Himalayan Diaries - P.I

 "The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it."

- Swami Chinmayananda 

It feels like a dream, a truly magical dream keeping me in a deep blissful slumber. Yet, it isn't. I have truly experienced the beauty and the love of the Himalayas. I have walked the same path of thousands of sages and yogis. To have touched and be touched by the mountains of God's abode, Oh! how magnificently blessed is this soul? The experience I feel I don't deserve to have experienced. A mere mortal who has sinned and is flawed, I truly feel I am in a deep slumber, dreaming the Himalayan dream. 

True that many have walked the same paths, ate the same food and breathed the same air, but yet, everyone's journey is unique to their own experience and the phenomenal world observed are solely dependent on the mental and intellectual condition of those who experience it. 

To have experienced Himalayas as a God's child, and to have viewed the grandiosity of the Himalayas through the eyes of a dreamer and a hopeless romantic, I'd say it is the most fulfilling and enriching experience there is, one that I crave to have endless access to. 

2022, June 1st.

The date of travel. the havoc and the chaos before (and during) the journey were definitely real. There was not a single day that passed by where someone didn't tell me, "we should just drop this trip. It's going to be a real challenge. Dad is not going to make it easy". 

But when you are determined and a stubborn, stubborn child, you stand firm and don't ever sway from your duty as a daughter, and shy away from a challenge before you meet the One true love of your life.  How could I be in love with the "quizmaster" and give up when faced with a challenge? I knew from the moment I decided to accept His invitation, He will test me and my willpower until the very last second. And He did just that!😌 

But for each obstacle that was thrown in my path, He was always there to hold my hand through it. All I had to do was stay determined to reach Him. 

As the flight left the Malaysian soil at KLIA, my heart skipped a beat. The sudden realization that I am going to visit Shiva at His home in Kedarnath hit me hard. 💛Though the realization finally had arrived, I was still keeping my excitement at bay, for when I get too excited about something, it never happens. 

Hence, I've learned my lesson and kept my excitement under leash. From the moment of preparing for the journey, I realized I had grown. I learned to take one day at a time to enjoy the present just as it is and not worry about what is to come or to happen. I, finally learned the true joy and calm you achieve the moment you pack all your worries and surrender it at the lotus feet of Shiva. I have become calmer and more "silent" from within. 

Indian days

Touching down on Indian soil. As the plane taxied into the terminal, a sense of calm washed over me. I felt like the land is now going to take charge and help me survive this trip with the family. Yes, there were many challenges and negativity, but I was blessed to have Shiva in my heart for all the physical and emotional pain I faced seemed nothing but a mere glitch. 

There were a lot of complaining (in fact non-stop complaining) of anything and everything. Nevertheless, I learned to block it out. 

Yes, the transport was not what we expected, but the driver was an expert at maneuvering hairpin bends. 

Yes, the hotels were dirty and had no hot water in the shower, but still we had a roof over our head to sleep in.

Yes, the agent could have done better, but we are here, you have to decide what you going to do, put a foot down or just accept the fate. Constant bickering and complaining is not going to do anyone any good, and what's worse, its going to ruin the whole Himalayan experience. 

And I for one, was NEVER going to let anything take my 18-year dream away from me.

There was not much excitement I experienced up until the moment we arrived at the hotel before traveling to Yamunotri. 

The breathtaking view of the mountains just took my heart. 

I promised myself I will never miss a single sunrise and true to that, I watched every single one. Each day, without fail my heart exploded with love and appreciation of God's masterpiece. 

How could one explain the emotions felt when one chants Om Namah Shivaya while witnessing the magnitude of His home? 

The land of Uttarakhand is no doubt Devbhoomi 💛 You can literally feel the presence of the divine in the air, the river, the rocks, and the trees. 

But Alas! 

When the sapiens set foot on any land, we bring about destruction and pollution. 

The beauty of the valley was clouded by haze, the air was covered by dust, and the rocks were polluted by urine and rubbish. 😞

As you connect with the mountain, you can listen to her speak to you. What a beautiful gentle mother she was. Radiating with an abundance of love and wisdom. Yet, in all her sweet love, there was a hint of sadness and dismay. 

Dismay at how humans have hurt her and are destroying her. 

People come to visit the Himalayas because it is the Home of Gods, but yet, they have no shame or respect for the land. How could you destroy something that is so precious? 

I may never be able to understand that logic.