My First Solo Trip-Kedarkantha Trek

For more than a year now, I had this dream of going on a solo trip and December 2019 was the time I could do it. In India, it is super difficult to convince your parents for the solo trip but somehow I managed to break the barriers and go and it was surreal. This trip was much much needed for me in order to end this year on a good note and find myself and my identity. This year had been a rough one to say. I had been depressed and given up on life in general and was in therapy so doing this was so important for me to regain my self confidence and faith and belief in myself, in life and in all things beautiful.

So, I booked a trek to Kedarkantha with Bikat Adventures and off I went. Why Bikat Adventures? It’s because I have heard so much good about them and the fact that they take extremely good care of their participants so I had full faith that I’ll be in safe hands and I was.

I had taken a Volvo Bus from Delhi to Dehradun from where the journey was supposed to start. On my first day, I met my trek leaders Lalit Yadav from Noida and Yitso Waka from Nagaland along with a group of 10 people-The Marwadi Family with whom I was clubbed to travel and it was a pleasant ride from Dehradun to Sankri. This was the first day and it was a day of introductions, we all just got to know each other and I was getting quite surprised reactions so as to how come I am travelling solo, little did the people knew why being solo was important for me. As we were approaching Sankri, I was informed that there will be no network for five days and when I told this to my parents, they freaked out a little and so did I but eventually I was comfortable because I had finally time to myself and there was an opportunity for digital detox.

In Sankri, we stayed in a homestay with the warmest of the blankets.

On the second day we started off with our trek from Sankri to Juda ka Taal. The climb on this day was steep and tough and I was the slowest person from day one but I managed to reach up there safely and then we camped in Hargaon. As we were approaching Juda ka Taal, we saw traces of snow and our camp at Hargaon was in the Snow. I kept my speed slower than usual because I wanted to be safe, I really didn’t want to be clumsy and fall on the first day and injure myself so I took baby steps and was lagging behind from everyone. And wherever the climb would get tough that I thought I cannot make it, my trek leader Lalit, aka Lalli Bhai was so kind that he held my hand and helped me climb at each step. From day one he was motivating me and keeping me going and didn’t lose patience when I was slow. When we reached Juda ka Taal, we saw that the lake was frozen and another local guide Jaychand Bhai who was with us even glided on the frozen lake and clicked jumping shots for everyone. We reached Hargaon campsite by evening and as soon as we reached there, there was a stretching session to keep us fit for the rest of the trip and later on we were served snacks and tea. The family I was travelling with carried so much of food with themselves that it was amazing, I had the opportunity to taste different kinds of Puri, Theplas, Papad Churi, Butter Cookies etc while being with them. At night, we had bonfire where gossip sessions took place. One of the girls from the group worked as a Make Up Artist with Bollywood Celebrities and she narrated some juicy bollywood gossip over bonfire and we all shared a good laugh. Along with this gossip, we had a learning module too on medical conditions in high altitudes and how we can equip ourselves better while being in the mountains. If you’re a first time trekker, make sure you go with Bikat Adventures because their learning modules in between the fun sessions will make you aware about things you don’t know otherwise and will stay with you for a lifetime.

Anyhow, we enjoyed the night and then when we went back to our tents to sleep, we were given sleeping bags but it was so cold, I couldn’t sleep at all throughout the night and kept on shivering. I had worn every piece of woolen clothing I got and still I was shivering, the temperature was somewhere between -2 degrees to -5 degrees at night and there was chilly winds, what kept me sane was the beautiful moonlight and the stars and the golden hour. What’s the golden hour? Golden hour is the time of the sunset when all the snow mountains turn pink and they change hues to orange and it’s a magnificent sight to watch the sky at that time.

Next morning, after breakfast, we started off our trek to Kedarkantha Base Camp. Before the start of this trek, we were given gaiters so that the snow does not enter our shoes. It was a short trek this time, we reached the base camp in two hours. On this day, we were also celebrating the birthday of one of the group members. When we reached the base camp, there was again stretching and we learned how to pitch a tent. The sun on this day was bright so we enjoyed a lot in the sun and chilled and relaxed, there were gossips and we had lunch then in the evening we all had music, songs and fun games and a cake made of Sooji Halwa. After a super fun session, we were briefed about the next day which was the Summit Day, the day we were supposed to climb the Kedarkantha Peak. We were supposed to wake up at 2AM and get ready. We all went to sleep early that night.

