Journeys Of Self-Discovery And Nature's Exquisiteness: A Comparative Analysis Of Identity And Transformation In From Heaven Lake And The Nanda Devi Affair

Abstract

Travel literature functions as an effective tool to understand oneself because it constructs a bond between physical travel and inner personal evolution. An evaluation of self-identity and discovery during travel is presented through analysis of From Heaven Lake by Vikram Seth along with The Nanda Devi Affair by Bill Aitken. Seth tells an introspective tale about his Tibetan-Chinese journey but Aitken presents an adventurous expedition of climbing Nanda Devi in the Himalayas. The authors present their travel experiences as symbols of interior discovery which showcases how outside encounters affect personal self-comprehension. Seth explores cultural dualities and belonging in his portraits yet his perspective differs from Aitken's nature-connected and humble approach even though their ideas meet about transformation through the travel experience. This paper performs a comparative study which explores the universal concepts of identity development alongside self-transformation and how the self-connects to its environment while demonstrating ongoing significance of travel literature in human understanding.