A Rendezvous with the Queen and the Brother

                                     

On the wall of my living room hangs a painting with a scenic view – snowclad mountains, dense trees, a placid blue river, and the clear blue sky above. Every time I look at the painting, I am vicariously transported to this landscape which has an abundance of white, blue, and green – the vibrant colours of Nature. Indeed, Nature, with her immense beauty, is a muse for so many artists! It was time for me to personally experience this beauty. It was time to meet the mighty mountains. It was time to meet the brother of North-eastern Indian states, Sikkim and the Queen of Hills, Darjeeling.

Our sojourn in Sikkim started with Gangtok, the capital city. Before we could meet the mountains, we first decided to seek blessings of the deities here, at Ganesh Tok and Hanuman Tok. Hanuman Tok is a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman and is believed that He rested for some time during His return trip to Lanka while carrying sanjeevani herb to cure a wounded Lakshman, where this temple now lies. It is also believed to be a wish fulfilling temple. On the way to the temple, there were pictorial representations from Lord Hanuman’s life since childhood. If pictures speak a thousand words, then Ramayana could be understood from those pictures. The temple is located at 7,200 feet from the sea level and the green mountains surrounding it simply add to the divine presence. We were in the arms of the lush-green mountains, and they stretched their arms further at Ganesh Tok. Ganesh Tok is a temple of Lord Ganesha, situated on top of a hill providing beautiful view of Gangtok. Next to the Ganesh temple is a small temple of Lord Shiva as well. It is amazing to realise how these places of worship provide tranquility. The sanctity is not only restricted to the temples where these deities reside, but their presence is also felt in the consecrated mountains around! Mountains, valleys and views of the city from a height is something that that is abundantly found in Gangtok. We could not get enough of mountainous views and visited Tashi View Point next. This point offers view of the Kanchenjunga. However, the clouds were in readiness to descend in form of rains and obstructed our view of the great mountain. We felt cross at the clouds for literally raining on our parade. However, can anyone gauge or challenge the moods of Nature? Certainly not. Happy to have met the green mountains, it was time to meet the mountains in white blankets, the main attraction of our trip.

We headed to Nathu La Pass the next morning. While Nathu La is a sight to behold, the roads leading to it are like red carpets welcoming its visitors. On our way, we were first greeted by tall green mountains. The views became mesmerising on our way up. The colourful small houses nestled in the mountains looked picturesque from above. As we went higher, the green mountains gave way to show the regal snow-white mountains. We were seeing snow for the first time and the childlike excitement in us knew no bounds. I held a ball of snow in my hands for the first time and it felt special. The air became cooler. The sun shone brightly on the snow-covered mountains, but its presence could not be felt against the cool breeze that freely wafted. On our way we also saw army camps at various places named after the bravehearts who were awarded Param Vir Chakra and other honours. Equipped with clothing and shoes suitable for snow, we took our first baby steps in snow to reach the Indo-China border. No pains, no gains - this was very true while walking up to the border. The snow was acting like a slippery ground, and we took each step slowly and carefully. The soldiers of the Indian army were helping people reach safely all along the way. After a strenuous walk of about 30-45 minutes, we reached on top to see the border that divides India and China. On Indian side of the border where we stood, our tricolour swayed proudly amidst the strong cold winds and mounds of snow, as though symbolising the courage of our soldiers who defend our nation even in the harshest of weather conditions. On the other side, we saw the Chinese Flag and the Chinese Post. The vast snow and gargantuan mountains were spread beyond our sight, but they did not know the national boundaries laid by humans. They were only bound by the cycles and miracles of Nature. No matter how many years pass, this unique experience of watching two nations up close will always stay with me.

We visited Baba Mandir next, a temple dedicated to Baba Harbhajan Singh, a sentry in the Indian army who lost his life after drowning in a stream while escorting mules with provisions. It is believed that he appeared in the dreams of one of his colleagues and asked him to build a memorial in his name. Although he is no more, his colleagues believe that his spirit is still alive, continues to do his duty and protects them in the difficult terrain. Inside the temple is an idol of Baba Harbhajan Singh and vessel of holy water outside the temple. A few steps away from the temple, stood a statue of Major General Sagat Singh, who during the Indo-Chinese tensions in 1965 did not relent to the Chinese pressure to withdraw from Nathu La and it remained defended under India. It was also written below his statue that today if visitors can come to Nathu La, it is only because of Major General Sagat Singh. India is indeed fortunate to have courageous sons like him and Baba Harbhajan Singh, who dedicated their lives in service of the nation. The aura around this place felt mystical. There was an idol of a meditating Shiva at a distance atop another temple, with a milky waterfall originating from one of the mountains behind the tall idol. We experienced natural beauty, bravery, and spirituality, all in one place. A few kilometers away was the Changu or Tsongmo Lake with its calm ink-blue water, surrounded by snowy mountains. The painting on my wall at home had started coming to life. This beautiful sight captivated my heart, and I could have basked in its serenity for hours! There were yaks around the lake who seemed carefree and enjoyed the peace around. These huge cattle with hairy bodies, long thorns and bushy tails are fit to thrive in the extreme cold of the Himalayas. These three wonderful spots – Nathu La pass, Baba Mandir and Changu Lake had already become the favourite part of my trip, and it was time to bid them goodbye, treasuring all the wonderful views in our hearts and eyes.

