Sadhanapada: A rebirth

It was the winter of 2016 when I had hit the wall and was truly longing for something unknown to come into my experience! And the thought and questions which constantly rebounded in my head ever since I was a kid gained momentum- “Well there is something more to Life! How do I find out? Who is going to guide me?”

To recap, the questions about life was something which I always pondered as a kid but this longing did get lost in the mundane cycle: of getting good grades, of getting degrees, finding the security of a high paying job and to get into the security of a steady relationship. Achievements, accolades, milestones lacked fulfillment. My Life then was a bunch of fleeting moments of happiness. I knew for sure this was not Life!

Ironically the word security is crippling as it snatches one the opportunity of exploring oneself or experiencing Life as is.

However, in early 2015 I did quit my job in the hope of exploring Life and more so indulged in the things I loved and forayed outside my comfort zone; blogging, traveling, fiction writing, photography, publishing my own coffee table book,  working in a couple of startups as a content writer and quite recently freelancing in digital marketing.

While I was doing the above things outside my comfort zone there was something parallel which I had hit upon and this was giving me all the strength to do the things with utter ease.

So the winter of 2016 had passed and the beginning of 2017 brought me face to face to this program called Inner Engineering. A friend had suggested this and I thought, “Anyway this program is just for 7 days and that too for 3 hours only, let me give it a shot.” Trust me, I had no clue who Sadhguru was and I had not even watched any of his videos on YouTube.

Well, as they say when the student is ready, the Guru appears!

The program made utter sense to the logical mind that I had. My journey through Inner engineering is out here: My experience of Inner Engineering

Well, within the next couple of years I had completed all the advanced programs and I was waiting for this final advanced program called Samyama which is conducted by Sadhguru himself. The practices, the kriyas were working wonders in my Life and I knew the final program with Sadhguru would be utterly life-changing!

Fortunately I did get this opportunity in March 2019 and it was an experience which I cannot express and still cannot fathom but it brought me face to face with Life as is; sans illusion.

Even though I had been volunteering at Isha in Bangalore since 2017, I quite had this urge to explore myself in a more insightful conscious way, to serve as a volunteer and also to experience life in the Ashram at Coimbatore.

Well, this is when Sadhanapada fit the bill and it happened to be the right platform to enhance my Sadhana and the perfect opportunity to offer myself as a Volunteer.

Sadhanapada is a 7 months residential program offered by Sadhguru to enhance one’s Sadhana and also to volunteer in the Ashram. The only pre-requisite is that one should have  completed the Inner Engineering program.

 

I had decided to go ahead with the program but when I broke the news to my family they were hesitant initially (agreed upon later) and a few acquaintances, relatives were aghast at the decision and they had the below questions:

• What do you get at the end of 7 months, considering you won’t be earning?
• Is the program going to train you on something from which you can earn money later on?
• Are you going to get any skills or become an expert in Yoga?
• Why do you go all the way out there to serve or volunteer when you can do it in your home?
• The organization is just getting young people to work in the name of volunteering for free, are you mad to go there?
• You have just started a successful freelancing business, why are you leaving it?

I couldn’t answer to the logical minds of people as to what tangible things I would get at the end of it all because what I would be experiencing is far from anything tangible.

I quite didn’t have the answers to the above and more so even if I wanted to try and explain that would be beyond comprehension or probably misunderstood, so I remained mum but my decision was unwavering.

My parents initially were perturbed and anxious but once they got to know that this was something that would make a difference to my life in a big way, they gave in and helped me in prepping up for the program ahead.

I was elated when the interview went well and I was eagerly waiting for the confirmation with each passing day. Finally I had received the confirmation message and  I knew I was given the chance of a lifetime.

Come July 2019 and I was off to Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore.

The first month passed where I indulged in the orientation, adjusting to the intense schedule, getting to know the Ashram, working in my volunteering/Seva department and of course gearing up for the months ahead. I knew I had to cherish each moment and give 100% in whatever I did. I was grateful that I could enhance my Sadhana in the consecrated spaces of the Ashram and  being in the Ashram was something I had always dreamt about. Well, it did come true and thanks to Sadhanapada for giving me the solace of a rebirth.

A day in the life of Sadhanapada:

Sadhanapada has been an intense program which has changed my life for the better. I had forgotten to enjoy life just as it is, thanks to the program that I am quite able to be joyful without any external things or distractions. It has taught me the very basics of how to lead a Life joyfully and I wish everyone goes through Sadhanapada.

I am fortunate to have shared this journey with my fellow participants from various walks of life. Some had left amazing opportunities, some high-paying jobs, some their loved ones only to learn and to know the being that they are. I am so grateful to have been a part of this program with such inspiring and motivating people.

 

These 7 months have given me so much that I wonder if I would have got these realizations / learnings  in 7 lifetimes at all. Below are a few realizations which have come by:

1. Be it in my previous companies or any work for that matter I used to work efficiently but there was some amount of compulsiveness that I always ended up having a burn out time and again but these 7 months has brought me to a point where whatever activity I am given, I do it with 100% involvement. There is no compulsiveness and I am not attached to the work I just complete it to the best of my abilities.
2. My likes and dislikes have come down and I indulge in what is needed to be done no matter what it is. I have come face to face with my limitations and I consciously work on them.
3. During my freelancing stint, I did have sufficient time to do the Kriyas and practices at home but somewhere I would miss out on some Kriyas if I had more work to cater to. But in these 7 months I learnt how to manage my time and balance both the Sadhana and Seva(my departmental work). The first couple of months I struggled but after that it I could manage it with ease.
4. My day started at 3 AM and ended by 9:30 PM but I could go through Sadhana, Seva, daily chores with utter ease. I never used to get completely exhausted, well probably at times a bit tired on certain days but I was vibrant enough to go about the work that was needed to be done
5. Apart from Sadhana and Seva we took part in a various programs, festivals. The times when we danced, played some games it felt like I was a kid again and I involved myself without any inhibitions and reluctance.
6. The joy of volunteering is truly exhilarating. To serve, help, support, to do an activity without expecting anything in return is something I learnt here in Isha. The fulfillment that I received here is far more than what I received in any job that I was paid for.
7. There were of course certain challenging circumstances with people and work. These ordeals helped me to see through myself, my limitations and above all to be compassionate to the person at the other end and understand from his/her point of view. This was quite a struggle and also a revelation and it took me sometime to understand this. Whatever be the situation, it is actually how I perceive and respond to it.
8. The entire program helped me to see myself as is without any false identifications. The walls, the boundaries I had built for my security just evaporated and I was bare facing things and this felt liberating. Not being in control is such a blessed thing for you are free. This made me realize that I had been such a fool growing up.
9. I don’t need any reason to be happy, I am joyful always. There is a certain stillness or rather a distance that has come by with the mind and body.
10. I was faced with a personal emergency during the program. As I went to meet my family, the way I responded and behaved was something out of the ordinary and I knew things had transformed within me for the better. Though it was an unfortunate incident, it actually helped me to evaluate my growth and impact of the program. There was a strong reluctance from relatives, acquaintances (not my parents thankfully) that I stay back for the family and not complete the program as they considered it to be some unnecessary time-pass or a lame thing which I was doing(this wouldn’t have been the case if I was working abroad or doing my masters in a far off place – probably these have some credibility in their eyes). Though I was hurt that they felt this way, my commitment to the program didn’t waver. I didn’t feel the need to explain this to anyone albeit my parents and I resumed the program for I knew this was for my Life.

