Looking at the mountains and saying - "Oh, it's so beautiful !!" is definitely not for the Adventure Breed. Himalayas are so vast and massive that perhaps no human being in his one life can ever finish travelling to its corners, summits, the terrai, doors and the platue on its other side. To add to it, there are villages, people, their way of living day to day life and their sacred culture, and lots more...
Coming from a struggling middle-class family, who valued education and a good job, I had followed the path of becoming a Computer Science Engineer and working as a Software Developer. However, with my childhood spent mostly in the freedom of the Himalayan Foothills of Bhutan and Bengal, how could I remain constrained within the artificially air-conditioned rooms of the corporates. Everything was so artificial about it !! Though it gave me money to do my first ever high altitude trek - The Roopkund Ronti Saddle Trek. That was it... that was what was required by my soul. The trek got me back into my skin and merged my soul with me. Life of the corporates never felt interesting anymore, regardless of the money and comfort.
From then till now, lots of sacrifices in normal life gifted me the best ever experiences of life, which none can snatch from me. After college, while all of my friends lived for accumulating things which they will leave behind, I made myself busy gaining things which I will take with me to my death bed. To my parents though it was disheartening
For me, The Himalayas are my daily dose of dope to get high. To describe to you how that high feels and means to me may go beyond my expressions. Each trek, each summit, sometimes the same trek multiple times... Each of them can be 'distinctively distinguished'. Of course different times, and different seasons give a different view, but it's the FEEL that a trek gives to you for which a trek becomes and remains special. Himalayas are like the MIRROR - just that instead of reflecting your physical body, it reflects your inner self, your soul, your strengths, your weaknesses, your likes, your dislikes, your dreams... Hence helps you in finding 'THE YOU'. Each interaction in the Himalayas, both living and non-living things has been the 'Milestone Moment' of my life till now.
Not Just Trek !!
Apart from knowing the mountains, appreciating its geographical presence, reaching it, seeing it and feeling it, it also feels lovely to know its people, and their culture, understand their way of life, build bonds with not just the place, but also its people!!
The mighty Himalayas not only serves your pleasure but also heal you as well... It makes you stronger and becomes your best friend for a lifetime. Many times it has helped me take very important strong decisions with such ease !! While working as a Trek Leader with one of the GIANTS in our country, I have seen ignorance of the eco-system, reluctance for enforcing safety procedures, profit mindedness in giving basic comfort and safety, borne lots of commercial ideas converting Trekking to anything but trekking. I have heard and tolerated "Good Food Is The Key To Excellent Trek" theories. At times, I have trekked with 32 trekkers, and when you have to trek with porters and other staff, the number increases even more than 50 !! While managing such huge groups honed my skills, somewhere else, negligence leading to deaths and irresponsibilities leading to inhuman actions had to be tolerated even !! That definitely gave me a lot of insight into how the very sport of trekking and its experiences are manipulated by these companies to serve their profit-making goals. It was intolerable. However, the main point is, The Himalayas are so powerful and Godly, that when on its lap, everything eases out. Life blooms out of everyone and would automatically overtake all the low feelings by inspiring all of us by its very presence...
The mighty Himalayas are to go silent at.. become humble.. get carried away by the sway of its wind, feel free.. build love.. and stay footed !! When I stand still and stare at the clouds playing with the mountains, I feel something to explain that I have no words for. The rains, snowfall, winds, hail... everything... I feel my playground has returned to me where I play without anything behind my mind, like in my childhood. People say that childhood once gone does not come back again.. when I have found a way to get it back, I am no fool to give it up !!
This Life For The Himalayas