I have been in the Himalayan mountains for these past few days. The Tirthan Valley, where we are staying at a very cozy homestay, is a place of stunning natural beauty. Our place of temporary residence is well located right in the centre of the valley and offers close-up views of these majestic range. The river daintily meandering through. Making soft, gentle and soothing music. The kind that heals weary souls. The tall trees, witnessing the passage of time like no one else can. Local folk going about their day. Some simply sitting under the trees and discussing the state of the world. Birds soaring and studying the beauty of this amazing creation of nature. Every fold of the mountains fitting so perfectly with each other. The creator having truly mastered this part of the earth, in beauty and majesty.
Photo by Mohit GuptaI absolutely love being in the mountains. Every time I get to be in the mountains I feel like life is perhaps worth living. I just wish at times that I could fly like the birds and truly experience every little nook of this area.
Photo by Mohit GuptaOne of the mornings, my wife and I walked for a bit. By a bit I mean about two odd kilometers. It was a nice and gentle walk only disturbed by the occasional passing of cars. The locals of course drive like crazy on these narrow roads. So a lot of care has to be taken. My dearest wife of course wanted to keep stopping to admire the clean waters of the Tirthan river. And she would stand right at the edge of the road looking down what definitely felt like a couple of hundred feet and joyfully exclaim how she could see every rock at the bottom of the river. And me being somewhat acrophobic would be getting jitters down my spine, especially since there was no protective barrier. Thankfully we did okay and I am still here to share our journey.
As we walked away from the main road and ventured into the interiors a bit we experienced a very different beauty. Spaces to sit next to the river, little walking bridges to stand and count the rocks and see the fishes, trees to sit under and shelter from the rays of the sun, rivulets running along the unfinished road, local homes built in traditional style, dogs lazing in the sun and the myriad sounds of the birds and the river.
Suddenly time stops. I find that the days are slow here. Time really has no meaning here. I look at the time and it is only midday. There is nothing to rush to. No meetings. Nobody chasing for decisions. No harried delivery agents asking for directions. And I am able to breathe again. Taking in the air and the oxygen deep into every corner of my starved lungs and deep into my scarred and undernourished soul. I can just sit in the same chair for hours, simply chatting with my friends sipping the tastiest water from this area. Unfiltered and untreated. Full of nourishment for our yearning and hungry cells. Healing sips of water. Healing gulps of air.
Written By Mohit Gupta
Week 11, March 2021
