Beyond the Mountains

"What a beautiful sunrise, I swear i haven't seen such a beautiful thing in many years.", said Rakesh.

"I wish life remains like this forever.", replied Ganesh.

"Don't think about anything else just savour this moment", said the foreigner, Thomas as he took a puff from the joint.

He passed the joint to Ganesh who was sitting on the middle chair and after taking two puffs, Ganesh passed the joint to Rakesh who was sitting on the chair at his right.

It was 9 now in the morning when we got out to get something to eat.

There was a small tea stall in the market where we stopped for some tea with samose. We started to discuss our plan for the day. 

"Manikaran Sahib", said Ganesh who had researched thoroughly about Himachal Pradesh. "It is a holy place for the Sikhs and also for Hindus. This place has significance in some of the earliest Hindu scriptures that highlights how Manu, the first human on earth, created life and saved this place from a flood. And it's in the same district(Kullu district). When we will reach there, we will be precisely 1760m above the sea level."

"How far is it?", asked Thomas.

"45kms from here.", replied Ganesh. "The only question is how we gonna reach there, I mean should we book a cab or as I have confirmed from the locals, there is a way through the mountains and I am in for the second option, trekking through the mountains"

"It's not going to be that easy. Walking on road and trekking through mountains are not the same. And I forgot to tell you that only ten days are left in my vacation. I have to report at office by the next monday and I have booked my tickets back to Delhi and I have my flight on next saturday in the morning. And one more thing I wanna reach home safely. So I'm with the cab.", said Rakesh.

Now our eyes were on Thomas as he was the one whose vote would decide which way to travel to Manikaran.

 "I am sorry Rakesh", said Thomas. "But you have to understand we are here for adventure no matter from how far we came from or how far we have to go. It's doesn't matter how many days we spent neither does this matter that how many days we have left. We are here for a purpose, You, me or Ganesh. For me that mere purpose is adventure and I'm going to savour every opportunity it has to offer me. So, I'm going with Ganesh".

"Listen man! I promise you that you are not going to miss that flight of yours. And one more thing the Kullu-Manali airport is only 25 kms from Manikaran." said Ganesh.

"Alright, now when you both insist I'm in for trek also."

"We need some gears before starting our trek.", said Ganesh.

We rented an adjustable tent, some batteries and flashlights, three raincoats, rope and Thomas bought a mini bluetooth speaker. We also bought some Ganja. We went to our hotel, Pink Floyd guest house and started packing. But the thing that didn't clicked our minds was the luggage of Rakesh. But thank God he hadn't carried much with him. Just some shorts, tees, a sandal and an extra pair of trekking shoes. We packed our bags and told the hotel receptionist that we are keeping the room and we have our stuff in it and only one among us is leaving. In the market we bought some food items as we didn't knew how long the trek is going to be and there was another obstacle in our way which was rain. In our hearts we all three were a bit scared but no one was bringing it on their lips.  We bought some foods that could stay fresh for like a week and temperature was also not so hot that there was no issue to be going with food. The trek started with the crossing of a bridge underneath which river Parvatti was flowing. We started climbing on the narrow unpaved pathway formed as the result of years of climbing by the locals and even tourists. Clearing our minds of any doubts that we cannot make it and we are just exaggerating this by trekking to Manikaran. We had left the village after lunch and it was almost 4

In the afternoon when we stopped for a short break and drank some water.

"This is going to be very long", said Rakesh.

"It doesn't matter now.", Replied Ganesh.

And in the meantime Thomas was rolling up a joint. He lit it and took a puff. 

"We stopped for a short break.", Rakesh asked.

"Relax man!" Replied Thomas smiling. "Here take a hit" He passed the joint to Rakesh. "Don't worry man! We are doing good."

Ganesh put out the joint and we started our trek again. It was a sunny day so there was still time for us to continue. We were all high and we walked straight for 2 hours and we checked time and it was 6:23. It were summers we still had got like an hour before it gets all dark but it was the first day of this long trek so we thought it was better to settle down a bit early today. We should first collect some wood to light a fire as it was important to keep the large animals at a distance. After lighting the fire successfully, we pitched our tent. We had took a steel container from the hotel to warm our food which was of course cup noodles, some tea bags, water bottles and some other items. So we put some water in the container and then placed that container on top of the fire. After the water got hot we poured it equally in our cup noodles. But believe me those cup noodles were tasting a thousand times better. Maybe because we were all tired and hungry. After eating we warmed some more water for the tea which we drank in the disposable cups of which Rakesh had the idea of buying. We all then rolled some joints. Thomas played some sort of strange but very calm and relaxing music on the speaker he had bought. We smoked like 5 joints and were high as a kite. 

"What about tomorrow?", Rakesh asked. 

"What what about tomorrow?", Thomas replied.

