On March 3, 2021, Navin Paul, an engineer who traded his technical blueprints for a Nikon D850, pedalled away from his hometown of Kottayam, Kerala. What was initially conceived as a temporary escape from the rigid structures of urban routine evolved into a monumental five-year ethnographic and photographic expedition. By the time his journey concluded on July 26, 2026, Paul had covered nearly 21,000 kilometres, traversed 28 states, and immersed himself in the daily rhythms of more than 180 villages.
His project, documented through a lens and powered by a bicycle he named "Trooper," stands as a profound testament to the enduring, interconnected spirit of the Indian subcontinent. This is not merely a story of distance, but a narrative of trust, cultural preservation, and the slow-paced discovery of a nation’s soul.
Main Facts: The Scope of the ‘Trooper’ Expedition
The "Trooper" expedition was defined by its rejection of the "fast-travel" culture that dominates modern tourism. Navin Paul’s methodology was simple yet physically demanding: cycle during the cooler morning hours—covering between 60 and 100 kilometres daily depending on the terrain—and spend the afternoons and evenings engaging with local communities.
Key Statistics of the Journey:
- Duration: 5 years (March 2021 – July 2026).
- Distance: Approximately 21,000 kilometres.
- Geographic Reach: All 28 Indian states.
- Cultural Depth: Over 180 villages visited.
- Equipment: A Nikon D850 camera and a road bicycle outfitted for long-haul touring.
- Sustainability: Funded through personal savings and the sale of photographic prints edited on the road using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
The primary objective was to document the "small routines of everyday life"—the vanishing traditions, the agricultural cycles, and the faces of people who reside far from the headlines of mainstream media. From the terracotta temples of West Bengal to the high-altitude deserts of Ladakh, the project captured a transitionary period in Indian history where ancient customs meet the encroaching tide of modernity.
Chronology: Five Years on Two Wheels
The timeline of Paul’s journey is a map of India’s seasonal and geological diversity. The odyssey was not a linear path but a series of deep dives into regional identities, punctuated by the challenges of the natural world.
2021–2022: The Southern and Western Circuits
Starting in the lush landscapes of Kerala, Paul moved north through the coastal belts of Karnataka and Maharashtra. It was here that he established his rhythm of asking for shelter—a practice that initially met with skepticism. In Murudeshwara, a chance encounter with a fisherman transformed a night on a beach into a seat at a family dinner, setting the tone for the hospitality that would follow. In the salt pans of Sanikatta, near Gokarna, he documented the life of Baala, a 70-year-old salt worker whose lineage in the trade spanned generations.
2022–2023: The Northern Frontier and the Desert Heat
As he moved toward Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir, the environmental stakes rose. In Pokhran, Paul celebrated his 28th birthday within the walls of a Gurdwara, where the head priest gifted him a lesson in handling a tractor. The journey then took him to the extreme altitudes of Ladakh. Cycling in sub-zero temperatures, he documented ice climbers like Tsewang Namgyal, capturing the "last light" on 100-foot ice walls. In Srinagar, a local family provided refuge during heavy rains, a gesture of kindness solidified by the gift of a hand-knitted Kashmiri cap.
2024–2025: The Northeastern Monsoon and the Long Wait
The Northeast presented the project’s greatest logistical hurdle. Heavy monsoon rains and catastrophic landslides in Tripura’s Jampui Hills left Paul stranded for nearly 18 months. During this period, he became a temporary fixture in local villages, staying in tents under broken roofs and documenting the resilience of the community. It was during this time that he captured the intricate rice-planting songs of Kohima and the traditional tattoos of the Konyak tribe in Nagaland—markers of an identity that is slowly fading with the older generation.
2026: The Final Stretch and Return
The final year saw Paul navigating the tribal heartlands of Chhattisgarh and the artistic corridors of West Bengal, eventually looping back toward his conclusion in mid-2026. He returned home only twice in five years, using those brief intervals to "reset" before heading back to the road.