Now, my mood and experience till the base camp was up and about and I had zero self doubt and everything went on smoothly but the day it was summit day, I started having severe anxiety and doubts and almost gave up, I told everyone that I am having second thoughts and I don’t want to go to the Summit and I started developing backache, gastroenteritis, stomach ache and everything. I was super scared, I wanted to stay back at the base camp and not go further to the peak but then everyone motivated me and gave me a pep talk and I decided to go ahead and I am super glad that I didn’t give up because the trek to the summit was the best trek experience. I had such amazing meditative moments during this trek- there was a state of pure awareness and thoughtlessness that I cannot describe how amazing it felt, I was just one with the nature. It was a feeling where I was aware of my single breath and there is only one way of life- “Bas Saans Lete Raho” just like Hrithik said in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, it was that moment for me. I also saw the moon rise and moon set and sun rise and sun set on this same day. These are such special memories, how moon and sun change colors while rising and setting. I reached to the summit in six hours and it was all worth the effort. I am so glad that I did not give up because had I given up, I would have not experienced such divine nature the way I did. It was stupendo-fantanbulously-fantastic. And while coming down, I had the opportunity to slide on the ice and it was like I am in heaven, I felt like a kid so free being able to slide in the snow, I was at my happiest.

On the same day, we climbed down to Sankri, we walked continuously for 16 hours, it got a little hectic and I developed blisters on my feet but they’re reward marks and if given a chance, I would go on a solo trip again. It helped me find myself and love myself and find the strength that I had lost this year while battling through depression. This trip made me feel alive and I cannot be more thankful to god, to my parents, to Bikat Adventures, to my trek leader Lalit because of whom I could complete the trek, to the Marwadi Family who were a constant support throughout the journey and to my friends who have managed to stick with me through thick and thin.

Slowness Himalayas

It’s that time of the year when you hit the mountains to find relief from the scorching heat of the Delhi Sun. Life has been pretty monotonous lately given I have been on work from home for good two months and also studying and apparently a social butterfly like me has not had many social interactions lately so I was feeling a little bit drained. I needed adventure and a change of routine so I first booked an impulsive snow trek which I canceled because I got scared given my talent of being clumsy and somehow I lost confidence in myself that I will be able to do a snow trek even though I had shopped well and prepared myself well. Anyhow, so, if you have been a regular reader of my blog posts you know that I have been out on two trips with this organization called  Miss Guide You 

So this organization is run by two of my friends, Kriti and Ashish and they are doing a great job, you must check out their page and all. Anyhow, so they are building this home called Slowness Himalayas in a small village near Almora and I asked them if I could visit and chill with them for a while because I keep seeing their Instagram stories and they are so tempting that one really wants to be there with all the views and fruity pictures. So that’s how the trip to Slowness happened.

Now, honestly, if you’re looking for excitement and adventure like that happens in Bir or Rishikesh where there is river rafting or paragliding this is not the place, however, you want to really experience the simple joys of life and peace and simply spend time with nature and yourself, this is just the place for you. The day starts pretty early here, you won’t believe it but as someone who finds it really hard to wake up in the morning in Delhi, I would wake up everyday around 5AM just to see the sunrise and that too without alarm, it just happened, I didn’t try for it or made an effort and the day would go by very slowly, like I would have a bath, get ready, read my book, engage in conversations with the people of the house I was living with and when I would check the time it would still be 10AM or so.

The place has got magnificent views to wake up to and beautiful birds to spend time with, you are all alone with nature and its sounds and the sound of your own thoughts.

The place is untouched by humans and is pretty clean and plastic free so far, whatever plastic we brought with ourselves, we got it back. The houses are pretty far from each other and it’s all-mountain forest area. The activities that you can do here could be to interact with the locals and listen to their stories, take several walks in the fruit farms and pick fruits to eat when you’re hungry, it’s fun, plant trees, get your hands dirty in the mud and feel the earth.

Moreover, if you have got your own vehicle, you can also go to other places like Kasar Devi, Mukteshwar etc. We borrowed Ashish’s bike and went upto Kasar Devi Temple and the journey was beautiful. There is also a waterfall nearby which is maintained by the locals and one can actually take bath there and chill in the water. It’s extremely beautiful.

(Image borrowed from Google, it rained on the day I was supposed to go to the waterfall so I didn’t)

This trip was not like other conventional treks or trips, it was a leisurely relaxed one where I would read my book, enjoy a movie in the mountain rains, play with the house kids, have chit chats with my friends and laugh and maybe sleep in during the day too. Life gets pretty weird, it is breaks like these that bring us closer to ourselves. Even though I had my friends there, I had a lot of alone time which gave me enough time to reflect on my life and be grateful and sort out the mess and the hurricane in my head which runs too fast.

