I am back, complete with a broken ligament, a few bruises, deep tan, a running nose, skin peeling off from all over my body and every part of my poor body screaming for rest; but it is my mind which is at rest; it is calm and full of memories..memories from the paradise.
Yes..I am back from a trip to the paradise..the Himalayas...the "Abode of Snow" ; which exemplifies the brilliance and splendor of nature, which emphasizes the smallness and helplessness of a human being on the face of earth. I know my words won't do any justice to those ever rising youngfold mountains and to its peaks draped in snow nor would my little camera be able to confine it's sheer magnificence in a simple polaroid; but these words had to be penned down so that years later when I go down the memory lane, I'll still feel it's awe-inspiring beauty.
The Garhwal range of Indian Himalayas laces uttaranchal, encompassing spectacular scenic beauty. Since times immemorial, the Himalayas have said to epitomize a mystical truth, it's said to possess a sanctity which each of it's stones foretell. Every snow-capped peak is said to have a spiritual aspect and every rivulet a reflective devoutness.It has lured sages and rishis since centuries into it's nest, inspiring poetry and numinous tales.
At one point as high as 25000 ft above sea level, where the vegetation grows sparse, one will find the 'GovindGanga' tearing the sharp-edged glaciers with it's turbulence but only to nestle into the arms of the majestic valleys and meadows much below the snowline. Here Nature changes it's colors every minute. It's harsh with it's unpredictable landslides at one point whereas provides tranquility at 'DevPrayag', where river Alaknanda weds Bhagirathi to give birth to the Holy Ganga.
It is the divine aspect of the Garhwal Indian Himalayas which has attracted pilgrims and ascetics whereas it's captivating beauty and jagged heights have drawn trekkers and mountaineers to test their skills against it's dangerous ravines since times to remember. It's association with the mythological tales and legends only add to the ecstacy, mounting up every moment. To stand on the same ground where "Maharshi Vyas" narrated the entire "Mahabharata" to "Lord Ganesha" elicits a feeling of bliss and harmony. The sight of the mighty "Bhim Pul" at Mana, allegedly pulled down by "Bhim" of "Pandava" fame to enable his wife "Draupadi" cross the river "Saraswati", is again a tale of fascination for the tourists.
The Garhwal valleys inhibit a strong devotion for "Nanda Devi" and "Lord Shiva". With a firm belief in the supernatural powers and black-magic, a zeal for celebrating all the Hindu religious occassions and the ancient stories involving characters from the epics and myths as a backdrop, Garhwal seems to reflect a picture of the age-old India.
The pain of venturing into the inner Himalayas along the rugged terrain seems to vanish miraculously at the sight of the flower-adorned "Valley of flowers", the serene "Hemkund-Sahib", the turbulent Ganga and Yamuna, the pious "char-dhams" or shrines, the majestic peaks and the inaccessible valleys. They all unite together to provide the contemporary man a break from the rush of the city and solace from the ever increasing worries of a modern-day life.
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