"I mean we should create a timetable on when to take rest, when to eat and other stuff." Rakesh said.

"Keep tomorrow for tomorrow. We'll see tomorrow. I'm very tired and I think you two are also so it's better to rest now."

Ganesh got up, got his sleeping bag from his bag pack and went straight into the tent. It was now Thomas and Rakesh sitting near fire. 

"You worry too much man!", Thomas said. "You should relax. You are too much resisting. Sometimes you should go with the flow. Believe in the universe as it is more intelligent than you and me. God's plan is much bigger than yours and mine. What has to happen will happen. You and me are no one to resist the nature of what has to come. Pity yourself!" After saying these words he woke up and took his sleeping bag out from his bag pack and vamoosed straight inside the tent. Now it was just Rakesh and the fire. He was still very high. The words of Thomas had penetrated his chest like a dagger.

" Never have I gave a single thought about changing my life or seeing life from a different perspective. I always rushed. I never observed this constant feeling of discomfort which I am carrying. Always in hurry whether it was school or office. I always have lived in fear and without even noticing it. Always ready to make myself uncomfortable for just the mere reason of making someone else comfortable or satisfied with me. But what good has it done for me. Making me a miserable person who is always trying to keep things tuned without understanding his own symphony. Indeed should I pity myself." Rakesh said to himself.

On the next day of trek. When Rakesh woke up he found himself the only one in the tent. He vamoosed the tent and found Ganesh and Thomas already woke up and rolling joints. 

"GOOD MORNING!", Shouted Ganesh. 

"Good morning! When did you people woke up?", asked Ganesh.

"An hour before.", Replied Ganesh.

Thomas lit the joint and took a deep puff and coughed badly. 

"Is this the fire from the last night?" Asked Ganesh.

"No, we burned it today." Replied Ganesh.

Thomas passed the joint to Ganesh. "Go get fresh, then we will prepare breakfast.", Thomas said.

After having some peanut butter toast with some tea we started to dismantle our portable tent and packed our bags and putt off the fire before leaving. We got back on the pathway and resumed our trek for Manikaran Sahib. On the way we heard some noises and as the noises became louder we saw a group of people coming towards up. We became a bit scared. While they were passing through us we saw some of them probably four people were carrying some sort of stretcher but not a regular one. It was decorated with flowers and it had a roof over it and that too was decorated with flowers. And every stretcher had an idol inside of it. It was when we these people got far away from our eyesight Ganesh said that these people are going for the festival which was going to be held at the Village we came from. And this festival is like a reunion where people from different villages get together to see on each other. On second day we took very few breaks and continued trekking till seven. Very tired we somehow collected some firewood and camped for a night there. We prepared our dinner and after smoking some joints and eating our dinner. Rakesh was very tired and quickly after dinner left to sleep.

"What about some more joints?", Asked Ganesh.

"I'm done for today."

"Why you sounding like Rakesh?", Ganesh asked.

"You don't care about anything , don't you? What if something happens to any of us? I don't want to be in a situation where my friend needs help but I can't do anything to help him because I decided to act like a immature pothead and smoke more. Excess of everything is bad. It doesn't matter if it's good or bad. There should be light but not that much that it makes you blind. There should be stability. Have you ever stopped and observed yourself? What responsibilities have you taken. What good have you done for the ones who love you or the ones you love. Have you ever cared for the ones who are waiting for you at home. Life is not always about not giving a F but you should have something to give a F about. Have you ever stopped and saw what has been left behind. Does your life have any objective, motive, meaning. Don't you think that you are self- centered? Think about it." Thomas replied and left for the tent. 

On the eighth day we reached Manikaran and the first thing we did was book a hotel room and take a shower and then after eight days eat some good food. We went to explore Varanasi individually. There were many pilgrims there. We took a bath in a hot spring inside Manikaran temple which is believed to wash all your sins. And they were also serving free food there. After few days of trekking, don't know why we didn't talk much with each other. It was a strange feeling. No one was asking any questions or anything. It felt kind of human metamorphosis. Or maybe it was just we were tired or missed good food or comfort. Not sure what it was. At night when Rakesh came to Hotel, Ganesh was packing his bag. 

"Hi! Why are you packing your bag?", asked Rakesh.

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning to our previous hotel where my luggage is and will leave in the afternoon to Delhi. I booked a cab for early morning tomorrow", replied Ganesh.

" Is everything alright back at home?'

" I don't know and that's why I'm leaving, to check how's everything going back there. And what about you? Tomorrow you have a flight." 

"I cancelled it", replied Rakesh. "I met some people here and they're on a pilgrimage for six months. They're on a journey to the divine places across India. And from now on I am also joining them.", replied Rakesh.

"But what about your office?"

"I don't know. What I know is my intuition and my intuition is telling me to join those amazing people I met, in the journey." , replied Rakesh.

But where is Thomas?