The best part of the trip was that I made friends with a local kid who was probably five years old- Maanvi and she and I had some really great times together. Mostly kids don’t come to me but she was an exception and showered me with so much love that I feel blessed.

Overall, this trip was beautiful and you should also go to slowness if you really want to pause and reflect on your life and have simple joys light up your days.

Here are some pictures from the trip:

We could see snow peaks right outside the home we lived in.

Caught in flight

Almora

Peaches

We spotted a magnificent double rainbow after the beautiful mountain rains

Sawan Barse Tarse Dil, Kyu Na Nikle Ghar Se Dil

Kasar Devi Temple

 

Our Stay

All the images here have been clicked by my friend Shiv. He was kind enough to let me use his pictures for this blog post. You should definitely check out his Instagram account here:

Bunch of Hobbies

and he also has a specific blog for bird photography called Beaks Feathers Nikon

आज मदहोश हुआ
जाए रे जाए रे जाए रे
आज मदहोश हुआ जाए रे
मेरा मन, मेरा मन, मेरा मन
बिना ही बात मुस्कुराये रे
मेरा मन, मेरा मन, मेरा मन
आज मदहोश हुआ जाए रे
मेरा मन, मेरा मन, मेरा मन

ओ री कली, सजा तू डोली
ओ री लहर, पहना तू पायल
ओ री नदी, दिखा तू दर्पण
ओ री किरण, ओढ़ा तू आँचल
इक जोगन है बनी आज दुल्हन
आओ उड़ जाएँ कहीं बन के पवन
आज मदहोश हुआ जाए रे
मेरा मन, मेरा मन, मेरा मन
शरारत करने को ललचाये रे
मेरा मन, मेरा मन, मेरा मन

यहाँ हमें, ज़माना देखे
तो? आओ चलो कहीं छुप जाएँ, अच्छा!
यहाँ हमें, ज़माना देखे
आओ चलो कहीं छुप जाएँ
भीगा-भीगा नशीला दिन है
कैसे कहो, प्यासे रहपाएँ
तू मेरी मैं हूँ तेरा, तेरी कसम
मैं तेरी तू है मेरा, मेरी कसम
आज मदहोश हुआ जाए रे
मेरा मन, मेरा मन, मेरा मन
शरारत करने को ललचाये रे
मेरा मन, मेरा मन, मेरा मन

Signing off with this photograph and this song! Thank you people for reading ❤

Traveling in Delhi- When you’re lost

Delhi is just a dot on India’s map but it is such a vast city that it can get confusing to travel alone.

Delhi is divided into several zones- East Delhi, West Delhi, South Delhi, North Delhi. Delhi shares its east borders with UP and the other three borders with Haryana. Now,  Delhi is well connected by DMRC Metro and DTC buses. We also have Ola and Uber for commuting purposes. But if you are a girl and you travel alone a lot, there are certain tips and tricks if you ever get stuck.

While we have our smartphones with us, there are days we are out of battery and stuck in some place. It is important to keep a hard copy of the Delhi Metro Map in your bag. You can get this map at any of the metro stations very easily. Or you can download it from here- http://www.delhimetrorail.com/zoom_map.aspx

Secondly, you need to save following customer care numbers in your phone-

1. DMRC Customer Care- 155370
2. DTC Customer Care- There are different numbers for different zones. You can check here. My advice is that keep this page downloaded in your phone http://delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/doit_dtc/DTC/Home/Directory

I think this is enough. Whenever you are taking a cab alone or in sharing, make sure to share the details of your cab ride with someone you trust and who is also having enough time to monitor your cab ride.

Thirdly, it is advisable to have a number of one or two trusted cab agents/agency which can give you a transport facility on short notice.

Fourth, be aware of the friends/relatives living nearby the area you are stuck in. Have their contacts handy.

The kit every woman should have for safety-

1. Chilly spray
2. Nail Cutter
3. Stole- There are videos on youtube which teach you how you can use your stole for your safety.

As someone who has traveled into every corner of Delhi over past 6 years, I still won’t say I am an expert but I will say that I am enterprising and it is very important to be enterprising. Ask questions, seek help, use google maps, ask friends who frequently travel in a particular region you are stuck in, it helps if you do your research before taking up every journey. Be aware of several routes, metro maps, and location and also enquire about the area you are traveling to. Avoid if you find it shady. Make your own reference points and places to remember the routes. Most importantly, be aware.

