HIDDEN GEM NEAR DHARAMSHALA- INDRU NAG (CXIX)

Perks of having friends in different cities- you get to know unexplored, hidden places. 

It was a sudden weekend plan to Dharamshala- probably my seventh or eighth trip to this place. I was sitting and chilling in my hotel balcony when my friend offered to go for a scooter ride. My hotel- Hotel Sunshine Villa is a beautiful hotel amidst the nature. Flowing water of Manjhi Khad beneath and snow covered peaks above, hotel's balcony offers a breathtaking view.  

This trip was a runaway from the mundane life in Delhi. It happens with me sometimes, when despite any reason I become upset. I was sitting in the balcony thinking about 'everything'- my past, my present and my future. Overthinking is bad, they say but it helps sometimes. 

I have been hurt indefinite times and I have been betrayed numerable times, but that does not stop me to fall in love again, that does not prevent me to trust people again, that does not create fear of being betrayed again. I thought that even the brightest of mountains become dark at night. That is a cycle- cycle of life.  

View from Balcony

View from Room

I was enjoying the view  and  I was little reluctant but I agreed for the ride. We went to Indru Nag and I must say that it was the right decision.

Indru Nag is a temple constructed by villagers on Indru- Nag hill dedicated to God of Snakes and Rains.

How to Reach

It is 5 kms from Dharamshala Bus Station. One could go by road or could trek till the hill.

Landmark- Take the road upwards from Karnika Resort

Starting point of Trek

Indru Nag Temple

The hill has an option of paragliding (though it is not famous as paragliding in Bir Billing) and zip line crossing also. 

View from Indru- Nag

A local religious ceremony was going on in the temple where village women were singing local songs. I smiled at them, took photographs and videos and they smiled back.
We found a spot for us to sit and relax. My friend started working on his laptop and I got engrossed in my book again.

Videos and more pictures on Facebook page
 https://www.facebook.com/thedayirealisedthatiamalive/

JUDGEMENTS (CXVIII)

Judgement! Right judgement or wrong judgement! Why is there a need of judgement? And this is something I am talking aloof from law. 

We see a person and start judging him. We meet him and talk to him and form an opinion about him and then the series of judgements start. Check his Facebook, Instagram, Likendin profiles and create judgments from his pictures and statuses. Ask him about his work and generate another opinion about his intellect.  Ask him his address and judge about his economic strength. His full name and here comes opinions and beliefs about his caste, character and nature. Inquire about his past, a further judgment, question about his future and a new judgment. 

He laughs a lot, means he is sad. He talks a lot, means he is alone. And with everything he does or does not a supplementary opinion comes.   

Why can’t we just for a while stop thinking and take the things as they come. Why can't we just have a pure, personal understanding, involving no judgments.

चाय और उसमें से उड़ता धुआं ! (CXVII)

ऑफिस - मुझे  ऑफिस  जाना   पसंद  है l और  इसका  पूरा  श्रेय  उस   सुबह  वाली  ऑफिस  की  चाय  को   जाता  है l चाय  और  उसमें  से  उड़ता  धुआं l वो  पहला  घूँट  चाय  का , लगता  है  मानो  यही  जन्नत  हो l बिना  उस  चाय  के  काम  की  शुरुआत  नहीं  होती , दिन  की  शुरुआत  नहीं  होती l  और  चाय  भी  नायाब  होनी  चाहिए - कड़क , बिल्कुल सफ़ेद नहीं , इलाइची  और  अदरक  वाली l सामने  अगर  कोल्ड  ड्रिंक , द्राक्षासव, तरल-पदार्थ, आसव, पेय, मदिरा, शर्बत और  चाय  हो  तो  मैं  चाय  को  ही  चुनूंगी l चाय  सब  कुछ  है - सुबह  की  अंगड़ाई , शाम  की  गप -शप , रात  की  थकान l कोई  रूठे  तो  चाय , मज़ाक  तो  चाय , डेट  पे  चाय , दोस्ती  की  शुरुआत  है  चाय , ब्रेक-अप  पे  चाय l हर  सुख-दुःख  की  साथी  है  ये चाय l  

चाय  और  उसमें  से  उड़ता  धुआं - सच्चा  प्यार  तो  यही  है l  

Dharer, Himachal

SUCCESS, HAPPINESS AND TIME (CXVI)

I often come across this line and this has been taught to us since childhood- "Time is money. Do not waste time and you will be successful”. 