I would like to throw light upon certain misconceptions that some people usually have or the Society has-

1. Going to an Ashram and being on a Spiritual path:
   • Myth: If one goes to the Ashram, they will take on Bramhacharya, one will be hypnotised and eventually you will take up Sanyas.
   • Fact: Ashram is a conducive place for one to learn, enhance one’s Sadhana and also learn to serve / volunteer. Of course one gets transformed but for the better. It is as Mahatma Gandhi quoted “We must become the change we wish to see in the world.” 
2. Age and Vocation
   •  Myth: Spirituality is for the old people and for people who are jobless
   • Fact: With thousands of young people already dependent on antidepressants, medication for stress / anxiety due to the lifestyle, work habits – Yoga is the need of the hour. It is better to start working on one’s well-being at the earliest and to have a positive approach to life rather than having this thought on the death-bed. Yoga is a tool which would equip one to lead a better conscious life.
3. Renunciation
   • Myth: If you are on a spiritual path, then you have to leave your family, be a celibate and head to an ashram or the mountains
   • Fact: Yoga teaches one to be in balance and equips one with various tools to enhance one’s energies. This helps one tackle the challenges in the daily life with elan and to live life to the fullest and not just living a mundane life. It equips one to to take on Life and not run away from situations.
4. Belief vs Seeking
   • Myth: Learning yoga will make one religious and a Hindu
   • Fact: Yoga is not a religion, it is a Science. Being on a Spiritual path is when you are choosing neither to be a religious fanatic(believing in God) nor an atheist(believing that there is no God)  you are just being a third kind- A seeker – Trying to delve deep within to find out more about yourself and more so get in touch with the Truth!
5. Source of Happiness
   • Myth: Having a secure job, relationships, accolades, materialistic things is the source of happiness
   • Fact: All the above may give you pleasure, happiness but it is only momentary and elusive. Being in Yoga makes one blissful. It doesn’t matter what challenges life throws at you, you will be able to handle things with elan while being happy and blissful. By growing materialistically or spiritually we are only trying to expand but spiritual expansion happens consciously not compulsively. Source of Happiness is within you!
6. Life
   • Myth: Life is Birth – Education – Job- Family – Death
   • Fact: The above is a part of life but we think life is just that and we forget the opportunity to know ourselves and explore life. To delve within is the only way out

Why am I sharing this with you all?

It is quite hard for me to articulate the happenings and experiences within me and I know I couldn’t do so even if I had all the gamut of words at my disposal. The challenges of life are many and may cripple you or may leave you dejected and lost but when you are on a constant journey of seeking the inner dimension, the life challenges won’t matter and you will be able to handle anything that comes your way with ease. Life will seem amazing and you will rightfully know how to enjoy a day! I want you all to experience this dimension of Life.

Open to all from all walks of life

Sadhanapada is open to all – My fellow participants were from across the world from various walks of life; farmers, doctors, engineers, yoga enthusiasts, digital marketers, bankers, entrepreneurs, teachers, homemakers, students, architects you name it we were all a part of this program. Young and old made this program a wonderful experience. I am sure you must be wondering that it won’t be easy for you to take this decision to apply for this program. Trust me, give it a thought and if you really want to seek what this Life is about then think no more. Take the plunge, everything will fall into place; it is quite a curious miracle.

Thanks to the Ashramites, the Bramhacharis, the Bramhacharinis, the Teachers, the Volunteers to have welcomed us in the Ashram and for constantly taking care of us and guiding us throughout the program and much after that as well. The program wouldn’t have been possible without all their support. And I am so fortunate for this opportunity to have come by and quite can’t thank Sadhguru enough for making this a possibility.

Below are some glimpses, a few from Sadhanapada culmination.

Photo Courtesy: Isha Foundation

 

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Links and videos about Sadhanapada

Registration Link: https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/volunteer/sadhanapada

Further, please check Sadhanapada – Sadhanapada Tips and Guidelines on how best to prepare for the program. Read through this very descriptive post that would answer most of your queries!

So are you ready for transformation and to delve within yourselves?

 

 

And there the Joy of Shaving my Head!

Aha before you conclude…..

Must say, I was totally sane while getting it done and more so did it out of pure joy!

Well, society does attach a few associations like beauty, success, femininity with the kind of hair a woman has and there are certainly negative associations too when a woman shaves her head; a disease, a traumatic experience, a mental breakdown.

But from my own personal experience, hair has nothing to do with who you are and I didn’t go through any traumatic disease or experience; in fact a shaven head gives you an opportunity to delve deep inside and meet the person that you truly are.

Let me take you through as to why I decided to shave my head.

10 reasons and perks of shaving my head:

1. I wanted to experiment and see what it is to forgo my identity (since hair is the most integral part of one’s identity)
2. I wanted to see if I had the guts to let go of this attachment
3. Being on a spiritual path was turning out to be totally exhilarating and I wanted to mark this by shaving my head and trust me it was so so liberating
4. As I had missed to observe my hair growth while growing up, I wanted to see myself through all the stages; having a shaved head, having a buzzed head, having short hair, spiky hair and so forth 😉
5. I wanted to completely detach myself from the looks of who I was. This has certainly made me a new person with new perspectives
6. I wanted to feel vulnerable, go within myself and seek what truly matters because the external seemed mundane and unfulfilling
7. Shaving my head felt like lifting a huge burden off me from all the conditioning accumulated over the years and it felt as though I was a completely new me starting anew
8. I have saved considerable amount of time, energy and money in maintaining my hair since I shaved. Well that’s one hell of a perk
9. The fact that I could feel and enjoy the short spiky, velvety hair was uber cool and to feel the wind, sun on my head is quite something when you have short hair (you ought to try it out if you really want to know what I am talking about ladies)
10. Lastly, the process of getting it done was overwhelming yet rewarding and I love the way it turned out.

It has been close to 9 months since I got my head shaved and I have had some mixed responses but it doesn’t seem to bother me because I truly feel beautiful and empowered within!

Hair certainly doesn’t define me!

Well, have you ever wanted to shave your head? Or how was your experience of shaving your head?

Would love to hear your story and if you are thinking of having a shaved head, go ahead!

Me through the months

The Canvas

It was shoved into my hands

As I stood there unplanned

The boundaries were laid

The colors and tools were displayed

For years I adorned with a certain quandary

Not an inch outside the boundary

Not a color from within

I stood lost in the usual din

Nature breathed a new life

The colors were now magnanimous

The canvas stood without a moment’s strife

Wanting to be anonymous

Then the thunder roared

The rain poured

The colors gave away

To make a clear Today

The Canvas stood still

With no colorful spill

The boundaries had vanished

With no societal brandish

The Canvas was eternally Now

A Masterpiece!

The Masterpiece! PC: Pexels

The Annapurna Circuit- Abode of Solitude

ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT – The Journey

Before I get on to my experience let’s get into, What is the Annapurna Circuit?

Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

“The Circuit is a trek of about 160-230 km within the mountain ranges of central Nepal.  This trek crosses two different river valleys and encircles the Annapurna Massif. The path reaches its highest point at Thorung La pass (5416m/17769 ft), touching the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Practically all trekkers hike the route anticlockwise, as this way the daily altitude gain is slower, and crossing the high Thorong La pass is easier and safer.

The mountain scenery, seen at close quarters includes the Annapurna Massif (Annapurna I-IV), Dhaulagiri, Macchapuchhre, Manaslu, Gangapurna, Tilicho Peak, Pisang Peak and Paungda Danda. Numerous other peaks of 6000-8000m in elevation rise from the Annapurna range”

 “You are not in the mountains. The mountains are in you.”  – John Muir

So true, the experience was truly within but of course laid with vivid spectacular sceneries on the go!

My heart raced as I ran up the long flight of stairs at a neighbourhood temple. It was a week since I had started to run along the stairs to get a cardio workout in place along with practising Hatha Yoga for the past 4 months. Another three weeks were left for my friend and I to meet the mighty Himalayas! This time we were gearing up for the beautiful Annapurna Circuit Trail.

I had butterflies in my tummy for over a week as my mind raced through the thought ‘Will I be able to reach up to 18000 feet?’ Well, I would soon figure out.

Bangalore-Delhi-Gorakhpur-Sunauli-IndoNepalBorder-Pokhara – All in 36 hours!

Bangalore to Pokhara was quite an adventurous ride. Bangalore to Delhi by flight and then we had to book a night bus to Gorakhpur as the train we had booked was in fact non-existent since a month even though we had received our confirmation for the seats! Well, the Indian Railways sure gives one an experience to remember always!

Before Boarding at Bangalore Airport

The bus journey was eventful; firstly it arrived late, secondly the two of us were cramped on the upper berth of the bus; thirdly the bus driver kept on honking throughout the night as if he had to play a song. I woke up uneasily to some noise and then the driver called out, ‘Gorakhpur!’

Somewhere near Agra on the way to Gorakhpur

My friend and I hurriedly got out of the bus and collected our luggage. We luckily, found a share-auto which took us to the bus-stand. There we sat in the bus to Sunauli.

We quickly managed to freshen ourselves in a nearby lodge and later sat in the bus. The bus ride was pleasant as the bus veered by the farm lands and headed towards the mountains. After about five hours we reached the India-Nepal border.

