly, and inspiring extra hospitality institutions to create secure single rooms for ladies would undoubtedly assist solo feminine travellers in any state of affairs,” she opines.
“In India, there isn’t any help system as such, as a result of the help that actually issues — legislation enforcement — is non-existent. Sadly, the federal government has finished subsequent to nothing to create any infrastructure to assist girls journey solo,” she provides.
Explaining how travelling will help us be taught and broaden our horizons, she says, “I feel it will be good if Indian dad and mom encourage their youngsters to take a niche yr, as folks in Western international locations do — simply pack a bag, and take off, as an alternative of being fixated on mark sheets, school admissions and job interviews.”
“Prime 20 locations for secure solo journey for ladies in India”, and “Most secure locations in India for solo feminine travellers”, such titles pop up incessantly on the Google search engine, solely pointing at the truth that travelling alone as a girl shouldn’t be but free from security issues.
Fixing questions of safety linked with solo girls travellers, Wandering Jane, a journey start-up is enabling secure travels for solo girls travellers.
“It has native consultants who’re based mostly within the locations. They work as our companions, and so they curate in addition to execute the journeys. We additionally use homestays which might be verified by us; many of the native consultants are girls. The native consultants are skilled and geared up to deal with solo feminine travellers. They’re obtainable 24×7 to troubleshoot and help,” explains Garima Pande, founder, Wandering Jane, who believes all of us want to hitch palms to construct extra women-friendly stays and create a secure setting for ladies travellers.
Many solo feminine travellers are additionally taking over volunteer journey in India to save lots of up on the price of journey. Volunteering for journey, an idea which is quick catching up, not solely provides us the liberty to journey on a finances, however generally it additionally offers an opportunity to even journey free of charge.
“If you happen to keep at somebody’s place by sofa browsing, then you definately save quite a bit on lodge prices. It additionally gives alternatives to mingle with the native folks and get to know them,” explains Almas Tamake, a sofa surfer. Sofa browsing, by the best way, is defined as ‘keep briefly in a sequence of different folks’s houses, usually making use of improvised sleeping preparations’.
“I all the time thought that rising up , at some point I too would journey the world. As quickly as I got here to know in regards to the idea of volunteer journey, I knew I had discovered a option to journey solo,” the 27-year-old mentioned, who hails from Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, and works within the waste administration sector. She has been enthusiastic about recycling and travelling since her childhood. Almas has visited ten states in India to this point.
“India as a rustic is probably not totally prepared but to embrace the concept of solo girls’s journey however girls as solo travellers have already arrived. It may be essentially the most empowering expertise as a girl,” opines Disari Roy, assistant professor, Diamond Harbour Girls’s College and an avid solo traveller.
So put on your confidence like a badge of honour, pack your luggage, put in your journey footwear, and say sure to new adventures. Go woman, the world is ready for you! (TWF)