It is advisable that don’t get too comfortable while traveling because when you do get comfortable, you end up falling asleep and missing your station like I do at times. But those are anecdotes for another day and another post.

Also, if you ever get lost or feel like you are being followed, share your live location to a trusted person and also shut down all your music/earphones and reading and just get a sense of a place where you are in. Read signboards and follow them.

Lastly, if none of the above helps, your phone has died, the person you are calling is not picking up the phone, google maps crashed, ola cabs not available. In whichever corner of the city you are, take a rickshaw/auto to the nearest metro station or go to the most popular place/market/gurudwara/temple nearby and then find your way because these places are the safest when you are lost.

I hope this helps. Have a great day.

This post was made because a dear friend lost her way and we all get a bit tensed when our friend is lost so this one is specially dedicated to her and so many other people out there who don’t feel too confident going out alone. I am sure it is difficult but not impossible, it is with time you develop the confidence of traveling on your own. Just be open to the possibilities and the universe and have faith. I am sure you will find your way.

Artisans of Bikaner and The Kalbelias

Hello Dear Readers,

In my last post, I talked about how this year has been. How much I have learned and how this year has been a year of traveling and how I intend to make the most out of the last chapter of 2018.

So here I am, sharing another experience which I think might be worth your time.

I happened to take another tour with Miss Guide You and this time it was to Bikaner.

Bikaner is a city in Rajasthan where people don’t really go for the traveling experience because it is not hyped much for whatever reasons. Tourist companies focus mainly on Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Jaipur. It is mostly the foreigners who are exploring the cities of Rajasthan, come to Bikaner or film-makers who know about the place. There have been documentaries made by National Geographic and other foreigners and international organizations about the city of Bikaner.

Among Indians, Bikaner is famous for Bhujia and Sweets and that is about it.

So, this tour was one of its kind. It was not a regular tourism package by anyone, it was a carefully curated craft tour which was personalized and planned in an advanced fashion. There was a lot of research done by the people planning this tour- Kriti Bisht and Ashish Godara, the people who run the organization called Miss Guide You and you could see that a lot of research work has been done to get the kind of experience you were getting on the tour.

On the first day of our tour, we visited the famous Karni Mata Temple. I remember seeing a documentary on this when I was in school and I was so scared to enter to a temple which housed more than 15000 Rats but I did and I don’t remember praying there, I went inside and was just looking around me and taking care of my feet. Visiting this temple was a personal achievement and I am still scared of rats.

Here is a 5 minute documentary by National Geographic Channel: Welcome to the Rat Temple

This one is a very awkward picture of me with Kriti, standing far away from rats, smiling only because of the camera. It was very difficult to smile in that situation when I was fearing rats.

Post this experience, we had our first workshop – Learning the art of Pugal embroidery from a Pugal artisan.

Who are Pugal Artisans?

Pugal artisans are women who were displaced from Pakistan in 1971, and settled in Thar Desert and used their skills of embroidery to earn a living with dignity. But over time, with privatization and onset of FDI and MNCs, these crafts of Rajasthan are dying and Mr. Ashok Bishnoi, founder of The Charkha is trying to support these artists. Miss Guide You partnered with him and organized the entire tour.

The Embroidery Workshop was one of its kind, we actually practiced the art and not just see it or gain a theoretical knowledge, it was a hands-down experience and we were very happy after our “Tedhi Medhi” Creations.

My mother after her creation of Criss-Cross Pattern and you can see the happiness of creating something on your own. Art is therapeutic and this workshop gave just the feeling.

Here we are with our teacher, taking lessons in embroidery.

The end of the first day was marked by a candlelight dinner in our Hotel- Harasar Haveli. Pure aesthetic experience it was.

Day 2

The start of the second day was quite touristy- we went to the Bikaner Fort, hired a guide and learned about the history of Bikaner, the fort and all the kings who ruled Bikaner and which King contributed what etc. We got a lot of pictures clicked and it was one fun experience.

After this, we headed to Raisar Village where we met the people who do handloom weaving. We met the weavers, learned how to use the handloom, even worked with the Charkha and talked to the people there, got to know about the entire process of Shawl Making from step one. We met the families, played with the kids and petted Camel.

