We were attached to the invisible rope of humanity: Rishabh's Journey in GM

Contributor: Rishabh Khaneja

I believe I’m very different from how the society around me expects me to be. I care about issues, values, problems, and voices that may not resonate with the common public. In this duality of thoughts being a single entity, I tend to hide away my true self to act like ONE OF ALL. However, I’ve always believed it to be an act of self-harm, hiding one’s true self from the world. 

Gramya Manthan provided me a platform where I could interact with like-minded people who are coming together for the common good, where I could visit my real self and explore it within the company of 45 beautiful souls, where I could keep my real self outside for others to see and appreciate or otherwise. Just for once, for those 10 mere days, I wanted to be me and not a reflection of what the society expects me to be. In those 10 beautiful days, Not only did I touch my own soul but also mingled with other’s true self and souls and shared some of their charms to add to myself. In between connections happened and strangers became family. I remember looking into the eyes of a friend for a minute and for the first time I realized something about the human race. We’re all one of the same kind. That was one of the most beautiful moments for me, to get lost in another human’s eye for no reason at all. I could see myself. Then there were moments where we all would just sit in silence and embrace the voices within our head. I had never heard others profoundly as much as I did when I shared the silence in a circle of 45 people. It started as a thought of a rural immersion journey but by the end of 10 days, I added more words to my description of this experience. Now I like to call it as a value based, empathy-driven, community building, rural immersion journey in the company of mother earth and 45 of the same kind as me.

From listening to a hundred stories to speaking my heart out. From fearing questioning the world to feeling fortunate to have the ability of questioning. From eating in one plate together to watching the sunrise every morning. Gramya Manthan made me realize that there is utmost beauty in the small joys of life.

Walking on the endless road of Kutch alone at night under a thousand stars, I remember sitting in one corner guided by the moonlight I was playing with the sand. I had never felt so much closer to nature until that moment. Sitting with Waqil bhai listening to his stories of an encounter with the most beautiful people, I was sitting in the verandah of a man who followed a different religion, had a different caste, was thrice my age, had orthodox mindset but still in that moment, I felt one with him. We were attached to the invisible rope of humanity. A stranger turned into a dear friend within minutes.

As I write this, I feel bliss. My heart yearns to go back again. One question that was lingering in my brain throughout was, “How can I recreate this forever in my life? How can I take this home?” At the end of the 10th day, When I bowed down in front of the universe and thanked the almighty, I got my answer. It always had been within me, I created my own experience, I just needed the right stage to perform.

Thank you Youth Alliance for providing me that space.