Many people misunderstand the meaning of the term “Hippie”. When thinking about hippies, we often picture people with beards, headbands, dreadlocks and bell-bottom jeans. Well, there is much more than what people think about the concept of what a hippie is and what the hippie movement is.
The hippie culture was popularised in the 60s and is said to have been derived from the word ‘hipster’. This movement was highly popularised in the USA and it was all about peace, love and freedom. They rejected most of the established institutions, criticised middle class values and opposed nuclear weapons as well as war.
Some people say that hippie is the way people dress and behave, or you can say it is a lifestyle. Others say that they are classified as drug users and rock & roll fans. But the dictionary defines a hippie as one who doesn’t comply to the society’s standards and follows a liberal attitude and lifestyle. Being a hippie is a matter of accepting universal system that transcends the social, political and moral norms of any established structure — Be it class, government or religion among several others.
The hippie trail is the name given to the journey taken by hippies from mid 1950s to the late 1970s between Europe and South Asia, mainly through Iran, Afghanistan, India and Nepal. It came to an end in the late 1970s because of political changes in hospitable countries. From the mid 2000s, the route again became somewhat feasible but there are still some conflicts and tensions in a few parts of this trail journey. The best destinations for modern day hippies are Goa, Marrakesh, Rishikesh, Thailand, Bali, Ibiza and Nepal.
So, if you guys want to experience the hippie culture by yourself, you can take time out of your jobs and try the life of living freely and spread love all along.
