This is a Guest Post by one of my best Blogger friends named Mithe. We are friends since long long time and I am actually very lucky to meet her in real life as well. She is one hell of a writer and my all time favorite as well. It's a pity that she has stopped writing due to certain reasons and one of which is time constraint. But the worst thing ever is that she thinks herself to be not a good writer. I request all my readers to go through her musical travelogue below as well as her abandoned blog and instill some good sense in her. I want her to come back and I need all of yours support. Please hop on to her blog and read her. I am sure you would love to discover the gem in her.
She blogs here at Resonant Words.
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The water lulled me to sleep…..
I was out of the house for the first time, sleeping in an alien place, without beds or sleeping bags: my first
ever full day ‘away from home’. ‘Lulled to sleep’ does not sound appropriate here, does it? But it turned
out to be the most peaceful sleep I ever had followed by a memorable experience that will last a lifetime.
We were in Himachal Pradesh, a small hilly state nestled within the Himalayas of North India:
Manikaran-a unique destination as it housed both a Sikh (Gurudwara) and Hindu (Mandir) place of
worship on the same premises. We were warned to wake up early and be ready before the morning
prayers. Exhaustion from trekking for an entire day combined with our late arrival ensured that it was
three o’ clock in the morning before we were able to retire for the night. Not trusting myself to sleep and
wake up on time, I told my friends to shake me awake in the morning. But then….
The water lulled me to sleep…..
Five-thirty in the morning and I was awake, having slept for just around two hours. I tiptoed out to the
balcony, the sound of water magnified at least three times outside the cosy room. Just like at night, I
could not help being overwhelmed by the roaring of the mighty river Beas rushing to join its source
downhill. Strangely enough, the sound was not jarring but pleasant to the ears…. it felt like music of Gods
enveloping us with their protection and warmth.
Billowing wisps of smoke from the hot spring and incandescent lamps along the center that marked
a wooden bridge towards the main building in this hour of dawn added to the surreal atmosphere of
the place. In spite of the booming sound of water, the place was so tranquil and exuded such peaceful vibes! Soon I heard some of my friends getting up, jolting me out of my reverie. We were all ready for the
morning prayers within the hour.
The main complex was magnificent with ample seating space for around five hundred people at one time.
Prayers continued throughout the day with bhajan, kirtan(religious music) and path (religious reading
from the holy scripture). “Paayoji maine raam rattan dhan paayo….”- here again, I noted the amalgam of
two religions with the unique and soothing combination of bhajan notes and kirtan . After the prayers,
we all proceeded onto the first floor for langar (community vegetarian meals in Gurudwaras available for
everyone) which was to be our breakfast.
The room itself was hewn out of rock; a panoramic view of the river- bridge and surrounding mountains
greeted us as we sat on a carpet-mat across a big window ledge. The walls were covered with paintings
and murals depicting the ancient lore as per the Hindu and Sikh scriptures. As we ate our breakfast,
I asked myself the same question for the thousandth time-‘Why is it that food always tastes so much
different and nicer if it is part of the langar?’ Langar generally consists of a normal vegetarian Indian mealrice or roti (similar to pita) with dal(lentil), dahi (yogurt) and kheer or halwa (milk sweet dishes)followed
by water from the sarovar (fresh water from pools present in all Gurudwaras believed to have curative
properties). After finishing our meal, we split in groups to explore the area further.
Up here, the hours passed quickly. We had
toured the hot cave, the sacred Shiv Mandir
Complex and local shops within the hour.
Handicrafts and vibrant colours of Himachal
peeked at us from every nook and cranny-it was
really difficult to decide gifts for everyone! Laden
with packages, we walked back to our temporary
accommodations.
Soon, it was the time to go…. but no one wanted
to leave. As we rounded the bend walking
towards our buses, I turned back for one last
glimpse and realized I had tears in my eyes.
Perhaps it was the serenity in the atmosphere
or the tranquility of nature that moved me, who
knows? All I know is that standing there as mute
witnesses to the breathtaking beauty of nature,
we all reflected on the innumerable things taken for granted in our everyday lives. Perhaps nature and environment are the most common?
Maybe….yes!
But I hope we realize the importance of environment and work to preserve it rather than
fighting on who contributes most towards the destruction... someday… soon.
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This post is for my favourite blogger-Preetilata, my very own White Window…. I have known her since the
time I began and now (I hate to admit it) I have stopped :( This is my first blog post in a very very long
time, I cannot and will not say no to my Preeti Gal! Perhaps ‘nature’ is one thing that binds us together
and that’s why I love Preeti’s writings too. Her blog is not a different world; I feel I get enveloped by a
sense of ‘me’ when I visit this particular window. A part of me resides here and I wouldn't be surprised if
it is my heart! I hope and pray that she goes from strength to strength :) {cue to bring out your own book
soon}.
Lots and lots of love, Mithe
