This Odisha Couple Is Setting The Standard For Travel Goals

This Odisha Couple Is Setting The Standard For Travel Goals

Life is short and the world is wide. It’s not what we look at that matters, it’s what we see. We all travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives and other experiences and for this Odia couple travel is a way of life. Durga Charan Mishra and Jotshna Mishra have been travelling the world for the last 18 years to expand their horizons and explore the different hues of life. 

With two Guinness World Records to their name, this couple has travelled the length and breadth of the country. They have secured a place for themselves in the record book for ‘Longest journey by scheduled public transport in a single country’ and ‘Longest journey by car in a single country.’

Retired officer of ASRTU, New Delhi, Durga Charan Mishra took his first bike ride in 1999 and it was a solo trip. At the age of 47, he covered 17,070 km which was a national record and the ride took him across all the states of India in 57 days. He did it with a message of eye donation and this ride was supported by HelpAge India.

A proud owner of a Royal Enfield, Durga describes his journeys as the best part of his life so far. The couple have travelled to the highest snow peaks of the Himalayas where nature threw several challenges. They have rode into the dense forests of North East and the most deserted places of Rajasthan. He feels that these trips help him understand the country’s diversity better

The couple feels that the expeditions have opened up their minds in myriad ways and brought out the beauty of the diversity of Indian culture in ways that have touched their hearts. “Ladakh can be the dream biking destination in India and people there are very cordial. Riding through Kerala is an unforgettable experience; the food and its nature. Kolli Hills is a scenic destination in Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu. The hills are famed for their 70 continuous hairpin bends, which are more than enough to get you all excited,” shares Durga.

“With immense beauty, Western Arunachal Pradesh is one of the best places for biking in India. The rich culture of Rajasthan and the hospitality of the people of the state gives an opportunity to learn about living a simple life. In Gujarat, Rann of Kutch is nothing less than a proverbial diamond in the rough where both white salt desert and salt marsh welcome you,” the excited 69-year-old adds.

The reason Jotshna started accompanying Durga from the second trip onwards was care and concern for him. During Durga’s first trip, which was 57 days long, he could not constantly be in touch with his family. He sorely missed his children Anupam and Anusha. Back then, there were no mobile phones and even phone booths were difficult to find on a journey. 

As Durga planned his second trip in 2002, which was from Delhi to Khardung La under the “World Peace Expedition ” supported by Gandhi Darshan Sameet, Raj Ghat, Jotshna said she will be accompanying him. Ever since then, they have been each other’s travel partner. Nowadays, their children keep track of their journey through GPS and the internet.

Many of their trips have been for different causes. For this couple the expeditions are not just about the thrill of travelling but also planning and discovering new routes. Every single day has been a new start for them. Some of the most surreal and best experiences of their travels are riding through heavy rain or snowfall and travelling to places where they did not know the native tongue. 

Their journey has been epic with a heady mix of easy, pleasurable, tough and challenging rides. Every ride comes with a challenge and that’s what makes these journeys worth looking forward to. Even though numerous obstacles like tough riding conditions and mechanical malfunctions have made some journeys arduous, the couple finds joy in riding and it has always kept them going.

Durga considers himself the luckiest person alive as his partner for life is not just a rider but she also knows everything about motorcycling and is a great planner which is a bonus which keeps them riding again and again. One of their most harrowing experiences was during their journey from Imphal to Silchar. The road was mostly empty and they didn’t come across a single traveller. About 15 kms before reaching the Assam border, three highly inebriated youths appeared out of thin air and stood in front of their bike with guns. They fled with everything they could lay their hands on.

The traveller couple is looking forward to more new adventures after the pandemic ends. They plan to venture into the tribal hinterlands of the country and catch up with the organic lifestyle. The adventurous couple’s way of celebrating life is by being one with nature.