I do not understand what wasting time means. Is it talking with friends, chatting with them, listening to songs, dancing, watching useless videos, watching stupid movies, reading novels, partying or just sleeping? I do all this because I enjoy this. It makes me happy. I realised that time can never be wasted. Whatever we do, we always utilise “TIME”.

And then I wonder what exactly success is. Is it being rich, being powerful or both? Or is it being happy, just 'happy'? Why success is always measured in money? Why all the books, biographies have been written on people who are rich and 'successful' ? Why not any biography is written on the happiest and 'most successful' person on this earth? 

Enjoying my time brings happiness to me. And that happiness is success for me.

WHAT DO YOU SEEK FROM THIS TRIP? (CXV)

Me: I am going for a trip. I have booked the tickets but haven't booked the return tickets yet. I have told my dad that I will be back in ten days, though I am not sure about it.

He: Can I ask you something? What do you seek from this trip?

Me: Well! I go without any expectations. Every trip teaches me something. And if nothing much, it acts as a good break. 

Between, I have finished reading Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer.

He: Really! So what it is your opinion on it? Was he crazy?

Me:  I loved it. It delves into lot of psychological, philosophical acts.

And he was not crazy. Not at all! He was a seeker. 

He: What did he get?

Me: He himself is the best person to answer that. But if I put myself in his place I would get peace. Peace for being away from the society, its hypocrisy, its cliches. And if I would be alive after such a trip then I would become more confident with more self respect and self satisfaction. I might get answers to many questions which are still unanswered.  

He: So you get insights. But tell me, you return to the same old world that forced you to take a life altering path. How would you be able to deal with the same rust? How would you fix things? 

She: This World is good, society is also good. The whole battle is within us, with us. Stop expecting, stop getting hurt, stop getting attached. Then we would be the happiest people on this earth. And to win over this battle is the most difficult task and that's what travelling does for us. 

He: Inner harmony is what you are pointing at. I totally agree.  I feel he was doing justice to himself. He could have been a bit more prepared though. I seriously want such people with wisdom to flourish and inspire. And sorry for asking so many questions.

She: So true. And O! I love such conversations. 

THOSE CONVERSATIONS (CXIV)

He: Are you awake? Can we talk?

She: Yes! My eyes and ears are wide open and I love talking to you.

He: I wanted to share my thoughts, my feelings. I have some strong views against the society.

She: And what are those?

He: I am worried about the education system. I think the vocation and dreams do not align nowadays. There is too much of marketing everywhere. There is this meaningless competition everywhere which continues to the deathbed. There is materialism, individualism, power. There is greed. This is not healthy.

She (while thinking): But that is the way it is happening since ages. Society keeps running on the same rules and regulations, on the same laws. Everything is cliche. You are so right. There is no scope of any creativity these days.

He: Exactly! Creativity is the thing I was hinting at. We are being conditioned to be the next big machine.

She: I was feeling the same thing few days back and I wrote this: 

"Sometimes I cry when I am not sad

Sometimes I laugh when I am not happy

I have removed all the shackles

Disowned all the rules and regulations

Abandoned all the cliches."

He: This is some good stuff. I also write sometimes. Writing is the best way to vent out feelings. It acts as catharsis for me.  I am a dreamer. But don't take me as a total dreamer.

She: Even if you are, that is awesome. We are all living because of our dreams, otherwise life is a myth. 

कागज़ और कलम (CXIII)

आजकल बिना कुछ लिखे नींद नहीं आती l शायद लिखकर ही मैं अपनी बात बयान कर पाती हूँ l मैं क्या सोचती हूँ , क्या समझती हूँ , क्या व्यक्त करना चाहती हूँ - यह और कोई समझे या ना समझे , ये कलम ज़रूर समझ जाती है l

मिली हूँ मैं बहुत से लेखकों से , किताबें भी बहुत सी पढ़ी हैं l अच्छे लेखक और अच्छी किताबें कुछ ही होती हैं l  कुछ ही होती हैं जो आँख में आँसू और चेहरे पर मुस्कान ले आती हैं l शायद वो किताबें दर्द से , दिल से लिखी गयी हैं l

मेरे लिए लिखना एक कला नहीं , खुदी से बात करने का ज़रिया है l  लिखकर एक शांति , एक सुकून सा मिलता है l  मानो दिन भर की सारी थकान , सारा चिड़ चिड़ापन इस कागज़ पर उतार दिया हो l मानो मेरा सारा दर्द इस कागज़ ने सुन लिया हो l