Solo (My Year of Backpacking and Unpacking)

Barely a year into college, nineteen-year-old Indrajeet More is offered to host a travel show on budget backpacking across India.

As he undertakes a year-long journey across thirteen cities in India, what unfolds is a string of surreal life experiences—from getting lost in the forests of coastal Karnataka to camping amidst the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, from hunting for the best toddy shop in rural Kerala to dancing to the beats of Naga folk songs.

Through this journey, he discovers novelty and relatability in diverse cultures by reflecting on his upbringing in a Maharashtrian household. He navigates the inevitable boredom of solo travel and the anxiety of uncertainty, ultimately seeking belongingness in the most unfamiliar of places.

From Pinecones to Podi is a raw, unfiltered backpacker’s gaze at contemporary India, about learning to read people beyond language, understanding food beyond ingredients, hearing stories beyond regions and, most importantly, finding a sense of home away from home.