There are very few people who are left in Bikaner that actually work with the Handloom and the people who know the art of handloom weaving are not teaching their next generation because of how the world is changing. As we are moving toward a globalized economy, these little weavers and craftsmen are bearing the brunt of it. The crafts which are native to Rajasthan, India are not being appreciated by our own people because we live in urbanized cities and work in corporate offices where blending with the western culture has become the norm. But looking at it from the environmental perspective, the clothes that are made from handloom have minimum carbon footprints while the jeans and the regular clothes that we all wear in the daily routine contribute to the environmental pollution and loss of natural resources and not many people are aware to think like that. Through such trips and this post, I hope we are able to bring attention to this issue and do whatever we can as individuals to help these artisans, their livelihoods and our environment on the whole.

After having an enlightening session with the weavers, we spent the night in the middle of nowhere in the Thar Desert where we did open-air camping, made our own food and slept on Camel Carts. The evening was marked by Kalbelia Performances and Stargazing. I don’t remember seeing millions of stars all at once in so long, that was one exquisite experience for which I really don’t have words. So, I’d rather talk about the Kalbelias.

The Kalbelias

The Kalbelias are a nomadic tribe of Rajasthan. They roam around and form clusters, their main form of survival is through Dance Performances. They are the original Snake Charmers. In Namaste London Movie, it was said that India is a country of Snake Charmers and then Akshay Kumar talked about how India has achieved so much and still people think that we are a nation of Snake Charmers, with that reference, they are the ones who are actually the snake charmers and with the recent Wildlife Act, they earn a living through Dance. It was wonderful to note that their dress and dance movements resemble the typical movement of the snakes. The women who perform the Kalbelia Dance are dressed in Black with beautiful work on their dresses and these women design their own dresses while the men provide the music. Kalbelia dance form is not so much famous in India as such, however, it is the foreigners who identified the beauty and the grace of this dance form and made several documentaries on them.

We even met the kalbelia people there and went to one of their clusters where we saw thw work of the women and talked to the kids there and saw the snakes and how comfortable they all were while I was a bit scared. The Kalbelias were very much aware of the politics of the country and were dressed up in stylish dresses. They may not have a a lot of money with them but their swag was unmatched.

Below, you’ll get the glimpse of our Day 2

Group Picture at the Bikaner Fort

With the Kids from the Weaver Families

Trying to get hold of the Female Snake in the Kalbelia Cluster

Understanding the process of Weaving

 

Waking up in the Camel Carts after a night of Stargazing and Kalbelia Performances

The beautiful Kalbelia Woman performing the Kalbelia Dance in the traditional Kalbelia dress made at home.

Here is me trying my hand at working with the Charkha

The Extremely Stylish Kalbelia Kids

So much swag in one photograph-The Kalbelias

Day 3

On the third day of the tour, we went to the Old Bikaner City to learn the art of Tie and Dye. We all were given plain white cloth and all of us got a hands-on experience of making our own stoles.

Usually, we just go to the store and ask for a stole and bargain for the price and our shopping is done. We don’t realize how much time and effort goes into the making of a simple tie and dye scarf. It took all of us and seven artisans to make one stole. I really want to describe each and every process and aspect of it, however, I feel that will take away from the experience that it was. So for this one, I am gonna leave out details and would urge you all to go and experience this on your own. This day was exhilarating and we were all laughs at the end of the workshop. The ones who taught us were so much patient and loving that it was worth it.

The trip ended with a food walk where we all had the best Ghewar of our lives. “Once you die and go to heaven, that was probably the first meal you will get” these are the words of our tour organizer- Ashish Godara.

With this, I end this post.

When this tour was being planned, I really thought it was a little bit expensive for three days, however, at the end of it, it was more than worth it. Spending money on things sure gives us happiness, however, investing money on experiences is a little bit better, this one experience is something which I will cherish forever because it was more than “little bit better”

Images Courtesy: Ashish Godara

 

The Himachal Trail

Hello beautiful readers,

It’s been 5 years since I have been running this blog and today I was just randomly checking the stats for my blog and I was surprised to see that I have readers in 42 countries across the world and that made me so happy. I would love to thank each one of my readers for showering so much love for my writings which are irregular and mostly random in nature.

Well, so today I am here to talk about my first ever official tour. Well, it’s been more than a week since I returned. And I had planned on writing this blog post as soon as I came home. However, you know how writers are, right? They are big-time procrastinators when it comes to writing. Okay, okay, I should not generalize. I’ll talk about myself. I procrastinate a lot when it comes to writing because I may have written the entire article, report, blog post, poem or whatever that I want to or have to write in my mind, I am always trying to look for better words and phrases in between the bookshelves and sassy movies, and oh yes, songs too.