Sikkim is a haven as well as a heaven for natural beauty and we set out the next day from Gangtok to explore another photogenic town in North Sikkim, Lachung. In the road journey to Lachung, we again went up higher and higher in the mountains, which we by now had learnt was the characteristic of the region. The sylvan forests, numerous green mountains with waterfalls emanating from them soon became a common sight, yet we could not stop absorbing all the natural grandeur around. While protection of Nature is considered of utmost importance by the people here, she can also act unforgiving at times, by causing destruction during landslides. We passed many such mutilated roads during the journey. Similar to human nature, Mother Nature can be unpredictable too! On our way, we visited three milky-white waterfalls – Butterfly or Seven Sisters waterfall, Naga Falls and Bhim Nala or Amitabh Bachchan falls. While the mountains had not failed to astonish us, these waterfalls took up the challenge of astonishing us further with their cascading beauty. The tumultuous roar of the waters lingered with us for long. Surrounded by the panorama of the lofty mountains, these waterfalls with their copiousness taught how priceless these water resources are.

We reached Lachung, with a mesmerising view of Kanchenjunga to welcome us. We relished the view of these icy mountains from the hotel where we stayed. Their icy presence was felt in form of freezing temperature of almost 3-4 degrees. For Mumbaikars like us who survive in the sweltering heat of c.35 degrees, this was the coldest that we had felt. However, the cold weather could not dampen our excitement. Next morning, we visited Yumthang Valley or the valley of flowers, known for the various species of rhododendron, the state flower. The road to Yumthang, though bumpy at times, too had many scenic views of mountains and rivers to offer. There were times when we drove through the river. The sound of the splashing running water seemed like natural music, almost therapeutic. Unfortunately, we could not see the flowers in the valley due to the unseasonal and thus unreasonable rain which had caused the flowers to fall off. While that disappointed us a little, there was still no dearth of beauty to see around. We had hoped to see the colourful flowers, but the tranquil river, yaks busy grazing pasture on meadows surrounded by the Himalayan mountains were not less captivating. If I were an artist, I would have loved to paint this picture too! The rains were planning to make a comeback, which gave way to chilly winds, almost freezing us. We took our leave from Yumthang and thus from Sikkim, clicking as many pictures as we could and soon bade goodbye to the snowy mountains we had grown to love so much. We were glad to meet this brother of the seven sisters of North-east India, who does not share his borders with his sisters, but has countries like Nepal and Bhutan bordering him.

The last leg of our trip was Darjeeling. India’s landscape, her people, their languages change every few kilometres and we experienced this on our road trip from Gangtok to Darjeeling. We saw the serene Teesta river that flows through Gangtok and West Bengal on our way to Darjeeling. We were soon welcomed by the vivacious-looking mountains of Darjeeling. Though they did not have blankets of snow, their verdant beauty was as beautiful. Darjeeling, the Queen of Hills, welcomed us with her emerald elegance. We saw the toy trains for which Darjeeling is known for. The next day, it was time to see the Himalayan fauna at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, the largest high-altitude zoo in India. As we entered the zoo, we were first greeted by black bears and various species of deer found in Himalayan ranges. The species of deer such as barking deer, Himalayan Tahr etc. grazed contentedly. Next, we saw my favourite - the stars of the cat family – snow leopard, the jungle leopard, Royal Bengal tiger and Bagheera the black panther from The Jungle Book. The tiger prowled around his enclosure, gracing everyone with his majestic presence. He seemed to have liked his visitors. I spent some more time standing near his enclosure, feeling amazed by his proud walk every minute. We also saw Tibetan wolves who looked sly in their cream-white coats and sat in a picture-perfect pose. The main attraction of the zoo were the red pandas. These small, innocent-looking, honey-and-white creatures looked like the ones from children’s storybooks. The two red pandas that we saw jumped skillfully from one tree to another. I found them endearing and happy-go-lucky animals!

