Resonance

The annual Himalayan trek - this has become synonymous with the reason I will be disappearing from the roll call of life during the month of May. I love these treks for various reasons ranging from fun to flora to physics (of the meta variety). But more than anything else for the opportunity it provides to connect back with ourselves - that genuine ourselves hidden behind layers of personas we created to wade through this complex journey called life. There is nothing more important and more invigorating to meet that part of us to get back the confidence that there is still a chance and purpose to this life.

For all the things on offer during these treks, one thing that I never really indulge in is networking. Its a pointless pursuit and a wasted exercise if we end up trying to figure what people do in the world of business. It becomes a logical exercise in identifying common areas where one can continue to build a relationship but I don't think we should even bother about such things. Exposed to wilderness and scarcity (well not of food but of amenities), it is far more intriguing to realize, to our own consternation, that there hardly exist any differences amongst us at that level. I mean, if any one watching us from afar refers to us using pronouns like "it" and "this" (like how we refer to animals), you wouldn't really find it offensive. After all there is hardly anything to differentiate once we drop the masks and the consequent accompaniments. 

The circumstances and surroundings that we are exposed to are unique in each trek and, what I end up cherishing really is becoming one with those. Except on the first trek that I did with trekkenture, I really didn't bother to take too many pictures or make notes during these treks. The locals and their stories, the mountains and their glories, the young and old trees, the birds and bees, the clouds and their vagaries and, the unending drama of all these coming together to create such enchanting phantasmagoria for us to lose ourselves in - why should we even bother to apply our mind to make memories? Let the the mind and body retain what they can as muscle memory but let there be no conscious effort to become a chronicler of all this - I keep reminding myself. That way, I remain eager and enthusiastic for the next trek. Time and place - forgotten. Encounters of the enigmatic kind - retained if they make a lasting impression. Fun and frolic - forgotten. 

This year's trek to Mehalwar Dhar was no different then. Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, Pir Punjal mountain ranges and in the laps of Gadasur Mahadev is where we played this time. Mahadev had different names in the past - Shrikand, Bijli etc but the bottom line always remains that Shiva is the reigning Lord of the mountains. He is, of course, the reigning Lord of everything that exists (and that doesn't) and yet the Himalayas always make you feel that He is watching you from every Peak, through every bird and tree and, from every grain of earth as you prance around. "Kan kan se jhaankti tumhe chavi Virat ki". Don't put up a show anymore. Don't be an observer and learner anymore. You become the observed if you observe. You become the Virat if you let go. Shiva is generous and kind if you let go. Let go.

The journey from Delhi to the base camp was little long and tedious. We had to hop from crazy Autos in Paharganj traffic into Volvo buses with nasty drivers into tempo travelers and eventually into 4X4s of Mahindra and Tata to get to our tents. It was long and tedious. Long and tedious. Long and, let me be honest here. While the journey was long, it wasn't tedious at all. The group of men, women and children really vibed well. When I say vibed well, I mean there is hardly any occasion in life that you end up being part of a group in which everyone is actually vibrating at more or less the same frequency. This was one such group where the variance was +/- 5Hz at best.

Look at the setup we had for ourselves. The blessed souls from Trekkenture, very helpful and easy to deal with Junoon gang, and an extremely vibrant group of trekkers with each one making an honest attempt to let go. Perfect recipe for a full week of fun and frolic. And to top all that the scenic beauty of the place where we had our base camp was just for starters. 

After the first two days of acclimatisation and adventure, we set out to trek towards our top camp. The beauty and grandeur of the snow capped mountains all along the journey is something that has to be seen to be believed. I strongly believe that we had the darshan of Lord Shiva Himself in all his divine effulgence when we spotted, just as we climbed over a ridge, a magnificent mountain in the shape of Mount Kailash far across a lush green meadow. I don't know about others but that was the moment of the trek for me. Few of us instinctively got into a meditation session to ensure that the moment is not lost (like the poet said, "chamkalo Aaj laalima apni lalaat ki" - it warranted at least an attempt). A photograph wouldn't have done justice to the sense of connect with the eternal that the view of the mountain provided. I know it isn't mount Kailash but if Gadasur Mahadev can dwell in those mountains, who is to say which mountain is divine and which is not. Blessed we were.

The next couple of days passed like fresh breeze that carried all the fragrance of the bygone times when we were still children. We prayed and played, sang and danced all with gay abandon. Not a care in life, more so when you know Mahadev is around all the time. 

"Kan Kan se jhankti tumhe chavi Virat ki"

Thanks once again Bharti, Ajit, Yog and all those wonderful people who give us one week every year to connect back with ourselves. Like I said there is no need to carry any memories from these trips. Indulge and immerse. Nothing to remember after the trek is completed except to keep in constant touch with Ajit and Bharti to know when is the next time they can help me negotiate a brief parole period from the self imposed prison term of a transactional life. 

Har Har Mahadev.