In the Valley of God

 I remember very distinctly that when I closed my eyes on the flight back home from the mountains this time, I saw a few very specific things.

1. Trek poles, big rocks and mud
2. My pink dabba looking at me hopefully
3. The laddoos that Diya’s mom made( which saved my life for more times than I will admit)
4. A bunch of pretty pink rhododendrons
5. An extremely peculiar red umbrella 
6. Stone slated sloping roofs 
7. A few pakodas ( that were assumed to be stolen)
8. The thamsa riverside in the forest ( i can’t seem to stop talking about this )
9. Garm chai warming my freezing hands
10. And finally, the summit of Har Ki Dun

I’ve always loved travelling as a kid and I’ve gotten into trekking very recently as I’ve mentioned in my previous blogs, because of Baba. Last year, I’d completed the Dayara 

Bugyal high altitude trek and I knew, as soon as it was over, that I couldn’t wait to go back. As Naina rightly said in yeh jawaani hai deewaani, “ wahaa, uss pahaad ki hawaa mein, ek nashaa sa tha”

This year, I’d decided that I would be doing the Har ki dun trek. Diya, one of my friends from college was going to be coming with me and I remember we’d had such a hectic month filled with exams, workshops, events and whatnot we were so surprised that we even made it. In fact I remember telling her a million times “ I still can’t believe we’re here!!” 

I’ve started writing this blog way too many times since I got back but always ended up discarding it because I just feel like none of the words I use will ever do it justice. That’s the beauty of it, I think. How often is it that we are speechless?

In fact I feel putting this experience in words was more difficult than trying to digest the fact that the pulse oximeter absolutely refused to show my oxygen reading on any of my fingers. 

That’s enough sorrow to last for a lifetime.

Anyway, we started our trek from Kotgaon, which was our base camp. On the first day we ended our trek at a place called Gangaad. A tiny village almost 900 years old, nestled in the lap of the Himalayas with absolutely no connection to the outside world. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place this secluded in my entire life. I wonder what it must feel like to have that kind of disconnectivity and solitude, when today the world is all about knowing everything that is going on and constantly being updated. I actually felt like I was travelling back in time. Right from their traditional attire made of sheepskin, to their unique roofs and house architecture, to their antique gold jewellery and the Garhwali language they spoke in all with the thamsa river flowing in the background, it was a scene from a fairy tale. 

After we visited the village we walked a little and sat on a rock right next to the river. I closed my eyes, and I let that sound take over me. It was absolutely magical. I could feel every thought, every emotion, every discomfort, every worry leave my body and all I could hear was the river. Very soon I felt so empty and yet so complete, it’s difficult to explain unless you actually experience it. My mind was blank. And the silence, was really loud.

Also I just want to say, and this may be contrary to popular opinion, that I enjoyed the forest walk that we did after the summit more than the summit itself. ( this has no relation whatsoever to me being exhausted during the summit climb)

The forest at the Boslo campsite was enchanting. With the backdrop right out of Taylor Swift’s folklore album cover I actually felt that all I wanted was auroras and sad prose.

I remember seeing tall trees and the glistening white mountain peaks shining in between, crisp gale and of course the sound of the river. I was sitting on a log by the riverside and I have spoke about this so much, that it has become a running joke in my friend group. 

I mean, actually living in the present, being so in touch with yourself and with nature and breathing, I quote “ the purest air you will ever find”, what more could you ask for?

In fact, I feel that this place made me think about a lot of things. Like how we always make such a big deal about all the minor inconveniences we face, and when you come to a place like this you realise how insignificant everything is in front of nature, that your problems just melt away like fresh snow. I also thought about all the stories of the Mahabharata that may have happened on the very roads we walked on. It was a sort of a déjà vu moment. How beautiful is it that a group of strangers turn into the family you never knew you needed, and finally, how amazing is it to be a part of something bigger, to make a difference in the world? Isn’t that what we all live for?

Now that I’m back in Bombay, with my regular routine of postings, exams, and coping up with the heat( if you know, you know) all I can think about is when I’ll go back to the mountains. Also a big shoutout to everyone in our team including the trek leader and guides, it was certainly one hell of a rollercoaster ride, and most definitely a life changing experience. 

Here’s to new mountains, new experiences and new adventures!