Cycle-Rickshaw across the Indo-Nepal border

We got down from the bus and crossed the border in a cycle-rickshaw. This was quite a lovely slow ride.

 

We ate a quick Nepali staple lunch and jumped on a bus to Pokhara. The bus was rickety and we were caught in a jam up the mountain roads for about an hour.

Jam on the mountain roads enroute Pokhara

After about nine hours in the bus we reached Pokhara.

As we reached our stay at the ‘Mountain View’ – a warm couple invited us and showed us to our rooms. We went out to eat at the opposite small shack. The owner cum cook got us hot rotis and palak paneer. It was something to die for. We smacked our lips and licked our fingers until the entire curry was nowhere to be seen.

Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal and it is the gateway to Annapurna Circuit and one can see the Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna ranges from the city.

We woke up to a beautiful day and went out in search of the ACAP office. Once we finished our registration and got our trekker card, we headed up for the Phewa lake.

Phewa Lake

As we soothed our tired legs and soul, the sky invited us to be a spectator while it painted colorful parachutes along the clouds.

Colorful Parachutes adorn the sky

We later did some shopping and booked the bus to Bhulbhule for the morrow.

Day 1: Pokhara-Besisahar-Bhulbhule-Ngadi (3000 feet)

A six hour drive from Pokhara to Bhulbhule was amazing and beautiful. Bhulbule is a small town along the Marshyangdi river.

The drive took us from narrow roads to dusty mountain roads to long roads through the tropical forests. Well one could catch a glimpse of the snow clad mountains throughout the way.

At Bhulbhule, the start of our trek

We started our trek along the road from Bhulbhule and reached Ngadi, a quaint quiet place in the midst of the valley by the Marshyangdi River. We got talking to these children at whose home-stay we stayed for the night. A brilliant 8-year old kept us engaged and entertained us throughout the evening. He took us to the river as well and played with us. They were quite an endearing family and we had a simple sumptuous food for the night.

 

Day 2: Ngadi-Bahudanda-Ghermu-Jagat-Chamche (4500 feet)

We got up quite early at around 5 am and headed to the trail. It was a gorgeous start to the day with trekking up the beautiful lush mountains followed by Chai and breakfast at Bahudanda. The view of the mountains and the river was mesmerizing.🗻

Breakfast at Bahudanda Annapurna Circuit Trail

The trail to Ghermu was downhill and we had a nice hike. But the trek to the next village Jagat was quite an ordeal with the sun beating down us. The trail was really difficult. My legs were giving away and my mind was too occupied and stressed out with the sun beating down. We kind of pushed ourselves to Jagat and were in for a sumptuous Dal bhat. None of us spoke for the next 20 mins as we enjoyed our meal in silence and rested our aching body on the wooden chairs. As our minds contemplated on taking a ride, we beat it and trudged our aching selves ahead to the next place Chamche where we decided to stay for the night as we were thoroughly exhausted. Chamche happened to be right opposite a beautiful falls and it started to rain as we freshened ourselves and sat down to drink some tea. After a quick dinner we crashed.

Waterfalls at Chamche, Annapurna Circuit Trail

This day was truly terrifying and it was on our minds whether we would make it along the rest of the trail. Well we had to see for ourselves in the days to come!

Day 3: Chamche-Tal-Dharapani-Danaque (7200 feet)

An early start to Day 3 had us walking across a lot of bridges and mountain paths carved along the walls of the mountain.

On the way from Chamche to Tal, Annapurna Circuit Trail

The Triangle Mountain, Annapurna Circuit Trail

Post which we reached Manang district and entered Tal, a lovely hamlet by the river. This place is very scenic; the lush green valleys, the shimmering Marshyangdi river and of course the stalwarts-Mountains held a very gripping hold of the scenery.

Tal, Annapurna Circuit Trail

The path led us up and down the mountain ranges and we were greeted by a lot of lovely falls. We had our lunch at Dharapani, a small village and headed to Danaque for the night.  At 7000 odd feet, the weather was cold and it rained from late evening to late into the night.  Highlight of this day was this beauty of a place, Tal and the vivid sceneries on the trail. We also happened to see a Tomato Tree!

Tomato tree at one of the homestays in Tal, Annapurna Circuit Trail

 

Day 4: Danaque-Timang-Manaslu-Kyoto-Chame (8891 feet)

We woke up to a chilly morning and geared up for the trek. As travellers, we took to the road early.
After a nervy crossing along the stream across the road, we were faced by a steep ascent into the cold woods.

Across the stream on the road from Chame, Annapurna Circuit Trail

After an arduous climb in the narrow slushy mountain paths, we came to a small village called Timang from where the Manaslu peaks came into view. I was in for a treat and I donned the cap of a shutterbug. A breakfast by the view set us on the trail with some zestful energy.

Manaslu Ranges and Peak, Timang, Annapurna Circuit Trail

The trail led us on through dusty roads, narrow paths along small villages and after quite a descent we came to a place called Kyoto. One can view the gorgeous Annapurna II from here.
I could just get a partial view of the peak on my camera and I was hoping to come across her soon.

Annapurna II, Kyoto, Annapurna Cirucit Trail

And we reached Chame for the night. It started raining there on but we had a nice warm sleep.

Day 5: Chame-Barathang-Dukha Pokhari-Lower Pisang (10662 feet)

The clouds cleared up to a bright sunny day. We had a lovely hike up the mountain paths. Our next pit-stop was Barathang, a small place with lots of apple orchards and a beautiful tea house. Excitement took us over and we enjoyed our delicious breakfast by the mountains, orchards and it was a clear day.

 

Later we trudged on and reached Dukha pokhari where we relished a couple of cookies given by a monk the previous day at the monastery at Kyoto.

The next stop lower Pisang awaited us. A long hike in the dusty mountain roads and beautiful vistas led us to Lower Pisang.

 

On the way to Manang, Annapurna Circuit Trail

After we relaxed and had lunch, we hiked up to Upper Pisang, a dwelling a little above which offered views of the lovely Annapurna II and a monastery welcomed us. We retired for the night at Lower Pisang.

 

Annapurna Range from Lower Pisang, Annapurna Circuit Trail

Day 6: Lower Pisang-Humde-Manang (11614 feet)

A gorgeous day as we saw the gorgeous Annapurnas IV, II and III and also the shining Gangapurna glacier and Tilicho peak. Prior to getting to the peaks we started our day from Lower Pisang. Morning was pretty cold and cloudy. We braved the winds as we hiked up the dusty trails and after a short ascent we walked through pine tree forests and the vistas opened up to brown rocky mountains.

 

Humde was our next pit-stop and it has its own small airport, fancy one eh.

We hit upon the road, Annapurna and Tilicho peaks were right along the way…😍

 

Enroute Manang, Annapurna Circuit Trail

About a couple of hours later we reached Brakha where we relished cinnamon roll at the oldest bakery.

We took to the road along the glorious mountains and reached Manang, 11000 odd feet. It was pretty cold and windy but sunny. 😐

Manang is a pit-stop for many trekkers to acclimatize for a day or two before heading to Thorung La Pass or Tilicho Peak. One can also visit a couple of gompas which are close by and also the Gangapurna Glacier.

We attended the High Altitude training on AMS organized by ACAP. There were a lot of trekkers from around the world.

Day 7: Manang

Today being our rest day we woke up late. We decided to visit Prakhen gompa at about 12500 odd feet and get acclimatized.

The hike was along narrow mountain paths and was a bit slippery owing to loose gravel.

But it was a good hike and we reached a beautiful view point from where we got a panoramic view of Annapurna IV, II and III.

 

The view also gave us the complete mountain-scape of Gangapurna glacier and Tilicho peak.

Gangapurna Lake, Manang, Annapurna Circuit Trail-2

Given a chance, I could just spend the day looking at these gorgeous mountains albeit the weather. Further on we hiked and reached the Gompa.

Praken Gompa, Manang, Annapurna Circuit Trail

An old lady monk aka Lama was in the small cave, she blessed us and gifted us a lucky charm for the road ahead, well precisely the Thorung – La; the Pass ahead. It was quite heart touching and she also offered us hot tea which was a breather. After capturing the vistas we headed down to Manang.

