Imagine walking into a village and seeing someone dressed like a character from a movie. Huge headpiece, makeup, an outfit that looks like it took hours to make and wear. Everyone around is watching this character like he’s actually a god.
This is Theyyam, a ritual from North Kerala. The person performing is believed to become the god he plays. People gather not just to watch but to seek blessings. Personally I see myself thinking about taking photos and then forgetting about my camera because I’d be too caught up in what’s happening. I’d probably have so many questions and no idea where to start.
Kerala isn’t the only place that makes me curious. In Tamil Nadu, there’s Soorasamharam, a story of a god defeating a demon. Across India, there are traditions and customs that stop me in my tracks. “Wait,” I think, “people have been doing this for generations?” Some I’d find deeply fascinating. Others might scare me off. A few would send me down one of those late-night rabbit holes.
I read a story from Anjaw in Arunachal Pradesh about ways of testing truth. The idea of proving honesty through tests? That’s enough to make me say, “No thanks.” I’d want to know where the story came from, how people understood it back then and whether it’s been recorded right. It reminds me that travel isn’t about seeing something new. Sometimes it’s about realising how little you actually know.
That’s the point. I don’t want to visit a place, snap a picture and leave without learning anything. I’d rather follow my curiosity, even if it takes me somewhere I never planned to go. That’s why a stay with Rural Stay India appeals to me. It gives me a reason to look beyond the tourist checklist and pay attention to the place itself.
Food: The kind that deserves its own trip
If you think Indian food is all biryani and butter chicken, you’re missing out. Rajasthan is on my list because I really want to try Daal Baati Churma. Crunchy baati, lentils and sweet churma on the plate? Count me in. I can already imagine myself trying to figure out what to eat first.
Then there’s Nagaland. Smoked pork with bamboo shoots sounds so different from what I eat that I’d want to try it just to see what it’s like. I’d be so curious about it and how it’s cooked and whether it’s as good as everyone says before taking my first bite. If I liked it? I’d immediately want to know how to make it at home. Whether I could actually do it is another story. ?
What I love about trying food from different parts of India is that you never know what you’re going to get. Even the same dish tastes different depending on who’s making it. I’d love to eat the way locals eat, hear their stories while eating. Not every dish needs to be famous or look perfect. Sometimes I’m more intrigued by the meal no one thinks twice about.
Honestly, I’d remember a meal not just for the food but for the conversation. Who taught someone to make it? Does everyone in the family have their own version? These are the questions I’d end up asking while pretending I wasn’t already thinking about another serving.
Festivals: India really knows how to celebrate
I feel like I’d be the person at a festival who spends the whole time looking around because there’s just too much going on. Take Bihu in Assam. There’s music, dancing and celebrations tied to farming seasons. Now imagine being in Kerala during Thrissur Pooram: decorated elephants, huge crowds and drums you can hear long before you arrive. I’d be completely overwhelmed. In the best way.
I’d probably try recording everything, only to realise later that I’d spent the whole time checking my phone. Then I’d have to put it away and actually watch. Because there’s a difference between seeing a festival through a screen and being there, feeling the rhythm, hearing the music, feeling the crowd move and trying to keep up with everything.
What I’d really love is getting to know the people behind the celebrations. Which moment do they wait for all year? What traditions does their family follow? Is there a part everyone gets excited about? I’d want to know if they grew up celebrating it, what it means to them now and what they hope the next generation will carry forward.
That’s what makes festivals so interesting. The decorations and performances grab your eye first. Underneath, there’s so much more: the stories, memories and people keeping traditions alive. You can’t truly understand that by scrolling through photos online.
Adventures: The stuff I wouldn’t find in a travel plan
Meghalaya has something I can’t stop thinking about. Living root bridges. Real bridges made by guiding tree roots across streams and letting them grow into walkways over the years. Some take decades to become strong enough to use. That thought alone makes me pause. Imagine walking across a bridge people started shaping long before you were born. I’d spend half my time staring at the roots and the other half wondering how anyone ever thought of this.
Apparently, getting to some of these bridges is an adventure in itself. Meghalaya Tourism says the route to the Double Decker Root Bridge in Nongriat involves about 3,500 stone steps. I say I want adventure. I can already picture myself halfway down, asking how many steps are left. Still, I’d want to see it with my own eyes. A photo just wouldn’t be enough.
Then there’s Kutch in Gujarat, where I’d love to watch artisans make embroidery and handicrafts. I’d start by asking, “How long does that take?” Somehow, I’d end up listening to the whole story behind the craft. How did they learn? How do they pick the patterns? Does every design have meaning? Is it sometimes just about what looks good? Knowing me, I’d want to try making something myself, even if it looked nothing like the original.
That’s what excites me about tourism in India. You might go expecting one thing and end up discovering something different. Maybe it’s a craft you’ve never heard of, a skill that takes years to master or a conversation you didn’t expect. Those small moments are what make a trip feel real, like it belongs to you and isn’t just another copy-paste itinerary.
So, would I actually travel differently?
The more I think about it, the more I realise I don’t want every trip to look the same. I don’t want to come back with souvenirs and a photo album full of places I’ve seen hundreds of times online. I want the moments, the ones that catch me off guard. Getting lost in a market, trying a dish I can’t pronounce or hearing a story that sends me down a new path.
Honestly, those moments can’t be planned. You can plan where you stay, what you eat and which places you want to visit. You can’t schedule the conversation that changes how you see a place or the unexpected thing that suddenly holds your interest. Those are the kinds of things I’d still talk about months after the trip.
That’s what makes village travel exciting to me. You get to see a side of a place that doesn’t fit in a tourist guide. It’s the everyday life, the traditions, the food and the people that make each place unique. You don’t have to map out every minute or chase every spot. Sometimes, just being there and paying attention is enough to make it unforgettable.
Maybe Your Next Trip Should Be Different
This is where Rural Stay India comes in. I’d much rather pick a place because something about its culture, people or everyday life catches my attention than because it’s all over Instagram. A village stay gives me the chance to go above and beyond the usual tourist spots and discover things that are difficult to even find on Google.
No, I don’t expect to become an expert on a village after one visit. I’ll probably have a hundred questions, misunderstand a few things and come back with even more things I want to know. But that’s what makes the experience fun and worth remembering, isn’t it? You don’t need a perfect itinerary or all the answers before you arrive. Just a little curiosity, an open mind and the willingness to try something new.
Skip the copy-paste holiday this time. Find a village that makes you curious, try something you’ve never eaten and learn something you didn’t know. Because your next favourite travel story might start somewhere you never thought to look. Get in touch with us today, to book your next rural stay.
