A 21-year-old African solo traveller has gone viral after sharing an emotional reflection on his journey through India, with social media users praising his honest and deeply personal observations about the country’s culture, spirituality and history.
The traveller, known on Instagram as @hunchsquare, posted a video describing five major lessons he learned while travelling across India. His thoughts on colonial history, spirituality, chaos and resilience quickly resonated online, drawing lakhs of views and reactions.
‘India was once the richest civilisation’
In the now-viral clip, the traveller is seen attending the evening Ganga aarti in Varanasi, often regarded as one of the world’s oldest living cities.
Reflecting on India’s colonial past, he pointed out that the country once held a major share of the world’s economy before British rule.
“Before colonisation, India held 25 per cent of global GDP,” he said in the video.
“Walking through it now, the crumbling grandeur, the gold inside temples surrounded by poverty, you feel that wound everywhere. It hits different when you're African.”
His comparison between India and Africa’s colonial experiences struck a chord with many viewers online.
‘The chaos made me feel more present’
The traveller also spoke about the sensory overload he experienced after arriving in India, from crowded streets and honking traffic to colours, smells and noise.
But instead of feeling overwhelmed, he described it as strangely grounding.
“The horns, the smells, the colours, the bodies, the noise, all at once, all the time,” he said.
“Your brain gives up trying to filter and you just surrender. Strangely, it's the most present I've ever felt.”
His remarks captured what many travellers often describe as India’s intense but unforgettable energy.
‘The spirituality cracked something open in me’
One of the most emotional parts of the video focused on spirituality and personal transformation.
According to the traveller, India’s spiritual atmosphere affected him in a way he did not expect.
“The spirituality here cracked something open in me. Not in a tourist way,” he said.
“The rituals, the devotion, the sheer sincerity of it, it bypassed my defences.”
He added that emotions he had been carrying for years surfaced unexpectedly during the trip.
“I cried and didn’t fully know why,” he admitted.
‘Looted but never fully broken’
The traveller also described India as a civilisation that had suffered deeply under colonialism but still retained its identity and spirit.
“The British took everything they could,” he said.
“And yet the soul of this place is unmistakable and intact.”
“There’s a lesson in that I’m still processing.”
He also spoke about being stunned by India’s architecture, colours and atmosphere, calling it a place that felt almost unreal at times.
“Like someone rendered a civilisation from pure imagination,” he said.
Social media users praise his perspective
The video has now crossed more than 3.49 lakh views on Instagram and continues to attract reactions from users across the world.
Many Indians praised the traveller for understanding the country beyond stereotypes and surface-level tourism.
One user commented: “Glad you tapped into the positives that India has to offer!”
Another wrote: “Words like these have never been so brilliantly put together for India on the internet before.”
A third added: “It’s the calm in the chaos that makes it home.”
Several users also appreciated the way he connected India’s history with Africa’s colonial experiences, saying his reflections felt thoughtful, emotional and refreshingly genuine.
India travel videos continue to dominate social media
Travel content around India has increasingly gone viral online in recent years, especially videos showing foreign travellers reacting to the country’s spirituality, food, traditions and chaotic urban life.
However, many users said this particular video stood out because it focused less on shock value and more on emotional understanding, historical reflection and cultural depth.
The traveller, known on Instagram as @hunchsquare, posted a video describing five major lessons he learned while travelling across India. His thoughts on colonial history, spirituality, chaos and resilience quickly resonated online, drawing lakhs of views and reactions.
‘India was once the richest civilisation’
In the now-viral clip, the traveller is seen attending the evening Ganga aarti in Varanasi, often regarded as one of the world’s oldest living cities.Reflecting on India’s colonial past, he pointed out that the country once held a major share of the world’s economy before British rule.
“Before colonisation, India held 25 per cent of global GDP,” he said in the video.
“Walking through it now, the crumbling grandeur, the gold inside temples surrounded by poverty, you feel that wound everywhere. It hits different when you're African.”
His comparison between India and Africa’s colonial experiences struck a chord with many viewers online.
‘The chaos made me feel more present’
The traveller also spoke about the sensory overload he experienced after arriving in India, from crowded streets and honking traffic to colours, smells and noise.But instead of feeling overwhelmed, he described it as strangely grounding.
“The horns, the smells, the colours, the bodies, the noise, all at once, all the time,” he said.
“Your brain gives up trying to filter and you just surrender. Strangely, it's the most present I've ever felt.”
His remarks captured what many travellers often describe as India’s intense but unforgettable energy.
‘The spirituality cracked something open in me’
One of the most emotional parts of the video focused on spirituality and personal transformation.According to the traveller, India’s spiritual atmosphere affected him in a way he did not expect.
“The spirituality here cracked something open in me. Not in a tourist way,” he said.
“The rituals, the devotion, the sheer sincerity of it, it bypassed my defences.”
He added that emotions he had been carrying for years surfaced unexpectedly during the trip.
“I cried and didn’t fully know why,” he admitted.
‘Looted but never fully broken’
The traveller also described India as a civilisation that had suffered deeply under colonialism but still retained its identity and spirit.“The British took everything they could,” he said.
“And yet the soul of this place is unmistakable and intact.”
“There’s a lesson in that I’m still processing.”
He also spoke about being stunned by India’s architecture, colours and atmosphere, calling it a place that felt almost unreal at times.
“Like someone rendered a civilisation from pure imagination,” he said.
Social media users praise his perspective
The video has now crossed more than 3.49 lakh views on Instagram and continues to attract reactions from users across the world.Many Indians praised the traveller for understanding the country beyond stereotypes and surface-level tourism.
One user commented: “Glad you tapped into the positives that India has to offer!”
Another wrote: “Words like these have never been so brilliantly put together for India on the internet before.”
A third added: “It’s the calm in the chaos that makes it home.”
Several users also appreciated the way he connected India’s history with Africa’s colonial experiences, saying his reflections felt thoughtful, emotional and refreshingly genuine.
India travel videos continue to dominate social media
Travel content around India has increasingly gone viral online in recent years, especially videos showing foreign travellers reacting to the country’s spirituality, food, traditions and chaotic urban life.However, many users said this particular video stood out because it focused less on shock value and more on emotional understanding, historical reflection and cultural depth.