Manang Annapurna Circuit Trail

Day 8: Manang-Bhraga-Yak Kharka (13287 feet)

Our next pit-stop was to Yak Kharka, a village high up in the mountains. We started from Manang up the dusty trails and then it led us to beautiful rocky mountains with a colorful red flora. 😍

 

After about 3-4 hours, we did reach Yak Kharka. The temperature was pretty cold below 10 deg Celsius for sure… We binged on garlic soup and the ever famous Dal bhat

A pretty short day but we gained in on the altitude.

 

Day 9: Yak Kharka-Ledar-Thorung Pedi (15000 feet)

Well Thorung Pedi, our base camp for the Thorung La pass was our target for the day.

We were pretty excited that we would shortly be attempting the pass the very next day.
The hike was good but tiring as the altitude was gaining in on closer to 14400 feet.

 

Well there were some steep climbs on the way. There was a landslide area too and we carefully tread upon and made sure that we move not a pebble.

 

The stay at the base camp was fabulous; great music, spectacular ambience, food, desserts. We took into a lot of eating and celebrated as we had made it to the base camp. After some rest we looked into the road ahead and it was going to be a pretty steep climb the next day .Well we went to bed early as the next day would be a long and an epic one for sure.

 Day 10 The D-day! Thorung Pedi-High Camp-Thorung La(17769 feet) – Muktinath(12467 feet)

Well, the D-day. We woke up at 2:30 am for a quick start to a long hiking day. We started up the next stop High Camp.
It was a hard steep climb and the temperature was below zero deg😒 All I could see was the beautiful star-studded sky way above me and the trail lit by my head torch. The mountains looked like shadows towering on either side of us.

We braved ahead and made it to the High camp and took a break, grabbed a few dry fruits and we were on the trail again.

We slowly climbed the next steep trail and as I looked about, the snow clad mountains showed themselves in the twilight and they looked like steady stalwarts with a white cap 😍

 

Our next leg of the hike was very very arduous, we found it very difficult to keep ourselves at a momentum because of the altitude, we were roughly gaining 4000 odd feet in a span of 3 hours.

But something in us made us go on and on.

 

Though our energy sapped, we held on and took one step at a time. Finally, I could see the prayer flags in the distance and my heart jumped with joy. My spirits rose and tread on for the last mile to the Pass.

And there I was standing amongst a group of people rejoicing the feat along with my friend. 😊

Thorung La, Annapurna Circuit Trail

I could feel a sense of pride in me for making it through and I love myself for that, for I was a bit skeptical all the way through but here I was at the Pass, standing strong and blissfully happy 🙌

We roughly trekked about 115 kms in 10 days! That’s quite a feat we achieved!

Well we made it down to Ranipauwa village, close to Muktinath later that morning and had a pretty comfortable sleep in the famous Bob Marley hotel.

 

Muktinath is a sacred place for the Hindus as well as the Buddhists. The place was utterly beautiful adorned with yellow flowering trees and the gushing of the Gandaki river in the form of 108 springs which has a significance in the Hindu philosophy.

 

The next morning, from Muktinath we headed to Jomson by Jeep which we luckily caught and also met some amazing fellow travelers. The ride was beautiful with the brown mountains gazing at you and the Kali Gandaki river flowing across in shimmering blue. Dhaulagiri and other mountain ranges can be seen from Muktinath.

Later that night, we reached Pokhara and had our usual Rotis and Palak Paneer as the rain gave us company.

We did have a small celebration and we marked it as a successful trek across the Beautiful Annapurnas.

Onward we went to Kathmandu and then to Varanasi- A fabulous experience explained in this blog. Click here – Varanasi

Highlights / Tips for the Annapurna Circuit Trail

1. Prepare yourself physically 4-6 months in advance
2. Pack only what is necessary and please carry a book along to read as you would have ample time to do that
3. Though I haven’t done the Annapurna Base camp trek, I have heard from fellow trekkers from around the world say that the Annapurna Circuit is beautiful and much worthier a trek than the Annapurna Base camp trek
4. Please get the trekker permit and register yourself with the itinerary at the ACAP office in Pokhara
5. Don’t bother about accommodation if you are traveling in October season as once you reach the village, ample number of homestays are available, you only need to pay for the food you eat, accommodation is free!
6. Best part of this trek is that it is a Tea-house trail as the trail is marked with tea houses or home-stays all along the trail.
7. Vivid changing sceneries guarantee you a solid memorable adventurous trek
8. The journey within is all that matters on this beautiful a trail.

 

There was a time which was overwhelming

There was a time which was blissful

There was a time when everything was silent

That was the time when time stood still!

 

Spiritual Sojourn Kedaranth-Tungnath-Badrinath

And of course some places are meant to be visited or rather they happen to you at the right time! This trip was just that!

As I caught a glimpse of the Kedarnath temple far ahead, the path didn’t seem tedious any more. Right at that moment, the clouds gave away and showered flakes of snow right when we were about 2 kms away from the temple. The air seemed heavier and cooler. We had trekked up about 6000 odd feet in the last 9 hours. Just as we made ourselves comfortable in the GMVN at Kedarnath, it rained and snowed throughout the night.

Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath, the name resounded in my ears when my friend and I had finally zeroed in on this to set out for a trek in October. Once we took care of the flight bookings, we finalized our stay at Uttrakhand in GMVN office here in Bangalore. Thanks to the officer who helped us out with our itinerary and provided us some information on places to visit in Uttarakhand.

Our main to-do places were Kedarnath-Tungnath-Badrinath!

Day 1: BLR-Dehradun-Rishikesh

Well the D-day arrived and we flew to Dehradun from Bangalore. And then drove to Rishikesh in a taxi arranged by the Skyard home-stay folks. Skyard is on the likes of Zostel and we did have a comfortable stay out there, thanks to the courteous folks. You must try it out when you are in Rishikesh.

Rishikesh is a place of pilgrimage at the foothills of Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is rightfully known as the ‘Gateway to Garhwal Himalayas’ and also ‘Yoga Capital of the World!’ Ganga flows through Rishikesh right from Shivalik hills in the Himalayas. Rishikesh is home to the famous Ram Jhula, Laxman Jhula and whole lot of Yoga Ashrams and centers.

Bustling crowd on the Laxman Jhula, Rishikesh

After a quick lunch, almost in the late noon in the German bakery close by to the Laxman Jhula, we headed to Parmarth Niketan, the largest Ashram in Rishikesh for the Ganga Aarti. Hearing to chants by the Ganga and taking part in the Aarti was truly blissful and energizing. I soaked myself to the chants. My tummy too soaked the fresh fruit juices from a nearby cafe as I stared at the Ganga going on her way blissfully unaware of the tumultuous crowd.

Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, Ganga Aarti

Day 2: Rishikesh-Rudraprayag-Sonprayag-Gaurikund

As we wanted to try out the local transport throughout our travel, we left early and caught a private tourist bus to Rudraprayag. One can also take the State transport bus.

On the ride to Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand

So of course our drive to Rudraprayag took about 4 hours, we had our packed lunch of Paranthas on the ride and then we caught a bus to Sonprayag from Rudraparayag, it was a rickety dusty ride along the mountains. A drunk uncle on the bus was quite amazed that only two of us girls were travelling and he as a good Samaritan advised on being careful and alert! Well it was quite amusing to listen to him. After a couple of hours we reached Sonprayag. Here we had to take the next means of transportation which was a jeep. After a quick hot chai, we left to Gaurikund which took about 20 mins to reach.

Must say, the GMVN facility and rooms is a boon to the weary travelers. Very well-maintained and the caretakers are very courteous and helpful. After a sumptuous dinner of Roti, Dal, we took to the bed early as we had to trek all the way to Kedarnath the following day.

Day 3: Gaurikund-Kedarnath

The trek to Kedarnath is about 16-17 kms long and of course steep as the trail starts from 6000 feet and goes upto 11740 feet.

At the start of the trek-Kedarnath

We started at 6 in the morning. The trail was paved with cobbled stones and it was beautifully maintained but was decorated with horse dung along the way thanks to the mules, ponies and horses. The trail was beautiful and it wasn’t much crowded. We had a quick Maggi break and then trekked the trail which was getting steeper gradually. At about 11am, we were almost half way through and had some Paranthas to energize ourselves. Later, we took to the trail which was a bit narrow now considering the construction along the path.

 

As we hobbled on, the last stretch was truly tedious as before us was a serpentine trail. This certainly took our breath away which had us taking short breaks in between. Finally, we managed to reach the final flat path before the temple. The horsemen were really amazed at our strength and madness for trekking all the way up with heavy backpacks!( Well not that much really! ;))

It was about 3pm when we reached Kedarnath. And yes we were welcomed by the rain and snow which continued well into the night.

