ORIENTAL WISDOM: Odysseys of a Young Indian
Joy packs his bags at twelve, craving escape from exam halls and the relentless march towards adulthood. His parents, convinced that the world teaches better than any textbook, whisk him away across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia for what should be a fortnight. Instead, it becomes something altogether richer: a voyage where curiosity blooms at every turn. Markets bustle where classrooms once stood. Temples offer quiet contemplation. Unfamiliar tastes coat his tongue, strange words tumble from his mouth, and queues test his patience in unexpected ways. Each stumbling block transforms into understanding. Joy discovers that wisdom isn't confined to pages—it lives in the strangers you meet, the food you share, the laughter that bridges language gaps. Written with the unfiltered honesty only a young person can muster, this narrative brims with observation and warmth. The boy grasps something profound by journey's end: beneath passports and prayers, human beings everywhere yearn for the same things. We all seek connection, meaning, belonging. This book speaks to anyone who's felt wanderlust stirring, anyone who suspects that real education happens beyond school gates. It's a tender reminder that mishaps become memories, that kindness and humour soften even the roughest travel day, and that seeing the world through fresh eyes restores something precious in us all. A coming-of-age tale wrapped in stamps and spices, Oriental Wisdom captures travel's truest magic: the slow, quiet reshaping of how we see ourselves and others.
- Author: Tathagat Anand Srivastava
- Publisher: Rupa Publications India
- Genre: Travel Writing & Guides
- ISBN: 978-9370036147
- Pages: 176 pages