IIT-Kanpur graduate was stranded 15 km away from Anuv Jain's Ladakh concert. A stranger's unexpected help made it an unforgettable day

Sometimes, the most memorable travel experiences are not planned at all. For IIT-Kanpur graduate Kanak Agrawal, a chance encounter on a Delhi-Leh flight, a concert poster and an unexpected act of kindness from a stranger came together in a way she could hardly have predicted. What began as a simple wish to watch Indian singer and songwriter Anuv Jain perform in Ladakh turned into an unforgettable evening, after a local man went far out of his way to help her reach the venue.

A chance encounter changed her plans

Kanak Agrawal, an IIT-Kanpur graduate, took to social media and shared how a series of coincidences eventually led her to Anuv Jain's concert in Ladakh. Her journey began even before she reached Leh. On her flight from Delhi to Leh, Agrawal unexpectedly bumped into a client from her startup days whom she had not seen in seven years. The client was travelling to Leh to cover an event. After landing, Agrawal noticed posters announcing that Anuv Jain would be performing in Leh. The surprising part was that the concert was being held at the very festival her former client was covering.

Seeing the opportunity, she messaged him to ask whether he could arrange a pass for her. He managed to do so.

Reaching the concert

Getting the pass was only part of the journey. On the evening of the concert, Agrawal began walking from her homestay towards the venue, hoping she could find a ride along the way. Her maps initially showed the destination as being around 10 km away. After walking for about 15 minutes and failing to get a lift, she was still without transportation. She described several passing cars as giving her an “invisible middle finger” before an uncle riding a two-wheeler finally stopped.

Agrawal told him where she was headed. The man was not even sure where the venue was, and it was completely out of his way. Yet he offered to take her there.

The stranger's detour

What Agrawal discovered next made the gesture even more remarkable. The venue was actually 15 km from Leh. The stranger ended up taking a 40-minute detour in one direction simply to drop her at the concert. When Agrawal offered him money for the ride, he refused to accept it. That unexpected kindness ensured she reached the venue and got to experience Anuv Jain performing under the Ladakh sky. Agrawal later reflected that she had been travelling for years, yet moments like this could still surprise her.


For her, the experience was a reminder of how often a stranger can unexpectedly decide to “go out of their way to help you”, turning an ordinary travel moment into a memory that stays with you.