Mridula assigns what is called a meme, which I wonder if is just a new name for tags. Whatever be it, it goes like this:
“Here is the new meme. It is simple, easy and gives no room for whining one usually associates with a meme. All you have to do is select and upload one photo that you have clicked this year that is special to you. Could be anything…aesthetic, technical or personal. Also, put in a short note why it is special.”
There was some delay on getting on with this, blame it on my computer which wasn’t working for past 3 days.
And now, allow me to complain, like a man must. How good is to ask mother to pick her favourite child? Well, a bit of whining had to happen before I get down to business. Here is the image.
Taken at Thadiyandamol in May 2007. It is an image I have been working on for full three years before I managed to get it just the way I want. That does all the explanation to favourite it.
The next duty is to pass it on, and that’s where I get a little troubled. But then, surely you, who is reading it, would want to have a look back at all the pix you made through the year? And while you are at it, surely you would want to post it on your blog?
Yet another visit to Thadi. I would never have enough of the place, and just before embarking on this trip I had already committed myself to another visit.
* Destination never mattered. We decided to rest somewhere halfway, found a place under shade and sat down, and were lying flat the next minute under the shade of the tree, with cool breeze adding to the mild winter weather. And we remained lying there long enough, till sun moved to stunt the shadow and brought in warmth, moving only slightly once a while to make way to a few more people who made their way up.
* Pitched the tent at the standard place, the highest point where there was water, and instead of moving on, comfily settled down for the harsh sun of the afternoon to move over.
* Unwillingly yielded to move on towards the peak, pretty late in the day, reluctantly leaving the comfort of the tent and the books we were reading; making it to the peak just in time for the golden sunset
Sun setting on Thandiyandamol peak
* sitting down at the peak, watching the hopelessly beautiful valley at one side and going ‘oooooh…’ and then after forgetting self for a few minutes, suddenly turning around to the other side, only to watch another hopelessly beautiful valley and go ‘ooooh…’ all over again…
* braving the cold wind on the top, overlooking the world below, dreaming of various things undescribable, feeling immensely happy. Finding a shelter from the wind – in a seat of comfort – watching the glory of the evening sun in silence.
* returning back to the tent, walking in darkness, guided only by the mild rays of the half moon. Watching flicker of fireflies in the dark forest. The feeling of a firefly landing on my shirt and walking up slowly, lighting up its path. The pleasure of letting it into my hands and watching it remain there for a few seconds before flying off. Pleasure in its purest form.
* Lying down on the rock in the night, watching the ‘moon and the stars and the sky’, wanting nothing else but just this, feeling infinite gratitude to mother nature for its creations.
* Waking up early in the morning only to see a foggy world, and to postpone ‘actual waking up’ again and again; finally dragging out of the tent after many postponements to see a ‘slightly’ clear weather.
* continually postponing the process of returning to the ‘world’ from 10.30 to 12.30 to 3.30, and finally 5.30pm, and finally walking down after a failed attempt to move it further to next morning!
* A random walk in the meadows that ended up in a nearby peak, experiencing force of the wind that made standing up difficult! Listening to the lone rhododendron tree braving the wind and roaring like a sea while at it. Wondering what the tree felt – was it jubilant to be standing alone at the top, kissed by the high winds, or did it curse the bird that dropped its seed in this high place?
…feeling overjoyed to face the force of the wind, until the wind won on us. And then to find escape from the wind to the warm sun at the other side of the hill, sitting protected and watching big trees and the tiny grass on the opposing hill sway sensuously. And to hear the magically beautiful words – “this is all that I really need”.
* Returning from the random walk for refueling, only to continue on the random walk, to discover a small waterfall. Finding a fallen tree next to a rock in front of the fall. Sitting on the tree, with the rock providing backrest, silently watching the water fall-by in the theater of nature, feeling blessed and blissful.
* Endless chatter all through supported by an equal share of blissful silence, on desires, on the wish to escape from the routine and mundane, on the wish to be free, on the wish to live by the moment, on the wish to see the world, on wishes themselves, on things wise and unwise, on simplicity, on synchronized minds, on books, on movies, on Betelgeus and Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent, on bikes and trains, and even on the chatterati’s topic of delight – the Bangalore traffic!
* watching a blackbird fly past as we walk, listening to the incessant chatter of parakeets on the top of the canopy, and the pleasing whistle of the drongos, watching sunbirds go ‘chee.. chee..’ oblivious to our presence, trying to judge how far is an invisible partridge by listening to its call, seeing colorful yellow browed bulbuls..
Thadi, never, ceases, to, fascinate!
Travelling in Himachal in June – 2007
Shimla >> Manali >> Rohtang >> Chandratal >> Ki/Kibber/Tabo >> Kalpa >> Shimla
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Next morning, I had to get down from the bus at Solan – a little before Shimla, and head to a riverside camp owned by a friend, which was another hour’s drive away. “I will be picked up by someone at 5.30 at Solan by-pass”, he had told me. Unfortunately my bus had reached there much earlier – at 3.45 and I had to wait till 5.15 in a nondescript place which, to some extent resembled a bus-stand but did not have a proper place to sit. Being up north, dawn broke earlier than I expected and people started moving up and down the streets a little before it was still well lit.
I started a conversation with the driver the moment I was in the car. He lived in a small village near the river camp with his family and they depended primarily on agriculture. Working as a part time driver earned him some additional income. He said “we are eleven people in the family”. Most of the houses in the region had a lot of people living under one roof. I asked the same question to another guy later on, and he did not have an answer ready. “Bahut log hein” – There are many, he said without bothering to get a count! Despite living in the hills and having to do some tough physical labour, most of the locals did not look very strong, but seemed a bit frail instead. Neither were they talkative, smiling and enthusiastic lot that you normally get to meet in the high hills.
We drove through winding hilly roads which offered vistas of the valley below. “You must be finding Himachal very beautiful”, said the drive, without really giving me a choice of an answer. I nodded. He suddenly stopped the car at a place nowhere, overlooking a valley and said – “spend some time and have a look at those beautiful hills”. It was very unlike any driver and I got down from the car, surprised. His motto became clear when he walked a little farther to quickly relieve himself and got back to continue the journey! We deviated from the main road, crossed a river on a narrow bridge and continued on a road that got narrower, lost its tarmac, and eventually terminated at a river-front. He halted and said “you need to walk on this track along the river bed”, and we parted there.
Continued at Giri River Camp, Himachal