Day 4: Kedarnath-GandhiSarovar-Bhairavnath-Kedarnath

Kedarnath is about 225 kms from Rishikesh and is one of the Chota Char Dham (Kedarnath-Badrinath-Yamunotri-Gangotri). It has been a famous and prominent pilgrimage center since the ancient times. Owing to the flash floods in 2013, the entire place, settlements  were washed away except for the temple which was protected by a huge stone standing behind the temple(it is still present behind the temple). The place is still on the restoration mode and there are thousands of volunteers and villagers building and shaping the place 24*7 in the non-winter months. It is a sight to see all these spirited people building the place inch by inch.

In the morning, we were all set to visit the temple and as we got out of the room, the mountains were snow dressed and they looked utterly fabulous!

Kedarnath – Sunrise

A pandit met us inside and took us through some rituals inside the temple. And we were back outside within half an hour.

The Kedar Dome and Kedar peaks provide a scintillating backdrop to the Kedarnath temple. The chants from the temple and the surrounding mountains would enchant any soul!

After a quick breakfast at GMVN, we headed towards the Chorabari glacier. It is about 13000 feet and as we trudged along the narrow trail cut across the mountain and we reached a small waterfall. There was no proper path from here on and the trail seemed very slippery owing to loose gravel and stones. So we stuck to the waterfall as the end point and enjoyed the views.

Waterfalls enroute Chorabari Tal, Kedarnath

 

We later got back to GMVN and after a siesta, we climbed toward Bhairavnath, who is said to be the protector of the place. It is a 10 mins walk up the path and the view from the small sacred place is scintillating as Kedarnath and the mountains put up a majestic show. There were three other Uncles who were performing and chanting to Bhairavnath. We joined in the chanting and the place is electrifying in a way. They say, you need to first visit Bhairavnath before heading to Kedarnath.

Bhairavnath , Kedarnath

We quickly went to the temple for the Evening Aarti. Before the Aarti started we were allowed to go inside and catch a glimpse of Kedarnath. The Shiv Ling was beautifully decorated with purple flowers and other decorative items. The joy of seeing it had me in tears and I went about another couple of times sequentially making a round three times just to see the Shiv Ling!

Then the Aarti took place and we were allowed to visit the temple one last time before the it closed for the day.

I am not sure if it was just me but the place was reverberating with energy and it was very subtle yet knocking on the soul! Or probably I was on a high, in the mountains.

 

Day 5: Kedarnath- Sersi – Triyuginarayan-Sonprayag-Guptkashi

We wanted to fly back to Gaurikund and we were excited on taking the helicopter services. That very morning we booked a helicopter to Sersi. We planned to visit Triyuginarayan temple and then head to Guptkashi for the night via Sonprayag.

It was surely a day of miracles; firstly we were the only two people along with the pilot in the helicopter. We had a brilliant and spectacular ride for about 10 mins until we reached Sersi.

 

Just as were figuring out how to get to Triyuginarayan, we came across the same driver who had dropped us to Gaurikund and he was the one who had mentioned about Triyuginarayan temple and that we must visit it. Lo and behold, he was right in front of us just as we were about to call him- second miracle. So after breakfast, we visited this old, beautiful temple which happens to be the place where Lord Shiva and Parvati got married. The temple was supposedly constructed by Adi Shankaracharya and is situated at 6500 feet.

 

We then headed to Gaurikund to collect our bags from GMVN and waited for the driver to fill the rest of the seats. We had a quick lunch by the road side dhaba which was exceptionally delicious. Finally as we reached Sonprayag, we were lucky enough to get onto a jeep to Guptkashi as we were told there were no vehicles running that day owing to some issue!

But we finally made it to Guptkashi by about 2pm. We freshened ourselves up and had a hearty lunch at the GMVN. In the evening, we made a visit to the Guptkashi temple. It is another ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva (Vishwanath) similar to the one in Kashi. It also has a small temple dedicated to Ardhanareshvara (a half-man half-woman form of Shiva and Parvati). The temple is old and very blissful.

In the small pond called the Manikarnika Kund as seen in the picture below,  Shiva Ling  is bathed by two springs; Ganga and Yamuna. The Yamuna spring water emanates from a goumukh (spout in the shape of a cow’s mouth) and the Bhagirathi spring flows through trunk of an elephant strategically placed above the linga.

GuptKashi, Uttarakhand

Later we retired for the night, only to get up to a beautiful view of the mountains. One can get a view of the marvelous Neelkanth, Chaukamba and Kedarnath peaks!

Day 6: Guptkashi-Mastura-Sari-DeoriaTal-Chopta

We caught an early bus to go to Sari village. The bus conductor suggested that we can walk to Sari through Mastura village. We eagerly said yes and got out of the bus.

What we thought would be a walk for 10 mins, turned out to be a walk of about 40 mins. But it was a beautiful trail traversing across the mountains, corn fields and the village of Sari. Sari is a small village near Chopta on the way to Deoria Tal at about 6500 odd feet.  The village was undoubtedly beautiful as the sun sprayed its rays on to the lush green fields, it turned out to be utterly marvelous. After a tiresome trek, we reached the starting point of the Deoria Tal trek where we had a quick breakfast.

Sari Village, Uttarakhand

Later we started our hike up to Deoria Tal (the lake of the Gods) which is at a height of about 7800 odd feet; it is a popular place as the reflection of majestic Himalayan peaks falls on to the lake and the scene is mesmerizing! The trail is adorned with rhododendron flowers in the months of February-March.

It was very hot and we hobbled along the trail waiting to reach Deoria Tal. On the way, we had rhododendron juice at a small shack which was run by a villager. After about 45 mins, we reached the lush meadows facing the splendid array of mountain ranges. And we could catch a glimpse of the reflection of the mountains in the lake. It was very pristine and a trail of lavender flowers adorned the lake.

 

After capturing  a few shots, we started our way back to Sari. Close by to the Village, we came across a small Shiva temple. We thought we would visit and go along the way.

As I struck a conversation with the Pandit who happened to be an ex-army officer, my friend and I had the most delightful conversation with him on the lines of life, spirituality and of course Tungnath for the next one hour!

Thanking him for a cup of tea we bid goodbye to him and as we reached Sari, we hailed a cab which took us to Chopta.

Chopta is again a place laden with beautiful lush green meadows, evergreen forests and is  part of the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. Situated at about 8790 feet, it is surrounded by pine, deodar and rhododendron forests and is also a haven for many birds. It is the base for the trek to Tungnath and we were staying at a home-stay right in front of the gateway to Tungnath.

 

Day 7: Chopta-Tungnath-Chopta

We started trekking at 3 AM in the morning to Tungnath. I was stunned to see shooting stars across the star studded sky! And I was too excited as it was my first time watching shooting stars!

Tungnath hosts the second highest Shiva temple in the world at a height of about 12000 odd feet after Muktinath in Nepal. And it is one of the Panch Kedar temples in Uttarakhand.

A dog accompanied us on 1/4^th of the trail. All we could see was the trail and the starry sky and nothing else. We reached Tungnath by about 5:15 AM and we started our way up to Chandrashila Peak, which was at a height of about 13000 feet and one can catch a 360 deg view of the mountains and majestic peaks.

 

We were just in time for the sunrise and what a view! I was utterly blown over by the view and the marvel of the mountains!

 

As we got a Darshan at the Tungnath, we headed our way back to Chopta. The view which we were unable to see in the wee ours of the morning, we certainly did now. The sprawling meadows and the lovely valleys painted our trail.

 

We had lunch at Chopta and spent the day playing and just staring up at the sky. We were surely on a high!

Day 8: Chopta- Chamoli-Joshimath-Badrinath

We caught a bus to Chamoli from Chopta and from there hopped on a shared taxi to Joshimath and then again took a shared jeep to Badrinath. The entire day we traveled along the mountain roads. The view was spectacular. But the ride was too tiring!

We reached Badrinath at about 3:30 PM and we quickly hired a taxi to go to Mana Village. It is the last village before China. We visited Ganesh Gufa, Vyas Gufa(where Sage Vyasa recited the Mahabharatha to Ganesha), Bheem Phul, we watched the Vasudhara Falls from a distance and headed back to Badrinath for the darshan.