Honestly speaking, I had forgotten about the fact that I had decided to write this blog post that you are reading currently. Today, at lunch, our boss casually mentioned that these people did not send in any of their write-ups or feedback about their trip experience and bam, Thomas Edison of my mind lit up!

Enough of the introduction I guess. I should come straight to the point before I exhaust myself with the introduction only and end up writing nothing for the purpose I started writing this in the first place.

Oh, did I mention that I started a job in my previous blog posts? I think not. Well, I completed my post graduation just a month ago and headed off to a vacation- read this as Meditation Camp. I described it here in this post- https://euphoricbeing.wordpress.com/2018/05/12/vacation-diaries/
And I returned from the camp on 13th May 2018 and had my first day of office life on 15th May 2018. So that’s about it.

Well, details about my office life in some other post, on some other day. All you need to know is that I like my job and the people around me a lot.

Now, THE HIMACHAL TRAIL, for which you have been waiting for a while now after reading the above 403 words. I appreciate your patience, treat yourself to a cup of tea/coffee/whatever you like!

As a part of Office Capacity Building Tour, we went to Jibhi, Gushaini, Tirthan Valley and Jalori Pass for a week. This was my first ever road trip to the hills without my parents. I have been an extremely protective kid and never got permission to go on any of the trips with my friends. So this was kind of a lottery ticket for me as my parents could not say no because it was official.

1. The Journey BeginsMy journey started on the morning of 2nd June 2018 along with my colleagues. We took an early morning Amritsar Shatabdi from New Delhi to reach Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana on the very first day. The journey was an amazing one with one cute incident, as you may call it.
   So I had to board the train at 7AM, I woke up at 5AM, had a quick bath, did last minute packing and rushed and got on the train on time. Now, I have traveled by Indian Railways a lot and Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express have great food. So as soon as I sat down, being a typical forever thinking about food Punjabi Upbringing I waited for the breakfast and IT DID NOT COME till 9:30AM. I legit went to the Shatabdi Cabin Crew and asked them about the breakfast around 9AM because I was HANGRY( I get angry when hungry so Hangry xD) and my colleague Surya noticed this, so by the time we reached, it turned out to be an inside joke between me and him and throughout the trip we shared a laugh whenever I quoted- I am Hungry!So we reached to Ludhiana, chilled around a bit and at night began with our road trip. So, mostly I have experienced motion sickness on road trips, therefore, I took my medicines, put on the most romantic playlist I could, and slept. I slept so much throughout the trip that next morning people said that I slept so much that I compensated for lack of sleep for others. I even tripped while sleeping and had forgotten about it until I was reminded about it later.
2. Jibhi-The Lato Hut StayWe reached our destination on 3rd morning and checked into the resort-The Lato Hut. I loved the place but didn’t like the food. Presence of WiFi compensated for the food and the extra sweet tea which made me doubt the existence of tea leaves often. Every morning I would wake up around 6.30AM, go to the river right in front of the resort and read a book, listen to songs, make videos, chase the butterflies and put my feet in the water and do- Chhai Chhappa Chhai, Chhapak Chhai. This was my alone time in Lato Hut every morning.
3. Jibhi-Village Visit and Balu Temple and WaterfallIn Jibhi, we had three things- The Waterfall, The Balu Temple, and The Village Visit.
   I enjoyed all the three activities immensely. I have never had a bath in a waterfall. I have seen many but this time I had a bath too because my mother was not there to tell me I’ll catch a cold and since it was a small waterfall, I did not fear that I will fall and hurt myself as I am very much prone to falling because of I don’t know what defect.The trek to Balu Temple was funny. I didn’t fall at the waterfall but fell twice in the trek to the temple and laughed it off like always because life is nothing but a comedy. Reaching the Balu Temple was giving me a feel of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak movie with its ambiance. I felt like I was being in a Bollywood setting and sang the song- Gazab Ka Hai Din, Dekho Zara Ye Deewanapan Socho Zara.
   