Inside the zoo lies the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, which I believe is not only an institute that trains mountaineers, but also is a source of inspiration for non-mountaineers like many of us. The institute’s motto, “May you climb from peak to peak” motivates any individual to reach from one summit of success to another. This trip has all been about enormous mountains and getting awestruck by their glory. This institute provided us with an insight about the great Himalayas and its peaks that are spread across India, Nepal and China. The might of the mountains is beyond the human imagination. Yet some brave climbers took up the challenge to reach the summits of these seemingly impossible peaks. Some succeeded, while some lost their lives. Their stories were nothing short of courage and inspiration. The institute which had a museum as well, displayed the provisions that are required for mountaineering and to battle the harsh weather. The pictures of the mountaineers on the snowclad mountains were epitomes of bravery. Tenzing Norgay was the first Indian to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, the world’s highest mountain on 29^th May, 1953. His successful climb along with Edmund Hillary gave an impetus to pursue mountaineering, because of which this institute was established. Tenzing Norgay was born on 29^th May 1914 and he reached the summit on the same day, 39 years later. It was as though he was born to reach the Everest! His memorial outside the institute is an ode to this distinguished man, who made the impossible possible with his sheer grit and determination. We also visited the Bengal Natural History Museum existing since British times and has taxidermized species of a variety of animals and birds. They looked lifelike and I felt gazed at us in wonder.

Darjeeling is famous for tea and visiting tea estate was a must-do. The widely spread and organised green carpets of tea plantations were a treat to the eyes. The women plucking the tea leaves reminded me of the pictures that we see promoting Darjeeling tourism. We also enjoyed a cup of special Darjeeling tea while we enjoyed the view. I have grown to believe that mountains are synonymous with peace and divinity. Our next spot, Japanese temple and Peace Pagoda, justified that. This wonderful Japanese Buddhist temple was founded by Fuji Guruji, a Japanese monk to establish the Buddhist order for world peace. He was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and believed that the concept of non-violence would help Buddhism to proliferate in India. The Peace Pagoda has four avatars of Lord Buddha. From the top of the Pagoda, we could see panoramic views of the Darjeeling landscape. The white Peace Pagoda and the golden Buddha truly emanated optimism and peace. Our last spot in Darjeeling was the Batasia Loop which had a lovely flowering garden, around which the toy train track is laid. It is a delightful sight of resplendent flowers and fresh green plants. At its centre is the Batasia Loop War Memorial, paying homage to Gorkha soldiers who lost their lives in various wars after India’s independence. Next to the memorial stands a statue of a soldier who bows in respect for his fellow soldiers, thus resonating our sentiments for the bravehearts. It is written at the entrance of Batasia Loop, “When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow… we gave our today.” This solemn message reminds us of the countless sacrifices that our soldiers make to defend the honour of India. Carrying this message in our hearts, we curtsied to this Queen of Hills and took her leave.

I always carry some teachings from my trip back home. So, what did the mountains teach me? We might never actually climb difficult mountains, but there might be instances in life where problems and disappointments might look like huge mountains. Yet, one needs to stand tall and strong to overcome these mountains, to reach from one peak of happiness and success to another. We might not defend the geographical borders of a nation or a state, but we surely can defend the borders and lay boundaries when it comes to our physical and mental wellbeing. Thus, this much-needed proximity in the lap of Mother Nature left me rejuvenated as well as left me longing for the mountains who were there, are there and will always be there to welcome me whenever I want to have a rendezvous with them!

In God’s Own Country

I have always believed that Indian regional cinema shows the authentic picture of a particular state – the nature and attire of the people, their language and dialect, eating habits, body language and most importantly, its distinct geographical beauty. We see the diversity of our country through regional cinema. I have always been a fan of Marathi cinema and the great content that it offers in most of the movies. With the advent of OTT, movies in other Indian languages have become easily available. Using subtitles as my trusted acolyte, I have also taken an interest in watching cinemas from the South, which are getting popular these days among pan Indian viewers as well. Among the South Indian content, I love Malayalam movies the most, as the concepts are always unique and keep the viewer entertained throughout their duration. I have now become a fan of Malayalam actors like Prithviraj, Dulquer Salmaan, Fahadh Faasil and Tovino Thomas and look forward to watching their movies! What I love about Malayalam movies is not only the actors and interesting content but also the scenic beauty of Kerala. In 2022, having watched around 30+ Malayalam movies while touring through the greenery of Kerala virtually, I decided to pay an actual visit to what is called God’s own country.