 

Badrinath is a holy town located at about 11000 feet and is one of the Chota Char Dham. The reigning deity is Lord Vishnu in the form of Nara-Narayana.

Badrinath,uttarakhand

The temple was way too crowded and we were happy to catch a glimpse of the deity and head back.

Day 9: Badrinath – Rishikesh

This was one hell of a journey by bus for about 12 hours. The journey was through the mountains and valleys and it was truly adventurous! The ride keeps you swaying along the valleys!

 

As we reached Rishikesh, we hit the sack after dinner!

Day 10: Rishikesh

With all the time on our hands, we got up late and had breakfast at German bakery.

We walked to the Beatles Ashram or Chaurasi Kutia and saw the dilapidated Meditation structures which were built for the students of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who brought about the Transcendental Meditation technique. It is popularly called as the  Beatles ashram as the famous band came to learn Meditation out here from the Mahesh yogi. The site was abandoned in 1990s and given back to the Forestry department. It was only post 2015 that it was opened for the public as a tourist spot.

Beatles Bungalow, Rishikesh

 

We later hired a two-wheeler to go to Vashishta Gufa which is about 25 kms from Rishikesh on the Rishikesh-Badrinath road!

Vasishtha Gufa is where one of the Saptarishis, Sage Vashishtha meditated and there is also a small cave facing the Ganga where his wife Arundhati also meditated.

It was quite a scary ride along the mountainous roads and with heavy trucks passing by. But we reached safely to bask at the shores of the Ganga. I was intrigued by the color of the rocks and stones out here as they were lavender or lilac. As I sat near the Arundhati Gufa and meditated, the meditation was truly overwhelming and so was it at Vashishta Gufa. I guess they are still pristine and the sanctity is very protected.

 

We got back to the scary adventurous ride and reached Rishikesh. Later we rode to the Triveni Ghat to enjoy the Aarti by the Ganga.

The last night in Rishikesh and the last night of our trip was lovely and we had had a quite an adventurous trip.

Day 11: Rishikesh-Dehradun-BLR

Today happened to be our Rafting Day and we were waiting for it since ages!

The experience was surprising, adventurous and exhausting. But it was quite a rush of Adrenalin as we approached a series of rapids along the Ganga.

Must say, it was the icing on the cake.

Our Rafting Group at the Maggi Point, Rishikesh

After a delicious Burger down our throats we took to packing and getting back to Bangalore.

Some guidelines/tips if you are planning to visit the above places:

• Month of our Visit: October ( It was not that crowded at Kedarnath and Tungnath as opposed to the month of May-the season for Kedarnath trek)
• Weather: Pretty Cold in Kedarnath, Badrinath and Tungnath
• Accommodation: Mostly at GMVN across places in Uttarakhand
• Means of transport: Flight to Dehradun to and fro Bangalore, Public transport across the state to various places – there is connectivity to all places, please leave early in the morning to make use of the public transport buses, shared taxis, jeeps.
• Tips: Enquire about the taxis or buses from the hotel / stay / taxi stands a day prior to your departure at each of the places. This would help you plan on the travel for the next day smoothly.

 

Inner Engineering! What’s that all about?

My mind couldn’t fathom the immense profundity at the end of the Initiation day. All it said again and again- ‘I should have tapped on Inner Engineering much before I did Engineering!’ Phew! Probably I had to tread the hard way before I could cherish the Inner Way!

Well let me give you a glimpse of how my life has changed post Inner Engineering. Before that I want to be very clear, I am not writing this post to propagate a line of Yoga / any Foundation / Guru! I am simply sharing my experience as a person who has tapped into the beauty of Life and much more. I am sharing this so that it can reach any person (atleast one) who wants to know more about life, cherish it in the best possible way and who is willing to take on this journey of exploring oneself ‘The Inner Way!’

It is almost two years since I completed the Inner Engineering program offered by Isha Foundation. It is a 7-Day Program(3 hours every day with one day being the Initiation day which runs for 12 hours) where one is taken through learning a Kriya- Shambhavi Mahamudra.

What the Program Offers:

• Enlightening interactive sessions
• Guided Meditations
• Asanas, simple yoga postures
• Shambhavi MahaMudra, a powerful, 21-minute energy technique that brings your entire system into alignment so that your body, mind, emotions and energies function in harmony

Post the Inner Engineering program which I completed in Jan 2017, I took to regularly doing the Kriya everyday which runs for 21 mins. There have been significant changes in my Physical, Mental and Emotional well-being!

To describe a few,

1. I feel an amazing sense of enthusiasm in carrying about my work day in and day out.
2. It has been a overwhelming experience of Exploring myself inwardly and trust me I wait for each day so that I can learn more about myself and be a better being!
3. I can multi-task several activities in varied fields at ease, be it writing, photography, social media management of my clients and learning anything new in a day. And I am not that tired or exhausted. Believe me- I am surprised! Because I used to get bogged down with maybe 1/2 tasks a day!
4. My take on Life or perception of Life has changed and more so confirmed that there is something more than the mundane which we fail to grasp; there is something more than studies, work, marriage, children, family, materialistic aspirations, keeping up with the societal norms!
5. As I hike in the Himalayas every year, I now see a tremendous change in my stamina and energy levels. With falling sick on a mountain and being exhausted all the time to now being a person who is truly happy and overwhelmed that my stamina holds me up throughout the trek in high altitudes. Fingers crossed, I haven’t fallen sick in the last three Himalayan treks since I have been regularly keeping up with my practices (Yoga).
6. Though I haven’t tapped into the secrets of life and have an answer for each of my problems, I surely have some sense of clarity in things that I am doing and certain clarity in the confusion! (That’s something quite right! 😉 )
7. I have had opportunities where I stepped in as a Volunteer at the Foundation and otherwise where it has certainly helped me grow as a better human-being. I am very grateful for that.
8. I have always pondered on religion, culture and wondered where I belong because I didn’t have a clear cut answer to ‘Do I believe in God?’ I was all muddled up but now I do have some clarity that ‘I don’t know!’ So, I choose to be a Seeker – neither a ‘believer of God’ nor a ‘non-believer of God,’ treading on a way of exploring myself than God!
9. The best part of my Journey so far in these two years have been my networking with people from various walks of life! It is an amazing way to learn things and you never know when you are meeting a person who is going to be a part of your life or a person who is going to be your mentor! It is always a joy to interact with people who are on this journey but also otherwise. Needless to say, I have had some amazing conversations and connect with people on my travel.

More on my experience of being a part-time Yogi is out here. Joy of being a part-time Yogi! Check it out!

Well, if you want to register into Inner Engineering and want to know more about it, here is the link: Inner Engineering

To register for Inner Engineering Online, here is the link: IE Online

Please do register, if you think and know ‘The Way Out is In!’ And I am sure you would have realized this by now!

MEGHALAYA – ABODE OF CLOUDS

MEGHALAYA – ABODE OF CLOUDS

It was dark and a chill air ran through my spine…. The walls of the caves were damp. It was eerie! I have a phobia of caves and more so this intriguing cave was getting on my nerves with each step. We were 5 of us venturing into the darkness with a head torch, phone flashlight and our indomitable spirit. After a while of carefully meandering through the caves, stalagmites…. we decided to head back as it was totally spooky and we didn’t know where our next step would land us in.

Two days prior we had reached Shillong via Tezpur from Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. It was quite a ride and we headed to our hotel to get some rest and figure out on our trip around Meghalaya. Luckily, after a few phone calls and chance meets we had found our man-friday who would take us on a tour of Meghalaya for a week.

So it began….

Day 1: Shillong- Mawlynnong- Shengpendong

It was a bright sunny day when we started on our tour of Meghalaya. We first went to the Elephant falls just on the outskirts of Shillong city. The Falls can be seen from various points as it is multi-tiered and one can traverse to the Falls along a short trail of steps.

Our next point was to the Single root bridge which are over 100ft long and are roots from Rubber Fig trees and can withstand 50 people on the bridge!

We then headed to the cleanest village in Asia-Mawlynnong. It is situated on the border of India and Bangladesh. One can see the border atop a stilt tree-top. It is a lovely village and one can walk along the clean alleys and engage with the warm villagers. Many tourists and travelers stay at well furnished home stays of the villagers. After spending some time on tree tops and a simple sumptuous meal, we left for Dawki.