   The Village visit was a nice experience because a) I had never been to a village. b) The pathway leading to the village was so narrow and risky that I felt that if I tripped, I would injure myself badly. This was the time I was completely in the moment like it was taught in the meditation camp. This was the time of full awareness. c) I ate a sour apple picked right from the apple tree in the apple orchids.
4. Jalori PassRead about Jalori  Pass on Google. I know only one thing here-the location was perfect to wear bright colored chiffon sarees and dance to romantic songs of Yash Raj Movies where clouds flow around and there are winds and everything beautiful which words cannot really do justice to.
5. Gushaini, Tirthan Valley

   I am a selectively lazy human being and I love to sleep a lot on my trips. This place took away my sleep. My parents and I are risk-averse people. Throughout my life, we as a family have stayed away from any sport or activity that could be potentially risky or dangerous, we are happy and content in our lazy bubble. Here, I indulged in Rappelling, River Crossing, River Jumping and damn I was scared. But I wanted to do the activities as well. So I was busy in a battle with my own self-The Head Vs Heart and as a result, I cried. I did not want to cry but I did. It was kinda embarrassing to shed those tears in front of everyone but then that’s what makes us human and I was not upset after that. I don’t know how I did all of it but I did it and I am so blessed to have such an amazing support system at the office. Very few people are lucky enough to go on such an official tour and overcome their fears and have a team that is so much supporting and close-knit. This was my happiest phase on the trip.
   

6. The Overall ExperienceOn the whole, this trip was life-changing for me. Each day was a new day, each experience was a new experience. I have wanted to have a trip like this for ages but never really got to have it until I had this job. This trip made me get comfortable with my people and shed away all my inhibitions. I sang and danced, I talked and laughed and I bonded well. It’s important to have friends in the workplace and this trip helped me make friends along with professional relationships.
    

   
   When we are kids, we are asked to go to school, study well so that we get into a good college, build a good CV in college so that we get a job and when we get a job we wait for weekends to relax and wonder what next, however, I am at a point in life where I am content and I enjoy my work. Work does not look like a work when we tend to enjoy it. This job is probably the best thing that could happen to me. All the upswing and downswing during post graduation was worth it because had I been elsewhere, I don’t think I would have got the experiences and the learning I got here. My belief in the fact that Universe always has better plans for us, all we need to do is to be patient is stronger than ever.

   I have a long life ahead of me and so much more to do, the woods are lovely, dark and deep, I have miles to go before I sleep. But here I am, at a point in my journey where I learn, work and relax while I still have to learn the mechanism of income tax.

   

   This much for today, see you all next time with new stories and some very random jokes.

When I was a Traveller in my own city

Delhi, my city. 

Dilli, ishq hai.

I have always wanted to explore Delhi for the longest time but when you’re in your own city, you don’t explore the beauty of it because there’s always assignment to be submitted, work to be done, and sleep to catch upon. After years of trying to get someone to accompany me to be a Traveller in my own city, I was blessed to come across a beautiful human being who was willing to give in to the wishes of a girl like me and it was a date. When we use the word date, we often expect romance, however there was something beyond romance in this date and that cannot be put into words. How do you put across sharing stories close to you in appropriate words, what are we if not stories?

Delhi has a soul which many people don’t explore. Visiting a monument and reading about it’s history in the lush green Mughal Gardens and then having a silent reading meet in the sun is a perfect way to spend time with someone in my world.

Delhi is too good to be true in winters. 

There’re a lot of things I realized today. After spending time as a traveller I met a friend of mine who flew from London to spend sometime home and if I could sum up my time with her, it would be that in life sometimes you come across people who are not people but home. 

Dear universe, 

Thank you for making me feel blessed and loved. And I wish that all my readers find home. There’s nothing better than some soul filling conversations and hugs while the winter breeze flows through the hair as we walk through lonely lit roads in areas of Delhi which feel like another world. 

To love and life. 

​Can a Soul be Sad and yet not Dark?

Yes. And no. Honestly I do not know. Because souls are beings. They define our very existence. Souls are neither happy nor sad. Souls are just souls. Souls are life and a proof that we are alive to feel the emotions of sadness and happiness. Darkness is an attribute we associate with emotions of sadness, jealousy, envy while happiness, bliss and laughter are the light in our lives but two contradicts can very well coexist. How I cannot explain but you can feel them. Being sad doesn’t make you a dark human or a dark soul because a sad person either gives up on life and commits suicide or he uses his sadness to create art. Art that will be so powerful and passionate that it will make you feel uncomfortable. Dark poets are always celebrated yet criticised. Paradox? Irony? Maybe. Because some things are so intertwined that it’s impossible to pinpoint. Fascinating are those that radiate sunshine through their wounds of hurt and sadness. And divine is this thought that gives meaning to art and life. 
My dear, souls cannot be dark, souls cannot be sad. Souls can only be drunk. How? Ask the Nightingales.

