IMPORTANCE OF TRAVELLING
One of the principal values of travelling is that, it breaks the monotony of life and work. Life, for most people, is a mad rush from one place to another, from one activity to another, trying to gather as much as possible.
In this process, people tend to forget, who they are and what they are. There is no time to ponder and wonder. They tend to forget the values of life. Travelling is a time when people relax, reflect and ponder. Most people, after a pleasant travel, return home with a fresh outlook, new zeal and a better determination.
Travelling has also a great informative value. It widens the grasp of our knowledge of geography, different cultures and people, etc. For example, when people of Assam visit South India, they learn a great deal. They come to know about the geographical features of South India, such as the existence of numerous rivers, coconut groves, backwaters, spice gardens, rubber plantations, oceans, seas, factories, cities, etc.
They also learn many things about the Dravidian culture which characterise the people’s style of living there. They come to know about their mode of living, social life, agriculture, worship, beliefs, art forms, etc. Such a visit is bound to enlighten the visitor and make him/her moreappreciative of other cultures.
Travelling has a special importance to students. Many of the things they learn in textbooks can be practically understood when they visit various places. When they visit cities, such as, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, etc, or the famous lakes such as Chilka lake in Orissa, Logtak lake in Manipur, Dal lake in Kashmir, etc., their grasp of geography is deepened. Visits to industrial centres, such as, Jamshedpur, Kharagpur, Ranchi, Bangalore, Coimbatore, or important places like Cape Comorin, Madurai, Pondicherry, Goa, Kovalam, Cochin, Bhopal, Srinagar, Chandigarh, etc. open their minds beyond their world. Therefore, travelling has a great academic and scholastic value.
Another significant value of travelling is that it has the potential to improve one’s health. A visit to places like Nainital, Darjeeling, Shillong, Panchmari, Goa, Kovalam, Ooty, etc. can have tremendous effect on our physical and mental health.
The beauty and cold of the hills, the charm of the valleys, the chirping of birds, the song of the rivers, the howling of animals, pleasant air, quiet places, etc., can heal many of our mental and physical problems. In the Indian context, travelling and visiting places have another important value that of understanding other’s traditions and cultures.
A visit to various parts of India will make us realize that India is a mosaic of cultures, races and creed and that diversity is the chief hallmark of our land. In this context, travelling can help national integration and unity to a great extent.
Thus, travelling has tremendous educative, informative and social value. It widens people’s mental horizon, improves health, adds thrill and relaxation to life, dispels boredom and helps promoting national integration. Therefore educational tour should become an integral part of modern education. Travelling also boosts our national economy and the development of tourism industry.
