Russian explorers in India were a rarity, and their fates often ended tragically. For instance, Afanasy Nikitin and Semyon Malenkiy died before reaching home. The only one who detailed India and Central Asia was Philip Efremov in the late 18th century. Born in Vyatka, he joined the army, where his adventures began. During a battle with the Pugachevites at the Donguza outpost, Efremov was captured but escaped at night with two comrades. They were caught by Kyrgyz and sold into slavery to the Bukhara emir.

Efremov was tortured in an attempt to force him to convert to Islam, but he endured. For his resilience, the emir allowed him to remain a Christian and made him a guard in the harem. There, he began a romance with the keykeeper, who later saved his life. When Efremov was considered one of their own, the emir took him into his army. Efremov showed bravery, although he later noted that the Bukharans were poor shots with cannons and used artillery for intimidation, firing randomly at houses to make the residents pay tribute.

For his loyal service, the emir rewarded him with land, but Efremov dreamed of escape. One day, he got his chance: he was sent with a report to Bukhara. He bribed a secretary to prepare ambassadorial documents for him, while the keykeeper obtained a seal. Efremov promised to take her with him but did not keep his word. Together with captured Russians, he reached the border of China, where Europeans were forbidden to appear. They disguised themselves as Tatar merchants and joined a caravan, purchasing similar goods to avoid suspicion. After crossing the passes, they reached India.

In India, Efremov spent several months describing local life. He was puzzled why nobles preferred rickshaws until he realized that horses were expensive, and it was more profitable to have many rickshaws than one horse. He was struck by the Taj Mahal, elephants, ancient fortresses, and rituals, including the cremation of the deceased and the ritual killing of the severely ill.

However, Efremov did not come to India for experiences; he was searching for a way back to Russia. Fortune smiled upon him: he swore in Russian on the street, and an Armenian merchant who knew Russian noticed him. The merchant advised him to contact an English priest living in Petersburg. With his help, Efremov boarded a ship and arrived in Ireland after 5 months, then traveled to Russia. In the capital, he was introduced to Count Alexander Bezborodko, who was looking for a specialist on Bukhara and Asia. Efremov was accepted into the Collegium of Foreign Affairs and granted nobility. He left a memory of his journey on his coat of arms: a road and silver legs symbolized his incredible odyssey.