Solo women travellers are considered to be runaways

If you search on Google for solo women travellers in India, the first few articles that show up would be related to advice on how to travel solo as a woman and what to wear. While a lot of foreign travellers talk about their solo trips and the precautions they take, Indian women have an altogether different tale to tell.

“Travel as a passion, especially for women, is still an alien concept in India,” says Vanita Iyer, 27, who quit her high-paying job as a graphic designer to become a full-time traveller three years ago. “Many places, especially the mountains, are welcoming of women travellers but that is not the case everywhere. A solo woman traveller is labelled either a run-away or someone with immoral or questionable character in many towns and cities,” she says.

Women from across the world take the initiative to travel on their own, mainly to explore the world and meet people from different cultures. While this is a common trend in other countries, India, despite being an economical and beautiful backpacker destination, is yet to catch up.

There have been instances when women have been refused accommodation at home stays or guest houses simply because they were not travelling with parents or a husband. “During my visit to Vattakanal last year, I faced this problem. No one would rent me their home. This was not a place known for hotels so there was no other option. Owners would ask me why I was not travelling with my husband. While they rent homes to foreign women with ease, they look at Indian women as disgraces,” says Iyer. She talks about another incident where a well-qualified doctor in Thane asked her if she was on drugs or recently had a break-up, to figure out the reason behind her going to unknown places all by herself.

Several instances have been reported at places such as Pushkar and Benaras, where locals welcome foreigners as solo backpackers saying it is a part of their culture, while Indian women doing the same are looked down upon. “I became the talk of the town when I travelled to Kochi during off season, when there are not many tourists. Everyone in the area knew that an Indian girl was staying all by herself,” says Neha Mehra, 25, who has been travelling alone during her breaks from work as a saleswoman with a recruitment company. “A local, educated woman advised me to return home and sort my life out or deal with whatever problem I was facing instead of running away like this,” Mehra says.

At Pushkar, many women travellers have complained about cops asking them to return home or share contact details of their families to confirm that they have not runaway from home, as no “sane” girl travels by herself. In a Facebook post, Delhi-based photographer Nimit Nigam shared his friend’s experience in Pushkar, where cops asked the girl to change her clothes as wearing shorts and walking alone was not synonymous with our culture.

Despite all odds, more and more women are taking the plunge to explore new places and gather varied experiences. While some say they return home more mature and confident, for others, the bitter experiences make them rethink travelling alone the next time. “No amount of preparation beforehand can prep you for what you are going to experience in real,” says Shweta Varshney, who has been a solo backpacker for the last 10 years. “There have been times when I have told locals that I am Brazilian and my name is Rosa, just to avoid more questions,” she says.

These women are ready to fight the taboo, but is society ready for their courage? It is not just the small towns, the big cities have the same problem as well. In India, a passionate woman traveller continues to remain a myth.