 

Dawki is a town in West Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya. It is at the border of India-Bangladesh. A crystal clear river, Umngot flows through the border. The main highlight of this place is the boating along the river which is beautiful to look at as one can see through the water and the bottom of the river!

An hour’s boat ride along the clear waters was quite an experience.

We later headed to Shengpdeng village alongside the river. We managed to hire a tent for the night and spent our time playing random games way into the night!

In the morning, we crossed a bridge and reached the other shore and spent considerable time listening to music and the waves.

One can also enjoy  various water activities like scuba-diving, kayaking etc. at this place.

Day 2: Shengpdeng – Krang Suri- Cherrapunji

We bid goodbye to Shengpdeng and went to a small village, I forget the name. At the end of this village was a forest. As we walked about 500m into the forest, we were standing face to face with an old cave. We carefully walked into the dark caves with the support of a torch light and the flashlights from our phones. The villager who accompanied us mentioned that the cave runs for 20km. Without a constant source of light along the cave, we headed back thinking it would be too risky and stupid to go along the narrow, unlit paths of the cave.

Must say it was an intriguing experience added with my fear of caves and we headed straight to our next point- the gorgeous Krang-Suri Falls. As we drove through winding mountain roads, many a limestone quarries added to the landscape on the way.

The Falls is a treat to one’s mind, body and soul! The sparkling aquamarine waters beckons one to swim, get drenched and enjoy the beauty of the place. A life-jacket is compulsory which one can hire at the Falls and anyone can swim, spend as much time in the cool shimmering waters and bask in the rainbow in all its entirety!

After playing and swimming in the water, we added some fuel to our tummies and off we went to our stay for the night, Cherrapunji!

Day 3: Cherrapunji-Mawsmai Caves-Nohkalikai Falls

Cherrapunji, locally known as Sohra is a town in the southern part of Khasi Hills in Meghalaya. Known for being the wettest planet on Earth after Mawsynram, it is a beautiful place with numerous living root bridges, falls, caves and of course forests.

Our first stop for the day was at Mawsmai Caves. These are beautiful caves, maintained by the Govt. The caves are well-lit and one can explore the caves without a guide. There are a few narrow paths where one has to squeeze themselves to move ahead. But it is quite an adventurous one and less scarier than the caves we had visited on the previous day.

Later on we went to our next pit-stop Nohkalikai Falls. As it wasn’t the season of rains, there wasn’t much water. Thanks to that that we could explore the path of the Falls.

Nohkalikai Falls is the tallest waterfall (1115 feet) in India! It is fed by the rainwater which gets collected in a plateau. We were excited to visit this plateau.

A small trek down through a forest takes one to this mesmerizing plateau. One can see spellbinding rock formations across the plateau. I was in awe of this place. We went to the small falls ahead which was truly vibrant and something which I hadn’t seen at all.

At the plateau, Nohkalikai

A walk on the opposite side of the Falls leads one on the path of the Nohkalikai Falls. As there wasn’t enough water, we traversed along the splendid huge boulders like monkeys. The path was utterly adventurous and a bit scary as we had to squeeze ourselves into natural rock tunnels. After quite some time we went to the edge of the Falls. The view is spectacular and this was something of a first I had done- getting to the mouth of the Falls.

We went back up the forest only to find one of our friends waiting for us. She had had a bad fall and had maybe broken her leg. We had a couple of villagers called for who helped carry her along the trail. Post that we drove back to Shillong to get her leg checked at the hospital.

Doctor says, ” I need to put a cast as there is a fracture but you can start walking in 10min and probably visit places from tomorrow onwards!”

This was too much of news but we had suspected a fracture beforehand.

After the necessary procedure we headed back to Cherrapunji where we hit the sack after a long day!

 

Day 4: Double-Decker Living Root Bridge

After a long day and more so a painful one for my friend, we woke up late and relished our breakfast.

Our friend stayed back to rest her leg much to the hospitable folks at the stay and the two of us headed to Double-Decker root bridge!

We drove from Cherrapunji to a village called Tyrna. There we started our hike down 3000 odd cemented steps. We reached a village along the way and then a couple of single root bridges. After crossing Iron bridge made of rusty cables, we reached a Chai point where we refreshed ourselves with a gulp of hot tea and chocolate cookies.

After treading ahead for about 15 mins we reached Double-Decker Root bridge! It was quite a view but we headed further ahead to reach the Rainbow falls.

As we hiked further, we came upon an empty football field and then trudged our way along a steep trail of steps. After a few twists and turns we came to the gorgeous Rainbow Falls. We were too excited to get to the tip of the boulder below.

As we went to the very end of the Boulder, we could see the Falls falling almost upon us and it was an amazing feeling to be at the behest of the Falls!

A nap and light snack completed the amazing moment at the Falls. We headed back on the trail and now to explore the Double-Decker root bridge. It was quite an amazing spectacle of the strong roots of the tree as they stood still embracing us fellow beings we we walked upon them.

Double decker Living root bridge

With a couple of hours left for the sunset, we headed back up a shorter forest trail to reach back.

Day 5: Weisaudong Waterfalls- Nartiang Durga Temple- Monoliths- Garden of Caves -Shillong

Weisaudong waterfalls is beautiful but it is quite a hassle to get to the bottom of the falls as one as to walk through narrow forest trails. We were happy to get to the Falls but we carefully walked on the rocks as it was very slippery and we managed to stay put in a spot and enjoy its beauty rather than monkeying around!

 

Weisaudong Waterfalls

Meditating me at the Falls

Later we headed to Nartiang in the West Jaintia hills. It has a Durga temple- Jainteshwari and is one of the Shakti-peeths. The temple is around 500 years old.

Nartiang Devi Temple

We paid our respects at this beautiful abode of the Devi and headed to the Nartiang Monoliths, which are a complex of stone monoliths erected by the Jaintia empire in 1500 AD.

We later visited Garden of Caves (touristy spot) and a few Falls along the way. 😉

Day 6: Shillong- Mawphlang Sacred Forest- Shopping at Police Bazaar

The next day we headed to the much awaited Mawphlang Sacred forest. Legend says that nothing should be taken out from the forest, not even a leaf or a stone, nothing!

We were intrigued by the stories and after a mind boggling tour into the forest along with the guide, we were even more mesmerized of the story! It is quite a tour to experience!

After lunch in the city, we went to Police Bazaar for shopping. Apart from hardly shopping a few clothes, we took to buying and relishing the Mulberries!

I think the delicious highlight of the Meghalaya trip were the lip-smacking Mulberries and Raspberries!

Meghalaya is splendid and offers a wide range of places to visit – be it Falls, Forests, Caves, Root Bridges, Stilt-tree tops, Mountains, Rivers and of course with the clouds playing hide and seek.

Well, when are you heading to Meghalaya?

PS: This is the number of our Taxi Bhaiya who drove us all over Meghalaya- Addy – 09774749839, a decent chap, very helpful and a wonderful guide all along.

 

PC : Pinterest

The WINDOW!

 

 

This is a Window at my Grandmother’s place! And it was a window to the world for me!

The Summer holidays at my Grandmother’s place used to be fun; climbing Mango, Jackfruit trees, eating Kulfis whenever my Uncle would buy, listening to deafening music from my Uncle’s massive Music player, playing games with my sisters and cousins and of course loitering around the house running away from my Grandmother’s dog – Raksha!

Apart from this the window in my Uncle’s room was my favorite place; I used to sit by the window ledge listening to the wind blowing, the trees humming a soft tune and obviously enjoying the pitter-patter of the rain! If not for these, I would stare at the passers-by on the street and the myriad of vehicles.

On one occasion, there was a congregation probably some ceremony which I don’t remember now. Being the introvert, I stuck to the room, sitting by the window and watched the innumerable guests passing by the lovely garden and engaging in amusing conversations. I lost track of time and I remember Mom coaxing me to meet the guests and at-least have Lunch. So the Window happened to be my silent companion!

As I ponder, Windows have surely kept me company and have given magnificent views. I do remember a Window at my house years ago. The three of us Sisters shared a room and the window opened to the street by our house. As soon as I woke up, I would stare at the blue sky, the swaying trees and the weather would certainly set my mood for the day! Many of my creative works then used to happen by the window!

Lately, I am getting back to the mode of creating pieces of Art by the Window at my present home now! Wonder, if Nature beckons to this Soul to create a piece of Art which defines her and the language of the Universe! Well hope to decode it completely one day!

