Heaven on earth

In my opinion Kashmir is not the heavenly place it is touted to be. The place I stand in can be rightly termed heaven on Earth. I am talking about Uttarakhand, a state that is so beautiful and picturesque that it attracts people from all around the world. I’ve had the privilege of visiting this place twice, once to scale the Kedarkantha peak and the second time to explore the Har ki Dun valley. I happened to go right after my exams and to be honest it was the best decision I’ve made so far. Words cannot really do justice to what I experienced here. It was infallible. Let me give you a description of my journey.

We arrived at our base camp Sankri, a small village known for its tea stalls and ‘baba noodles’. (otherwise known as magi) From  my balcony, I had the stunning view of the mighty Himalayas , looking as pure as ever. What captured my attention the most here was the friendly nature of the people. They were so talkative and inquisitive about what city life was like and moreover were always ready to help. As we began the trek the next day, I was both excited and a little scared. I had scaled heights before but then again you can’t help but have butterflies in your stomach when you’re on the verge of starting something new. We walked past wide expanses of coniferous forests and I was enjoying it thoroughly. It was so silent and serene, I felt like I was at peace with myself. Lord Byron rightly said, “There is a rapture in the pathless woods.” When you’re in the forest, your thoughts become more clear, you gain different perspectives and you really begin to appreciate life for the little things. Besides, I  was hiking with a group of people who were older than me and they proved to be pretty insightful as well. As we went higher, we came across plenty of streams and rivers. The water here is so fresh, it tasted divine. You feel like you’ve merged with nature. For this brief period of time, I forgot about all my worries. I was content and satisfied.  It felt good to be away from the city lights and skyscrapers for a change. The tents became my second home. We learnt how to light a fire, cook and basically survive in the wild. The mountains in the backdrop were a vital source of inspiration for us to finish the hike.

What sets the place apart from the others I have visited is the fact that it is so green, blue and white. There are no shades of inbetween. That’s precisely how clean it is. There is some kind of strange magic in the air which does not permit you to leave the place. On our way back, we passed Oshla village known for its monasteries and cute houses made of granite tiles. We spent some time interacting with the kids of the village and also played cricket with them. The place has an amazing appeal to it. Given another chance, I would definitely come back again.