Delhiites open homes and hearts to travellers as couch-surfing picks up steam

Interested in learning about different cultures around the world and making new friends? Then what better way than meeting and interacting with people from those communities directly, that too in the comfort of your own house. In fact, several Indians are already on their way to satisfy their inner anthropologist by hosting foreigners at their homes.

The trend — couch-surfing — is fast becoming popular among people from all age groups, especially those interested in travelling to far-off places themselves without spending too much money. It allows people to explore a place like a local but at a minimal price.

What's more, the trend that started as a hospitality exchange has now become a way to make friends from all over the world. In addition to a free couch, travellers get expert advice on local activities.

As India is always on the list of many solo backpackers because of its diverse culture and traditions, many hospitable people have started to offer their homes to travellers.

Suman Doogar, a Psychology teacher from Saket, has been hosting travellers for over eight years now. She has hosted more than 10 people at her house, which she shares with her husband. The couple are extensive travellers themselves and are happy to open their home and hearts to like-minded people.

"Couch-surfing is not just about a free couch. It is about making friends and inviting people to experience your culture," says Suman. "Most of the travellers to India first arrive in Delhi. The stay at my place is generally their first interaction with the local people and sets a tone for the rest of their trip. I make sure that they are comfortable, and even cook food for them once in a while," she adds.

Suman further says:"Even though I have never travelled abroad, I know a lot about the traditions and cultures of different parts of the world through the people who have stayed at my place. Now I know that I can travel anywhere around the world and find people who would be happy to open their doors for me."

Couch-surfing has been particularly helpful for solo travellers. Neeraj Narayanan, 31, another host from Kalkaji, shares: "They often ask us to show them or direct them to areas that are not generally frequented by tourists, and for stories that can help them understand the culture better. Some of them opt for couch-surfing as they do not want to feel homesick during their long travels."

Narayanan started his own journey as a solo backpacker nearly four years ago. His first couch-surfing experience as a traveller in Goa made him love the concept so much that he started offering his place in return. "Most of these solo-travellers are my own age and I make them feel at home. They are free to grab beer from the fridge, and we even party together sometimes,"he says.

To take care of safety matters, hosts make sure that they read reviews about their guests and exchange emails with them before they land. Some even become Facebook friends to know more about each other. Reviews from other hosts remain the strongest source of information on guests.

Snehil Sharma, a traveller who has visited over eight countries in Europe and the United States (US) as a couch-surfer, says: "I have been taken on city tours, to music gigs, and once I celebrated Christmas with a US family. To return their kindness, I offered to take the family out to eat and distributed gifts that I had carried with me from India. Now, I have friends in many parts of the world and they are free to stay with me and my family in Delhi and Amritsar."