A walk down the road

I’m walking through the lake park, my eyes experiencing aesthetic sunrise. The feet took a halt, struck by realisation. Mesmerised by the reflection of the sky in calm waves of water. I feel inept to describe sudden commotion of emotions. I look for a bench to settle on as I go weak in the knees.
On my quest to find a rusted bench with its green paint withering in a quiet corner, I see life in a strange light. I spot a group of squirrels bouncing hither thither. I observe one at a time, my heart wondering how this world looks like through the eyes of a squirrel. How do I look to it as I attempt to touch its skin and fail terribly because of its spontaneous reflexes? Can it see the water as I see it? Do the surroundings appear green to it too? Does it also feels something inside? The mind in me mocks and says, “No, Dimwit! Only you’re the one who thinks of herself as a different entity. Everything else is in sync with nature. You too are a part of it, only if you realise.”

I’m petrified by my own heart that feels conflicting emotions and a mind that taunts. I give in and pearls of water roll down my eyes. I’m like a mimosa plant open to attack. My leaves closing in, I rush back home to immerse myself in this concrete jungle, away from contemplating life. I know I can’t run forever but today I escape.

Connaught Place: life in all it’s glory.

“Next station is Rajiv Chowk. Doors will open on the left. Please mind the gap.”

This announcement in metro and a swarm of people board and de-board the train. I always used to wonder why while I was in high school. However, coming to college gave me wings to explore and this place was my first stop to discover, located in the heart of the Capital city is approachable from any corner of Delhi. People live here and I fell in love here (oh, not with a guy like Raj from DDLJ who happen to cross my path. 😛 ) I fell in love with idea of travel, exploration activities, this place and myself (you know I’m irresistible).
I’ve been to this place so many times in just one year that I have lost count and it still continues to amaze me. This place has so many things to offer and to all the people around the world. Yes, the world. It’s a lifeline for everyone, be it a person with low income or a person who is filthy rich. Age is just a number here, people from all age groups have fun here at this very place.

Okay, so let me come to the point, how you, who have never really explored this place, can have some awesome fun with or without friends. (Yes, yes, you can be here on your own and not get bored at all)

Get down from the metro as soon as you hear the announcement and take an exit from any of the gates if you’ve been here before, otherwise take it from Gate no. 7. You’ll end up at A block in inner circle and then decide whether you want to aimlessly wander or sit and enjoy at a peaceful place. I’d suggest that take one whole week to explore this place as there’s so much to do. You can have amazing food in cafes like The Vault, Boombox Cafe, or McDonalds, KFC, Dominos, Dunkin, Starbucks etc and also do some branded shopping in stores like Benetton etc. Also, inner circle have specific interest centric shops too, like musical instruments for musicians, Photographer’s paradise and Oxford Bookstore. Ah, Bookstore, oh shit, I might go off track now as I’ve spent approximately 3 hours in this store at a stretch without realizing the time, will talk about this in another post maybe. So, apart from these big stores, you’ll find people selling cool phone covers, bags, books, accessories, and cigarettes and candies. However, you’ll have to bargain a lot to get the best price for the duplicate things, yes, I got replica of original fast track watch for just 100 rupees after a lot of bargaining. EEEEEEEEeeeeeeee… I feel so good. Okay excited mode on hold. So yes, this was a brief overview of the inner circle.

Okay, so now if you’re a girl and a shopping freak, Janpath is the place for you. Only requirement being, you love shopping and are a bargaining queen. Since, I don’t fulfill either of the requirements, not going to say much. Been there, twice or thrice, was out of there within 30 minutes and I feel very proud to say that I actually got all the required things in those 30 minutes, you see I’m very fast and a professional. That’s all for Janpath.
Now, if you’re still not satisfied, go to the Emporiums Section which is a five minute walk from Gate no. 7 and you’ll find good clothes there with reasonable price range and longer shelf life. And if you walk further, you’ll reach Hanuman Mandir and Bangla Sahib.

Hanuman Mandir is a place bustling with people and you can see them doing various religious rites and you might participate if you believe in them, however, it’s more fascinating to watch than practice and Bangla Sahib, is a beautiful and peaceful place to spend some time for introspection, and rejoicing the gift of life and if you happen to have langar then it’s a divine experience altogether.

There’s so much to this place that I possibly cannot write everything even though I wish to. CP has many connotations associated with it. Apart from all the things mentioned above, CP celebrates Raahgiri Day every sunday morning from 6 AM to 12 noon (but it usually ends around 11 AM :P) and currently there’s a Food Festival going on in CP, “Dilli ke Pakwan” as part of Christmas and new year celebration. Do give a visit within this year. Have Fun, and keep on exploring! 🙂

Truly, Connaught Place is a place where there’s life in all its Glory!!

Happy new year guys! 😀