Pujo Houseguest

A friend's blog introduced me to an online community of travellers by means of which strangers can seek/lend help to other strangers who share one common passion. Travel.

So I promptly signed up for the same knowing fully well that there's not too many places I can travel to and still keep my job at a law firm, but I can atleast be a host to friends coming in from across the globe. Day before yesterday I got a call from a young guy called Tao Li from Berkeley who needed a couch in Calcutta for a couple of nights. Its Durga Puja time in Calcutta and most hosts have their houses packed with relatives visiting from all parts of the country. I decided to put him up.

Tao Li, at first glance comes across an emaciated white american with a huge head. You wonder what your mum is going to say if you bring someone like him home. But give him time and he starts speaking of his travels over the last one and half years, and his experiences therein, and all of a sudden you're sucked into this meandering world of a 22 year old which keeps floating across different images and cultures and experiences. In the last 16 odd months, Tao has walked across Japan, Korea, Mongolia, China, Vietnam, Laos (did I spell that right??), Thailand, Bali, Malaysia and Indonesia before finding his way to Trichy from where he travelled along the Eastern Ghats up till Bengal. This is where he sought the shelter of my couch. On speaking to Tao you realise the difference in the Hinduism of Bali which is used as more of a tourist attraction and the Hinduism of India which according to him is a way of life. You find out that Europeans staying at Korean Temples are really rude to other guests and that in China no matter what subject you're good at or inclined towards, its the state that dictates what you can pursue in terms of higher studies. He'll tell you how he learnt to fast in Indonesia during Ramadan and how the same has helped him to save costs in respect of food when he's low on cash, and how Mongolians percieve Buddha differently from the way most Chinese do. And all he needs in return for such stories and perspectives is a couple of nights shelter and a fulfilling meal.

Tao left today. While my friends and my parents were extremely sceptical when they heard that I wanted to put up a complete stranger at home, it was my blunt adamance that allowed Tao to stay at my place. Tao by his mere presence won over all of them. My mum loved him and even cooked a special bong meal for him last night. My friends were in awe of his age and his unmatching wisdom and maturity.

I'm glad I put this stranger up at my place. It was a act of faith which was rewarded with belief that the same can be sustained. I've been let down by people I've loved the most and thought I knew really well. But then you find guys like Tao, who bring more to the world than they get. And no matter what you do for such people, it'll always be far less than what they've shared with you.

Tao is headed to Darjeeling today, and then the North East India from there. Then he travels back to Calcutta to take his GRE before setting off to Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Middle East. This is wishing a super hero of our times good luck for his travels and journey. May he find his Ithaca, wherever it may be.

For those who wish to participate in hosting travellers, and in turn be hosted on their travels please sign up here.

Also last but not the least, thank you Rahul Saha for introducing me to Couchsurfing. I had my first houseguest, and am feeling quite blue now that he's gone.