A postcard from a son to his mother

Standing behind the walls of the Purnagad Fort along the Konkan coast, you can watch the sun set over the Arabian Sea. Everyone spreads out with their postcards, finding their own quiet corner. Jaideep sits on one of the fort’s laterite ledges, overlooking the ocean. He seems lost in thought. 

Later, on the way back to the homestay, he tells me he had written the postcard to his mother, who had passed away a year earlier after battling dementia. “At that moment, I missed her a lot and wished she was there to share it with me,” he says. 

Jaideep with his mother who passed away last year. Photograph Courtesy Jaideep Menon

The postcard is a way for Unexplorers to reflect on their experience and what it means to them. Afterall, a place can mean different things to different people. And for Jaideep, something about that moment in Purnagad Fort reminded him of his mother.

Jaideep at Purnagad Fort during the Unexplored Konkan program. Photograph by Roopa Palanivel.

A journey of his own: From coastal getaways to trekking trails

Jaideep was born and raised in Mumbai. His mother was Gujarati and his father is from Kerala. During his childhood, he travelled mostly around Mumbai, Pune and Nasik. Even today he goes back and forth between Mumbai and Pune every three months with his father, to visit relatives. Jaideep doesn’t say much about travelling with his mother. “She had been unwell for a long time and wasn’t very comfortable with travelling. But I remember visiting Kanyakumari with her.”

Jaideep with his father at Alibaug Beach. Photograph courtesy Jaideep Menon

He has always been drawn to beaches, and Goa and Coastal Karnataka are among his favourite destinations. “I’ve lived in a big city all my life. I like Udupi because it's not very quiet but not too chaotic either. I love the beaches and food from the region too. It has a completely different feel.” He remembers visiting Shri Mookambika Temple in Kollur almost every year with his father. 

Jaideep has travelled extensively across South India visiting Hampi, Badami and several places in Kerala. “I went to Hampi with my friends and it was an out of this world experience. It felt like I was transported to another era and could spend days watching the ruins.” 

A visit to the ancient kingdom of Hampi. Photography courtesy Jaideep Menon

Trekking has taken him to different parts of the country too. He was introduced to Indiahikes through the Goa Netravali Forest and Deoriatal Chandrashila treks. “I was able to visit Rishikesh because of the Deoriatal Chandrashila trek. But I also want to see a lot more of North India like Kashmir and Himachal.” He is heading out on the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek in December.

Finding himself through travel 

Having lived in Maharashtra for so long, Jaideep had always found Konkan an easy destination to visit. But his trips were mostly about beaches, watersports and the usual tourist spots. Unexplored Konkan gave him an opportunity to experience remote village life and interact with the local people. 

“When we visit a place, we usually go to the hyped-up spots. We miss out on experiences like the petroglyphs in Konkan. It was the first time I had heard about it and didn’t know such a thing even existed!” 

Beyond simply enjoying a place or relaxing and unwinding, he appreciates that Unexplored India lets him pause and understand the region better. “I remember the tour of the 300-year-old homestay. We got to learn something new, not just click photos.”

The last three years have been personally difficult for Jaideep, and Unexplored Konkan gave him time to slow down, travel with a group, meet new people and reflect a little. He was familiar with just one person in the group from the Netravali trek, but by the end of the program, he felt connected to everyone. Jaideep hopes to do Unexplored Andamans next. 

As he puts it, “Unexplored India isn’t about the best places to visit or posting about them on Instagram. You’re travelling for yourself.”

Standing in front of Ranpat Waterfalls during Unexplored Konkan. Photograph by Roopa Palanivel

Jaideep had a quiet presence throughout the Konkan trip. He would look out of the window during van rides or spend time near the waterfalls, taking everything in at his own pace. But what stays with me most is the image of a son watching the ocean at Purnagad Fort, finding a way to reach out to his late mother.

Jaideep Menon is a 40 year old software developer based out of Pune. He has completed the Unexplored Konkan program and sees travel as a way of learning more about the place and himself.