Do you have any Window stories or musings?

 

 

 

Exploring Peppa to Masha way!

I have always loved watching Cartoons since my childhood days. Though the urge to watch has obviously subsided over the years, I do get a peek into the cartoon characters and shows through my nephews!

PC: Pinterest

Lately, there is a routine watch of a few shows with my nephews! Thanks to their summer holidays, I do get the opportunity to roll in the fun of their leisure activities!

I do remember watching DuckTales, Talespin, Aladdin, Mr. Bean videos(thanks to my Uncle for making me an ardent fan), Starwars, Shaktimaan, Captain Vyom and of course Tom and Jerry. It was in my early teens that I started watching Popeye, Scooby Doo, Dexter’s Lab, Powerpuff Girls, supersonic, Simpsons and maybe a few more… The joy of watching these cartoons surely helped me with my reasoning capabilities and of course being creative with my drawings and paintings back then. But they certainly helped me improve my diction and a glimpse of the world in a way!

There were a few which I used to watch a few years back Oswald, Spongebob Squarepants, Noddy- a favorite one of my 4 year old nephew then.

Well the shows that I watch now or have a peek into are Peppa Pig; a cute preschooler who learns and does a lot of activities along with her brother George and her loving family, Paw Patrol; here Ryder, a gadgety boy takes on rescue missions along with six tech talented puppies, Dora the Explorer/ Go Diego Go(the boy version)- where an 8-year old goes about exploring the world  and learning the mundane things in a beautiful way, Masha and the bear; is my 3 year old nephew’s favorite cartoon thanks to the versatility of the circus bear and the innumerable adventures that Masha has with him and they are adorable, Max and Ruby; brother-sister duo take on their everyday adventures with utter cuteness. Other cartoons they often watch are Shiva, Winnie the Pooh and Rusty Rivets.

Well you know I am thoroughly refreshed everyday with the innocence and beauty of these shows and it is great fun to watch along with my 3 and 5 year old nephews. These shows truly have a moral, a learning and I can see my nephews take on a few words and use it while conversing with us. It is splendid and it is really nice to see them relate to things, of course there are a few cons to that as well pertaining to toys and gadgets! 😉

Well thanks to my nephews, I have grown through the cartoons and probably growing again with more morals and learnings! It so happened once that when these kiddos weren’t there I have gone ahead and watched these cartoons at the respective times. Funny me!

There was a phase when I used to watch Anime / Manga series. They used to play on Animax Channel. They were quite interesting. I recently watched one series ‘The Death Note’ – it was quite a thrilling story and I was glued to it for about a month.

Well it is an adventurous journey along with these cartoons over the years. I am sure we as adults would love to watch no-nonsense cartoons once in a while curled up in bed with a hot drink/soup to go with. Or maybe just about cut off from the reality with these cute little characters! The child in us never dies.

 

So what have you watched recently, I mean cartoons / animes / animated movies?

Let me know if there are any intriguing Anime series for adults or an educational cartoon for the kids!

PC: Pinterest

Varanasi: The Flashback

Varanasi, the place was on my travel list since 5 years and I was wondering when the D-day would arrive!

Lately, I have come to realize that things happen at the right opportune time!

So it did! November 2017 was the month I set foot in Varanasi with no expectations but a heart filled with enthusiasm to explore this intriguing place. And of course with the people I adore! 😉

The ride from Sunauli (Why sunauli- read the post on Annapurna Circuit out here- Annapurna Circuit Trek) to Varanasi was quite interesting. My friend and me started early morning in the UPSRTC bus to reach Varanasi! From scenic paddy fields, mustard fields and farms galore the road took to small towns, cities and finally reached Varanasi. One can feel the chaos as soon as you hit the city center. We hired a auto-rickshaw to take us to our stay at Zostel.

It was 3pm when we reached and took some time to freshen up. We went on a stroll to explore the streets of Varanasi in the evening!

Our first pit-stop in Varanasi was at the local famous Chaat shop. We tried a variety of Chaats and of course ended with a sweet-meat! We were too tired to get on with our exploration that we took to the terrace at our stay indulging in a chat and then hit the sack after the long day!

Let me give you a glimpse of Varanasi!

So our stay was pretty close to Kashi Vishwanath temple, the main street and about 2-3 kms to the Ghats and of course the Ganges!

The streets were amazingly crowded! More than vehicles on the road, there were people and it was more difficult for the vehicles to meander through the crowd. But the two wheelers, auto-rickshaws, tuk-tuk, cycle-rickshaws and a zillion other variety of vehicles added of course to the rhythmic chaos! The street also had a good number of street vendors selling trinkets, fruits, neem twigs,chaats and what-nots! The main street leads one to the Ghats where certain rituals and ablutions take place. There along the Ghats runs Ganga with all exuberance and serenity! Along the main street the road leads to a lot of narrow alleys which house series of temples; big and small! Apart from that there are popular lassi spots, kullad chai addas, paan shops and of course the hot jalebis / samosas spots!

All in all an interesting place to explore.

Let me talk about the history and importance of Varanasi; It is a spiritual and a religious place for Hindus where one is believed to attain Liberation if one is cremated there after death!

Kashi, Benaras, Varanasi are some of the names it goes by! It is a revered city on the banks of Ganga in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is called Varanasi owing to the confluence of Varuna and Assi rivers! It is known as the ‘City of Lights’-Kashi(to shine)!

We were joined by two other friends the next morning and we got on a temple hopping spree!

Each and every temple had a certain vibration and of course different deities. Right from Kalabhairav temple to Sankat mochan Mahabali Hanuman temple to Devi temple to the main Kashi Vishwanath temple to Annapurna temple, each had its beauty and fervour! (PS: these are the few temple names I remember, we did a visit a few more maybe!)

Kashi Vishwanath temple, the main temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a huge temple which houses smaller shrines and temples. The temple has withstood a lot of battles and rampage over 12th-18th Centuries owing to the Mughal attacks. The temple is beefed up with a lot of security personnel! The various smaller temples runs along the narrow alleys which is quite a meandering tour!

We were present for a couple of Aartis (rituals) at the Vishwanath temple and the energy of the chants, the mystical place, the awe-inspiring rishis were mind-blowing! I cannot put it into words but it was truly a remarkable experience!

Food and drinks are at its best out here in Varanasi. The evenings were spent in exploring and tasting the cuisine of Varanasi. Puri Bhaji, hot jalebis, Kachoris are the popular and tasty breakfast dishes. One can snack upon chaats, taste variety of lassis, kullad chai, hot-lemon teas and bhaang which is legal in the streets of Varanasi! Well, not to forget the Benarasi Paan!

One of the highlights of the place is obviously the Ganges.

She flows with all zest unperturbed about the life and death at her banks!

Sparkling her way through the lights of Sun and Moon!

Ready to sway by the flickering souls in the midst!

All set to trigger the divine you!

A boat ride takes one along the Ghats from one end to the other. It is a beautiful ride!

By the Ghats, Varanasi

The ghats / embankments along the Ganga are a place of rituals! Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghat are popular for cremation rituals.

Dasashwamedh Ghat is very popular for the Ganga Aarti which takes place in the evening twilight! There are 7 Rishis who perform the rituals facing Ganga! We sat on one of the boats and saw this beautiful array of lights, lamps and of course the 7 rishis perform synchronous rituals with the lamps. It was a sight to behold! The fervour of the place, the people in unison, serene Ganga, the rishis were magnetic and splendid! This is something that one shouldn’t miss if visiting Varanasi!

The Ghats are open 24*7 and the best time to visit is in the early mornings for the spectacular Sunrise and the evenings during the Sunsets and of course the Aarti!

Sunrise at Ganges, Varanasi

Sunset at the Ganges, Varanasi

One place which we considered our amazing serene hang-out was the Nepali temple in the Lalita Ghat. The temple is a replica of Pashupatinath temple, Nepal. It is made of wood, stone and terracota. It was built by the King of Nepal during his exile and was completed by his son. It took three decades to complete this beautiful structure and it is surrounded by tamarind and peepal trees which makes it all the more lovely!

Nepali temple, Lalita Ghat, Varanasi

One can also visit Banaras Hindu University (BHU) which is the largest residential University in Asia!

All in all, Varanasi is a place of wonder. One has to visit it to experience the immense beauty and delve into this mystical abode!