Supporting Data: A Tapestry of Cultural Intersections
One of the most striking findings of Paul’s five-year study was the realization that India’s diversity is not a collection of silos, but a "family" of interconnected traditions. His photographic evidence highlights several parallels across thousands of miles.
The Geography of Garments and Grains
Paul noted the evolution of the mundu (a traditional garment from Kerala), which reappeared in various avatars as the veshti in Tamil Nadu and the dhoti in North India. Similarly, the matta rice of the South found its culinary cousin in the sticky rice of Assam and the Northeast. These staples, though different in texture, served the same central role in the domestic lives of the villagers.
Documenting the Vanishing
The expedition served as a vital record of "vanishing cultural traditions."
- Rabankata (West Bengal): A 400-year-old folk dance drama rooted in the Ramayana, where performers wear heavy wooden masks and costumes made of dyed jute.
- Konyak Tattoos (Nagaland): Paul photographed Thongam, an 84-year-old woman, one of the last remaining members of her tribe to bear the traditional tattoos that once symbolized status and identity.
- Nomadic Shifts: In Rajasthan, he met Rabari families—nomadic shepherds. His data suggests a significant shift, as the younger generation of these tribes increasingly opts for permanent settlement and government jobs over the ancestral nomadic lifestyle.
Official Context and Community Responses
While the journey was a solo venture, it occurred within the context of changing state policies and societal shifts.
Legal Shifts in Tradition
In Assam, Paul documented the return of traditional buffalo fights during local festivals. This practice had been on a nine-year hiatus due to legal bans, but a new state law allowed its return under strict regulations, including the presence of veterinary teams to ensure animal safety. Paul’s documentation of these events provides a nuanced look at how traditional festivals are adapting to modern legal and ethical frameworks.
The "Trust Deficit" and Its Resolution
A recurring theme in Paul’s narrative is the initial "no." As an outsider asking for a place to sleep, he frequently encountered the natural caution of rural communities. However, his "official" mode of transport—the bicycle—acted as a catalyst for conversation. Unlike a car or a train, the bicycle signaled vulnerability and a lack of pretension. This allowed for what Paul calls "conversations that shifted something," moving from suspicion to shared meals and, eventually, lifelong friendships.
Implications: The Power of Slow Journalism and Visual Storytelling
Navin Paul’s 21,000-kilometre journey has significant implications for how we understand contemporary India. In an era of "instant" digital content, his five-year commitment to a single project highlights the necessity of Slow Journalism.
1. Preservation of Oral and Visual History
By photographing the Apatani tribe threshing paddy or the Santhal sisters with their symbolic gold nose rings, Paul has created a visual archive of indigenous practices that are under pressure from globalization. These images serve as a primary source for cultural historians.
2. The Humanization of the "Other"
The project bridges the gap between India’s urban elite and its rural backbone. Paul’s observations—that "behind unfamiliar clothes and customs are familiar traits"—challenge the polarized narratives often found in political discourse. His work emphasizes universal values of hospitality, curiosity, and the "ability to find joy in small things."
3. The Future of the Project: The Photobook
The culmination of this five-year odyssey is a forthcoming photobook. Paul describes it not as a "complete story," but as "fragments of many." This approach acknowledges the impossibility of capturing the entirety of India, instead offering a mosaic of experiences that encourage the viewer to look for connections in their own lives.
Conclusion
Navin Paul’s transition from engineer to "Trooper" adventurer reminds us that the most profound insights often require the slowest pace. His journey across 28 states is a reminder that while the landscape of India is in a state of constant flux, the core of its humanity—rooted in trust and shared stories—remains remarkably resilient. As he concludes his journey, the 21,000 kilometres behind him are less about the distance on a map and more about the depth of the human connections forged along the way.
Navin Paul is a photographer and adventurer specializing in the documentation of indigenous cultures. His work continues to explore the intersection of tradition and modernity across the Indian subcontinent.
