Soulitudes

Cultural tourism

Off the beaten track

SMITA JAIN

Companies like the Mumbai-based Soulitudes are trying to redefine the notion of `holidays' and `responsible' tourism.

Enabling connections: Anant Van in Bandhavgarh, Madhya Pradesh.

A TRIP through Bandhavgarh with Shyam Benegal. A trek through the Himalayas with mountaineer, actress and photographer Dipti Naval. A musical extravaganza, in the lap of the Himalayas, with eminent classical musicians from around the country.

In a world of off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all travel packages, these tours may sound too good to be true. Yet these are just some of the tours offered by Mumbai-based Soulitudes, a company that aims to allow visitors to explore India's artistic, spiritual and cultural landscapes through travel.

Immersive travel

"Soulitudes is a vehicle for immersive travel centred around India's ecological, historical and spiritual heritage. We aim to share this land with travellers in a manner that is warm and intimate," says Soulitudes co-founder Shobana Jain. "Our endeavour is to create a travel experience that rises above the transient nature of modern travel," adds her husband and Soulitudes' co-founder, Ram Badrinath.

Having travelled extensively in different parts of the world, Ram and Shobhana were disappointed with the offerings of mainstream travel companies in India and decided to begin their own travel company with a difference. "Travelling through Europe, we realised the best holidays we had were in our friends' homes," says Ram. "In Paris, for instance, we didn't stay in a hotel but our friend's grandmother's 80-year-old house in a suburb of Paris. We were invited for meals and local celebrations. In Tuscany, we explored off the beaten path and came across art workshops in Tuscan Villas. It struck us then that India had so much to offer and we decided to return to India to set up Soulitudes. Fortunately, as we travelled across the country, we came across people who shared our view of travel and our experiments with such travel began," he adds.

Though they provide customised tours for individuals and groups, Soulitudes doesn't see itself as an ordinary travel agency, but rather as an agent of change — both internal and external. Says Ram, "Our vehicle for change is Indian culture and diversity. Through our association with eminent writers, classical musicians, musicologists, dancers, photographers and historians we will help seekers observe, absorb and connect. The programmes are set in beautiful distant places which enable self-reflection."

In many respects, companies such as Soulitudes are redefining traditional notions of "holidays" and are fulfilling the needs of a growing community of global travellers interested in "responsible tourism" — travel that promotes a deeper understanding of a place and its people and also includes a responsibility to limit the extent of the sociological and environmental impact that a holiday may cause. Christine Chardonnens, originally from Switzerland and currently residing in Delhi, says she has been grateful for the opportunity to explore India through Soulitudes. A veteran of numerous tours, she is looking forward to joining in on more Soulitudes holidays. "I find that Soulitudes offers a very refreshing concept of a holiday, one that is intellectually stimulating. It is an opportunity to learn about Indian art — music, photography, cinema, among others — from highly-respected individuals in their field."

Eco-friendly

Soulitudes also strives to situate its activities in eco-friendly lodges and resorts in order to inculcate respect for India's natural heritage. Some of their tour partners are Banjara Camps, Himalayan Village and Anant Van, each of which is run on the principles of responsible tourism. Ultimately, Soulitudes aims to provide an integrated and holistic perspective on travel to provide fun and relaxing holidays for travellers - and also fuel a deeper interest in India's rich cultural heritage. For more details, contact Shobhana and Ram at +919892692809 or +919820889808.