Travel for me is meditation: Srishti Tehri
A fourth year Fashion Media Communication student at Pearl Academy in Delhi, Srishti Tehri believes her alter ego is a traveller who just doesn’t get enough of the world. Someone who strongly lives by the words: “All you have is today; make the most of it”, she loves to be on the move, explore new places and believes in making a difference, in whatever way she can.
Our second wildflower spirit, she teaches us that courage is all that’s needed to go on and explore. Read on to know her a bit more…
What travel means to her…
“Travel for me is meditation,” says Srishti, with passion ringing deep in her voice. “It is a part of me, a reflection of my soul -- free, wild and calm. It’s peaceful and chaotic, vibrant and dull, adventurous and silly all at the same time. I can’t do without spontaneity when it comes to travelling,” she avers. And therefore nothing deters her when she gets her call. Even if that means to randomly board a bus and then figure her destination, because in her heart she knows it would lead her to a new adventure.
“After travelling solo for so long, my faith in my country has only strengthened. From my innumerous travels within India, I have learnt that people aren’t as shrewd as you make them out to be. And that only you can make an experience rich or boring by choosing to play along or be suspicious of people around you,” she says with a passion true of India lover.
Fashion and travel – reflections on the two worlds.
“My travels and my engagements with local artisans and craftspeople, make me hate the commercial aspects of the Indian fashion industry even more,” she expresses her thoughts with force. “I detest how locals from various villages who specialise at a particular craft are poorly paid for what they do. I find it upsetting to see how designers get away with low wages, unethical work conditions and selling the products as their own but in reality, they’ve done nothing to take credit for. Sure, India is a diverse country and we have different crafts, textiles and weaves to appreciate in every nook and corner but that doesn’t mean that an individual from the outside should be able to misuse it for their profitability,” she insists.
Birth of a travel story
“I used to travel with my ex boyfriend a lot back in 2015,” she reminisces. “We would cover a new place each month but the fact that the locals would only address his existence would occasionally get to me. I disliked the fact that they saw me as someone who was dependent on her male counterpart. Hence, in 2016, I took the plunge and travelled solo for the first time and haven’t looked back since,” she recalls.
And her favourite one…
There are several, she insists. She pauses a moment to pick one but gives up soon. “There’s nothing like Kashmiri hospitality or the sunsets in Bir. Nothing comes close to the friendly faces in Spiti or the coral reefs in Andamans. There’s nothing like the collective energy of Calcutta or the heritage of Rajasthan, nothing better than the architecture in Gujarat or the waterfalls in Chhattisgarh. I’ve met, loved and known so many people while traveling: the locals, the travellers, the wise. And, I’ve shared different experiences with everyone: sometimes, it’d be star gazing in a small village in Spiti or a bonfire with the locals in Madhya Pradesh. Also, I met my current boyfriend while travelling this year. So, I owe it all to travel,” she smiles.
Some green travel tips for our followers
- Don’t consume beverages in plastic bottles. By avoiding plastic bottles, you save yourself from acidity and help the planet at the same time.
- While in the mountains, Avoid eating Maggi or chocolates. You don’t know where your waste is getting burnt and causing air pollution.
- Use public transport. Save yourself and others from crazy carbon emissions that are depleting our ozone layer.
- Stop throwing cigarette buds out your windows.
- Be wise. Know what you’re consuming. Know its background story. Know where your milk, juices, eggs, flour is coming from. Be organic.
Last word, for girls aspiring to travel solo…
Get out on your own. Create your own experience. “Just, don’t dwell in the negativity that the media spreads. It’s their job. That shouldn’t make you sit back at home and only wonder when you’d be able to take that first solo trip. Pack your bags and go!” she says. True, there’s nothing more thrilling like creating your own adventure.
On Srishti- Warp it up jacket- Click here
On Srishti- Warp it up dress- Click here
