Walk of a Pilgrim

Contributor: Rachit Sharma

They say the most beautiful moments of life make you lose the sense of time but what if every moment spent feels like a lifetime, if you could feel the rustling resonance of each atom around you, if you could sense the energy that your feet are exerting on sacred soil leaving behind some traces to be found. Then, probably you've overcome the idea of time being in that very moment. You feel you cannot lose what you never had. 

Thousands feet above the sea, a tinge of its salty water trickled down my cheek , it felt like I realized my place in the universal scheme of things. The majestic hills clad in heavenly green with a sprinkled charm of new leaves were immersing us. Everytime we looked ahead, there was a lofty hill far away peeking from behind its flock, waiting to express its wondrous self. I was wondering at the sheer incapability of my eyes to seize the water streaming down the feet of the hills and the crown of trees adorning their heads, all in one frame. This journey from 'Kathgodam to 'Ranikhet' had silenced us all, some found solace in resting their eyes, others throbbing their hearts. Gradually, the bags were ransacked for jackets and pull overs, the froth exhaled by the mountains was moving with the streams, giving us shivers of joy. As Ranikhet arrived with an entire procession of Deodar trees, everybody started gearing up for the pilgrimage we set out for. 

Rucksacks on backs, glares on eyes, tightened laces, maggies packed, with a twinkle in smile, we began walking through the market of Ranikhet, passed the cantonment and entered the woods. 

I had been to walks with nature but they were not challenging. I had been to challenging set ups but there was no essence of nature. This time it was best of both worlds. We went down a steep hill in silence, observing the conversations of nature, discovering the granite rocks tearing the shacks of soiled ground which were angrily slippery. 

The dance of down-hill and up-hill persisted for a couple of hours untill our stomachs growled. We were stranded in a place where there were 2-3 houses every 2-3 kilometres. When a local told us about a hotel called 'Gayatri Hotel', we went amuck for it. After encountering some strangely concerned road signs which say ' I love you but not your speed' , we knocked at Gayatri. It was a one room eatery with a heavenly balcony that can give posh cafés in Delhi a run for their money. The paranthas with other innumerable things which we devoured still kicks up a flood in my mouth. The in-charge of that place drew a map to reach Kausani with little shortcuts and huge cautions. We were told that these shortcuts are surrounded by flourishing population of leopards, so sticking together is highly advisable. Now that we smelled the danger, from every falling twig to every random motion in the bush was a leopard to us.

Discovering a skeleton, possibly of a dog, some bones, we reached a high hill, looking some hundred feet down one could see a wild brook dancing through the mountains. I told myself, two steps off the cliff and I will embrace her. But then we decided not leave the mountains and travelled those hundred feet on foot. The river called 'Gagas' flows down the farms and hills, well manicured terrace farms gave a sense of amazement. As we went forth measuring the 'Gagas' some of us called it a day, others carried on the mission. With dropping sun, our energies were acing. The stretch from 'Gagas' to 'Binta' took pleasure to some other level. In solitude, I was contemplating about life. 

How it is no more about finding journeys in life and more of finding life in the short journeys. It could all be illusion and a day will come when I will wake up. The day I awake from these illusions, will be the day I die. 

'Binta' took us to 'Kausani', the little village extended an umbrella of twinkling stars above our heads. The mountains had slept and the darkness chatted with us all night long. Early morning we were talking, how the sun rises with same valour, beauty and elegance whether we are there to realise its existence or earthed deep into our quilts. It does not stop being beautiful. The rays played trumpets for the approaching sun. It seemed the Himalayan range was putting its white, velvet cloak which glistened more with every overture of the sun. As we witnessed the romanticism of the sun and barren white mountains, it created a euphoria that still gives chills. 'Kausani' caters tea plantations and thriving market of wools while exploring the economic side of this place.

I would found myself to be glanced by someone, someone who has all the might of the world, someone whose valiance is unmatched and there my eyes would encounter the imperial Himalayas. 

'Kausani' also introduced us to its sister called 'Kantli' which apparently gives birth to the river 'Kosi'. Wandering in the jungles of 'Kantli' we realized how far we live from this paradise. From the cold fresh water beside us to hills on both sides, we walked in the narrow valley up to the waterfalls which was named 'Waterfalls' a local told us. 

We were fortunate enough to meet a yogi who had been in the jungle for almost 19 years. He had a Phd in Vedas from Haridwar. He does not eat food and survives on tetra-packs of milk. One could sense the immense paradoxical fatigue in his eyes. He was a proud yogi with all the knowledge of the world. As the layers of dust covers the book without differentiating, corpuscles of prejudices had reached him guised as knowledge. To err is human, to forgive divine. 

Road back to 'Kausani' took us to Garden restaurant which served by far the best lunch at 6 in the evening. Bags were packed and ready to leave for Almora. The journey to Almora at night was accompanied by bleak paths, Bollywood songs, intermittent naps and a heavy heart. 

Over the years I had been swinging between agnosticism and atheism only to discover myself as a theist. 

My god lies in the might of those very mountains, in the assuagement of those streams, in those thirsty deserts, in the meanings of my journeys and the masses I meet on the way. 

I read somewhere that even if there's no god, it is important to invent one. I think I have invented mine.