“I spent my life on the streets. My parents don’t stay together. I moved places and even left home after 10th because I was pressured to work and leave my education. I had little to lose and everything to gain.” Siddharth Ganai’s words pinch hard, as he describes the road to his dream journey. The 23-year-old Botany final year student walked from Maharashtra to Annapurna Everest Camp in 75 days. Unbelievable? He feels so too, even a few months after this incredible feat.
Unlike most travel enthusiasts, the desire to see the world was not something Ganai chose; this life chose him, unexpectedly. “I was born in Bhiwandi but was moving from the home of one relative to another, while I tried to complete my education. I was in Karnataka for 5 years before moving back to Maharashtra. I had no comfort zone; I was almost a vagabond and eventually learnt to enjoy this life too,” says the young walker, who cherished a dream to climb Everest since 2017 but found it beyond his financial reach. “I had no sponsorship, no family money. I was a mere student, staying in a small basti (locality), teaching street kids. I knew it was impossible to really summit Mt Everest. But I wanted to do something, so I decided to set out on foot, to reach its base,” he adds.
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The Journey
Ganai left Maharashtra on foot in the middle of July, 2021, charting his route as he went along. He had no fixed itinerary; Ganai chose to travel from Raigad to the base camp traversing different villages, relying on the kindness of strangers he met on the way.
“It was the pandemic, so I carried a tent in case I needed to sleep somewhere, but in most places people were generous. My health never suffered because locals would offer food that suited the area’s climate. I was offered respite from the heat and exhaustion at dhabas and petrol pumps. What surprised people was that I was travelling on food with a small backpack. People in the villages aren’t used to seeing youngsters just walk on foot. But I got to meet people from around the country, and that is what I had set out to experience,” he says, adding that the journey helped him unlearn preconceived notions. He had been warned about Uttar Pradesh, but it was only in this state that Ganai did not have to pitch his tent on the roadside. He was always welcomed with open arms by villagers, and even a group of Naga sadhus!
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His Mission
Siddharth did not want this to be just another walking expedition. He was a man with a mission - One Plant For Humanity. “I have been associated with Vidyarthi Bharti, a group that aims to put forth the message of conservation of environment. Wherever I travelled, I planted trees at 10 different locations. It is only the environment that can ensure our survival and we need to work towards saving it for the next generation. I also tried to educate people about the environment, wherever I went.
Education On The Road
Ganai’s online classes were still in force when he undertook this expedition. On being asked how he managed to study and walk at the same time, he has a simple answer - headphones! “I would wake up at 6am, and had classes from 7 to 12pm, which I attended while travelling. At least in this matter, the pandemic was a boon for me,” he laughs.
Annapurna, At Last
It took Ganai 75 days to reach the Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal. Exasperation, Exhilaration, Excitement - the 23-year-old falls short of words to explain what he felt in that moment. “It felt as if my entire life had been built up to lead to this moment. I was on my knees, crying. I felt as if I had conquered Mt Everest; the achievement felt so surreal. It was at that moment that I knew I could achieve anything that I set out to do,” he says.
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Back home now, Siddharth hopes to now explore Maharashtra on foot. “I want to set an example for the poor kids in my locality. I don’t think that money can get you everything in life. Sometimes, you need to dream bigger than your reality, and work towards that goal. That is all I hope to do.”
