Places, people, things…it is what our lives are made up of.
The one thing common in all these fragments is memory. They all hold memories
that tug our heart and calls us back. They form the core memories of our very
existence. And there is no greater pleasure than reliving these memories all
over again.
This is what my vacation is all about. Reliving what I held
precious for a long, long time. Reviving those memories that made me smile, cry
and jump about. So the journey to the mountains was thus conceived in my heart
and realized by my body. To the land of thunder-dragon, all the way from the
Deccan plateau. The tiring yet replenishing journey.
The two day journey in the train was filled with
anticipation of what the vacation would be like. The anticipation was filled
with anxiety and anxiousness for the uncertain tomorrows that were to come. In
the cradling movements of the train, and the beautiful plains of India disappearing
little by little my mind spun images within me. Images of getting back to
family, friends and a world full of memories and nostalgia.
When I walked in those unguarded borders of the two
countries, it just reminded of how peaceful a place can be. The border between
India and Bhutan reflected friendship, peace and happiness. Then came the sight
of the traditional buildings, painted with symbols and special motifs. Soon I
began the journey from the border town to where I live. A little into the heart
of the country, in a blissful town named Punakha. That is where the core
memories lied.
Memories that ranged from my first steps to my marathon
days…my adolescence. The roads carved onto the lush green mountains didn’t
promise anything, but had a unique beauty to itself. As the journey progressed
through the convoluted paths, sights of mountains passed before me. High up in
the north far away, I could see the mountains painted into the backdrop of grey
sky. The cold snow adorning the peaks of it, just like icing on a delicious
cake. I reflected back to the days of 45°C in the Deccan plateau. Oh! The
memory was not so far away, that it made me sweaty all of a sudden.
Pushing the blazing recollection of thoughts away, I gaped
along the mountains. Gushing rivers separating a couple of them, feeder roads
built for the people, scattered settlements and a very few number of vehicles.
Soon the morning sun claimed his right over the sky and stood there over us. As
the sun appeared, the clouds made way, and cleared up the sky for him. When the
clouds cleared, the hue of the sky had completely changed. It was a little in
between that of sky blue and the darker shade of it. This is the color of sky,
I reminded myself. It was something that I missed over the two years I was
away.
My hungry eyes also caught hold of the large number of prayer
flags erected on a land and the colorful prayer inscribed clothes tied from one
mountain to the other. When the wind blew, it made these flags flutter, and
according to the belief, the wind makes the prayer inscribed on these flags to
sail in the atmosphere, reaching out to every being. These prayers are believed
to bring peace and happiness to everyone around. I do support the belief, for
what I see before me is nothing less. The promises are kept and the beliefs are
lived up to.
The altitude changes made my ears shut out the noise of
outside. And after a while I could hear no more. There was near complete
silence, all I could hear was the feeble whirring of the cab’s engine. I could
see the cabbie honking but little could I hear them. The journey was long, and
as the sun crept into the clouds, the dusk set in. Soon the mountains blurred
before my eyes, and the convoluted road ahead looked no less than a maze. The
journey and the anti-nauseating tablet took hold of my weary self. As I gave
into the wizards of sleep overpowering my eyes, the sight of little bulbs
flickered before me. The little light they emitted shone bright into the dark
evening. I closed my eyes after savouring every bit of beauty I could take in
and relishing the serene after images of the prayer flags, I gave in to a nap.
I could feel my tired body smiling at the thought of tomorrow. A colourful day
with family, in our nest… a home. And then, I knew what I had really missed all
along.
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