The book ‘Main Hun Jahan Gard’ by Farrukh Sohail Goindi takes readers on a remarkable journey all overland from Lahore to Europe. In 1983, the author set out as a tourist, capturing those unforgettable moments and experiences in the bulky travellogue. As Goindi beautifully explains, a true traveler is not just someone who explores new places but also a witness and storyteller of the time they live in — someone who carries the world they’ve seen in their own eyes and shares it with future generations through words.
What truly makes Mein Hoon Jahan Gard (“I Am a Wanderer”) special is the way it preserves a moment in time. Goindi has beautifully captured an era that no longer exists. While Iran and Turkey have evolved significantly, socialist Bulgaria — which he affectionately refers to as a “red paradise” in these pages — has undergone a complete transformation, fading into history along with its political system. This was the peak of the Cold War, a time when the world was divided by two dominant ideological forces, and Goindi’s vivid writing wonderfully revives that forgotten political and cultural atmosphere. What’s more, his focus extends beyond scenery. He also shines a light on ordinary people — their daily routines, fears, and dreams — giving the book a heartfelt, human touch that makes it much more than just a travel memoir.
This book is quite unique in Urdu literature. It shares stories from lesser-known regions, towns, and cities, filled with amazing incidents and tales. It introduces readers to a new side of travel writing they haven’t seen before. Goindi chose to travel overland, even though easier options were available at the time. This meant he faced a long, tough journey, often lacking comfort and packed with challenges. But it’s exactly these hardships that give the book its heart; an easier trip wouldn’t have produced such unforgettable stories.
Starting from Lahore and making our way through Iran, Turkey, and then socialist Bulgaria was truly quite an adventure — especially during a time when border rules, ideological divides, and limited travel options made journeys challenging for anyone. Goindi sees this journey not just as a personal story but almost like a historical record, highlighting the political and social atmosphere of each country he visits.
‘Mein Hoon Jahan Gard’ has truly brought a fresh breath to the travellogue genre, marking an exciting new milestone in Urdu literature. Farrukh Sohail Goindi, the talented author, beautifully steps away from traditional travel writing, embracing a style that combines simplicity, elegance, and depth. It’s more than just a travel account; it’s a rich history of an era, a vivid glimpse into a civilization, and a heartfelt record of a person’s inner reflections. This book stands as a wonderful and enduring addition to Urdu literature, a journey readers will want to take again and again.
The author, a self-proclaimed jiyala with a socialist background, has candidly described the travelogue’s details with a neutral eye. More than mere wandering, his purposeful travel through the four countries, undertaken with the barest means, truly reveals the author’s intent. It turns his bulky travelogue into an eye-opening account of what fails a country like Pakistan time and again, and of why other nations are able to stand taller than we do, especially when it comes to good governance and law-abiding citizenry. 
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