Climbing mountains and exploring new things is what I love. Amongst the many treks I completed, majority of them have been in the Himalayas, and amongst them I loved the Sar Pass Trek with YHAI (Youth Hostels Association of India) in 2010. Starting from Kasol, their base camp in Himachal Pradesh, it was a journey that tested every limit - physical, mental, and yes, even hygienic.
Living in tents for days, sleeping bags your only comfort against the biting cold - it was an adventure in the truest sense. The most difficult part? No showers. Once you start the trek, there’s no way to take a proper shower. The water is so cold that even thinking about it makes you shiver. So you adapt - basic face wash, a simple rinse when you can manage, and lots of deodorant. Lots of it. Multiple pairs of socks become your best friends, and talcum powder is basically survival gear. But somehow, that becomes part of the experience. It was difficult to leave that place and continue onto the normal routine.
The Himalayas
The first thing that comes in the mind whenever I think of the Himalayas is the tall snow-capped mountains, lush green trees, mossy old rocks, and an undefined path that leads to another picturesque location. A place unharmed by man, a place where each and every star is visible in the open sky, a place beyond imagination.
The most exciting thing about this whole adventure is that you get to test your limits. Just imagine that you are at the base of the mountain, and have been told that you could find the elixir of life on top of the mountain, and then you start climbing the mountain, following the path, crossing the rivers, passing through the trees probably 1000 years old, flora and fauna, and if lucky, eventually could spot a bear roaming around.
Moments of Magic
And there is that time of the day, when the ray of light just enters into the heavy covered forest, it lights up the whole area in such a way like the whole place is made of mirrors, natural mirrors, every spec visible; a beautiful painting with black, green, yellow, red colors all over the place, and each moment a different scene, and when you close your eyes, you could feel the cold breeze on your face, tickling your ears and bringing that big smile on your face, and in that present moment you happen want to grab it and never let it go.
Nature has different forms from the cold icy mountains to the hot deserted islands, from the tropical beaches to deadest forests; one thing remains common which is unique entirely and that is the beauty.
13,800 Feet Above Sea Level
We trekkers were on the highest camp site on the trail, very much near to the summit of the mountain, nearly at 13,800 feet above sea-level. We had reached late in the night, exhausted, cold, and barely able to set up our tents in the dark. The altitude makes everything harder - even breathing feels like work. You crawl into your sleeping bag with all your layers on, hoping the cold doesn’t seep through.
Early in the morning, probably at 6 o’clock, when I just came out of the tent, there, there was, a beautiful sunrise where sun was just peeking through the mountains, starting to spread its colors all around, creating its own canvas with clouds, mountains, blue and orange.
How can no one fall in love with that?
But, someone called, and I turned around. There stood a mountain high touching the sky, covered in gold. The clear white snow on the mountain was reflecting the sun rays, as it snowed last night, a picturesque scene which I could never forget. The people called it the Golden Glow.
The Golden Glow
It was a very mesmerizing scene, and it felt very good, the pace of my heart beat had increased and there were actually tears in my eyes. It was actually very cold, so cold that at moment the tears could have frozen to ice. And moments later, the glow reduced and rich white shiny snow was visible which reflected light everywhere.
These were the two scenes I fell in love with, and still after years whenever I close my eyes, I still remember those two scenes, as though my eyes have clicked the pictures and stored in my permanent storage, and always have a big smile, which makes me happy and which results in making the whole day shine more brighter than the mountain.
The Real Elixir
Then you realize, the elixir of life is not an object with which you can gain immortality. Not the Amrit churned from the cosmic ocean by the Devas and Asuras as described in Hindu scriptures. Not the potion brewed from the Philosopher’s Stone that Nicolas Flamel used to live for over six centuries in the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
The real elixir is the experiences you gain along the way.
The people that wander are not lost; they just love to see the nature to its fullest. If you give the nature a chance, there will always be endless possibilities that you can experience.
There is nothing as beautiful as nature to fall in love with.