While there are many picturesque places in Kerala as shown in the movies, we decided to explore Munnar and Kumarakom during this trip. Our journey thus began from Kochi airport to Munnar, a roughly 3.5 hours road trip spent while enjoying the views outside. As we were reaching Munnar, abundant greenery welcomed us with open arms. The tall green mountains, the vast expanse of tea estates and the coolness in the air were exactly something we were looking forward to in Munnar and these were the just the welcome glimpses of the amazing views that lay ahead during our stay. The next day, we set off to explore the sightseeing areas in Munnar. The weather was pleasant just how we had expected. It was foggy all around and everything, including the mountains and roads, seemed hidden behind the cotton-like white fog. All around Munnar, the only colours we could see were green and white. Our first stop was Periyakanal Waterfalls. They looked straight out of a painting in their milky white colour. The sound of the gushing water felt music to the ears and the view was a treat to the eyes. After seeing the little white part of Munnar’s beauty, next we explored the green beauty, in form of verdant expanses of tea estates. These tea estates go far beyond the reach of the eyes, and they look like symmetrically groomed mountains. When in Munnar, a picture among the tea estates is a must! To fulfil this wish of tourists like us, there was a photo point in the tea estate. We grabbed this perfect and rare opportunity to be seen among the greenery and clicked many pictures of ourselves and the views that were worthy of any desktop or mobile wallpaper.

Next, we visited the Lockhart tea factory and museum to understand how tea, our daily morning beverage, is made from the tea leaves that we saw on the colossal mountains. Just outside the factory, we read about the history and origin of tea and how it made its way in India. Through a well-guided tour, we came to know the types of tea and the stages of tea manufacturing. At the end of the factory/museum visit, we tasted different types of tea – green, black, and white. Throughout the visit in the factory, we could get refreshing aroma of tea as it was being processed and could tempt any non-tea drinker as well to have a cup full of tea. After experiencing the green and white beauty, we went next to see a palette of beautiful colours in form of a flower garden. Commonly known as the KFDC garden, the floriculture centre in Munnar is a place full of beautiful flowers, herbs, medicinal and bonsai plants. This botanical garden has a wide collection of Kerala’s well known as well as rare blooms. We could not resist clicking umpteen pictures there as it was truly a delight to see so many colours at one place!

Next on our list was Echo point. Echo Point provides a panoramic view of the surrounding hills and evergreen forest cover. It is a place where you can reconnect with your inner child by screaming at your heart’s content and hear back your own voice coming from the thick greenery around. Towards the sound of gushing water was where we went next, at Madupetty dam. It is a huge dam built in the mountains of Kerala, to produce hydroelectricity. Next to the dam is Mattupetty Lake which is perennial and never dries up even during summers.

It was now time to go high up in the mountains. Our last destination for the day was Eravikulam National Park. Situated in the high ranges of Kerala, Eravikulam National Park provides magnificent view of hills with tea plantations. At the base of the National Park, there are buses which take the tourists at the top from where one can see only and only huge green mountains with clouds descending on them. After getting down from the bus, we enjoyed a trek in Rajamala, the region lying beyond the road entry into Eravikulam. Eravikulam is also famous for the natural habitat of Nilgiri Tahr, the endangered mountain goat and this park is built with the aim of conserving them. The park also had information about how Nilgiri Tahr eventually found their way to Indian mountains starting originally from Alps in Europe. I envied these animals momentarily for their ability to travel across continents without any passport or visa! We walked while enjoying the cool breeze that pleasantly brushed our skin. The clouds had touched the road and with child-like excitement, we wanted to catch hold of a little piece of cloud in our hands! It was truly a breath-taking view which gave a feeling that you’re probably on top of the world. The park is also known for Neelakurinji flowers, which bloom once in twelve years and the entire place is carpeted with blue. The wonders of Nature are never-ending and limitless!

The next morning, we headed out to get another view from the mountain. The fog seemed to have settled on the mountains, making the view below white. We went ahead to take a jeep tour which covered a couple of sightseeing areas. The jeep took us to a dense forest area with patchy roads which we enjoyed while listening to some Malayalam songs. After this bumpy ride, we visited the Ripple Waterfalls next, another white wonder. We could listen to the flow of water from a distance and did a small trek till the waterfalls showed themselves. The milky white water flowed with full vigour. The never-ending flow of water made me think that life also flows like this water – it moves on despite difficulties and challenges, we learn from this flow of different situations in life. The next stop on this jeep tour was the Hanging Bridge. Built by the British, this bridge is nestled amidst the greenery. Standing on this bridge, we enjoyed the calmness and silence in nature’s vicinity. Close to this bridge is Ponmudi dam, another source for power generation. We saw film shooting point next, where some scenes of Chennai Express were shot. Like Echo Point, a serene lake is surrounded by beautiful mountains which reflect in the limpid water, worthy of enticing any shutterbug.

Kerala is known for its spices and Ayurveda. Our next destination was a spice garden. Kerala is home to a variety of spices: cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, among the few. Known as the Queen of Spices, cardamom is highly prized among all spices found. Through a guided tour in the plantations, we learned about the characteristics of some spices, their nutritive value, and the flavour that they add to the food. There were also some Ayurvedic herbs which are widely used in the medicines. These traditional Ayurvedic treatments and plants have been bequeathed till present times as we understood that some households still used these Ayurvedic ingredients in their daily course of life, thus being the torchbearers of rich ancient tradition. Such Ayurvedic oils form an important constituent of the famous Kerala massages. Thus, if you think that you are missing some aromatic spice in your life, Kerala is the place for you. We believe that variety is the spice of life, hence we carried this variety of aromatic spices back home as a fond memory of Kerala.

Kerala is also home to many elephants – most intelligent and emotional animals in the animal kingdom. We went to an elephant camp next. When we reached there, we saw the two elephants languidly chewing on the heap of grass that was served to them. Despite their mammoth size, elephants look calm and content, without a worry in the world. These magnificent creatures teach the mankind that unwarranted abuse of power can be avoided, and peace be maintained despite the physical might that one may possess. We clicked a picture with one of the elephants and it gave its approval by raising its trunk, while also cleverly posing for the picture. Indeed, they are intelligent animals! We bade goodbye to them as they returned to their job of entertaining other tourists.

Having experienced the natural beauty of Kerala, it was time to get a glimpse of Kerala’s culture in form of its dance and martial arts forms. We watched spellbinding performances of Kathakali and Mohiniyattam. In school, we had only read like a general knowledge fact that Kathakali and Mohiniyattam are classical dance forms of Kerala. But to watch these graceful dances was a different experience altogether. The movements of the dancers were in tandem with the music played and exuded elegance in every minute of the performance. Heavily focused on facial and eye expressions, mastering these dance forms is not an easy feat. The Kathakali performances depict episodes from Lord Krishna’s life, which also gives a storytelling experience to its viewers. The colourful masked faces and the exquisite attires make the dances an absolute treat to the eyes. These dance forms symbolize the rich Indian culture, one that highlights the diversity we are proud about. After the dance performances, we went to witness the martial arts wonder that was Kalaripayattu, one of the oldest surviving martial arts in India. These performances using different forms of weapons such as swords, daggers, sticks and even fire, were nothing but jaw-dropping performances. The physical reflexes that the practitioners had and the ease with which they handled the weapons showed the intense training that goes into mastering this unique form of martial art. There were moments where we watched the performances with bated breath, unsure what to expect next in this adrenaline rush inducing martial art form. Thus, our stay in Munnar ended on this energetic note, an energy that had been passed on to today’s generation as well, to keep the flame of traditional dance forms and martial arts burning.

We headed to Kumarakom the next morning, thus descending from the mountains to the backwaters. As we drove from Munnar, I bade one final goodbye to the huge green mountains that I had grown to love. Quite serendipitously, the sun shone brightly on the day we left from Munnar and we could see the mountains clearly in the absence of fog, standing proudly in their emerald green. On reaching Kumarakom, we were welcomed by tall coconut trees and banana leaves. Next morning, we headed out to visit a Shiva temple, where we also sought blessings of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Parvati. Lord Ganesha wore a garland of bananas, something which was seen in abundance in Kumarakom, which makes banana chips another must-buy in Kerala. Kumarakom is known for its backwaters and a houseboat ride in these backwaters was a must-have experience. In the evening, we set out on the boat sailing in these calm waters while the sun was setting and casting its shining reflection in the water, like a ball of gold. We enjoyed this sense of sangfroid which is possible only in Nature’s propinquity. Soon, the sun took its leave for the day, and we headed back to our hotel. With this, our beautiful stay in Kerala came to an end.

The enthralling natural beauty of Kerala, the aromas of its spices and the treasure of ancient Indian traditions in form of Ayurveda, Kathakali and Kalaripayattu will forever remained imprinted in our minds as another chapter in India’s diversity in one of her most beautiful states in South!