Himachal’s Enduring Appeal

By Parvati Gubbi

I am in love with Himachal – the place of my birth and upbringing. I was a spring child. My parents were so awed and inspired by the majestic mountains that they named their first child, “Daughter of the mountains!”

Even before I turned a month old the signs of claustrophobia and restlessness while confined within four walls and a ceiling became evident in me. I was in my best element as soon as I was out of the house, in the open. I used to gaze around wide-eyed and jubilant or so I was told.

This passion has grown steadily within me. I have learnt by watching, observing and enjoying bountiful Nature amidst the hills and valleys of Himachal. Perception of the Divine dawned on me by what I saw around me in Nature.

The Lord of Mountain

The high snow-clad mountains were “Lord Shiva” incarnate and I perceived Him in various moods at dawn, sunrise, sunset and amidst the clouds. The fast-flowing and graceful streams were “Shakthi” impersonated.

The vastness of the land and sky, the height of the pine and deodar trees evoked in me the realization and awareness of my own minuscule existence. I was so enamoured by the Himalayas and Himachal that when we had to select a name for our house in Bangalore, I insisted upon calling it “Himachal”. Everyone unanimously accepted it because my entire family shares my love and sentiments, equally.

Religious sentiments and revered feelings aside, my experience of “Himachal” has also been of sheer enchantment and ecstasy. I have explored the various nooks and corners of Himachal Pradesh travelling in vehicles, cycling, horse riding, trekking, hiking, rowing in a boat, etc. My best experiences however are the long treks through hills and valleys.

Climbing the Rohtang pass

At the end of an arduous climb, I would drop flat on the soft green grass out of sheer exhaustion and with the satisfaction of having reached the top.

After a while when I opened my eyes and gazed out at the blue-sky, and looked around lingeringly at the tall trees, flying birds, wild-flowers, a small lake and so on I would experience a rapturous delight. To trudge along in three feet deep snow is a tough experience. After a 20-km trek, when you finally reach the top and look down, you are filled with awe, wonder and exhilaration. I experienced this on climbing Rohtang pass.

The river Beas originates there in the form of an inconspicuous spring. Sliding down the mountain while the roads and pathways are covered up with snow, is a daring adventure no doubt. But once successfully undertaken, it leaves you with a thrilling experience beyond expression.

Nature in full bloom

Another lovely experience of mine is while lying down under an apple or a plum tree in full bloom, on an April afternoon, I would doze off while reading a book or listening to some good music. On waking up I would find myself covered by a blanket of pink and white blossoms.

It evoked in me an awareness of the tender caresses of Mother Nature. To sit amidst the river stream on a boulder warmed by the sun and with my feet immersed in the tingling cold water gushing away has been my favourite pastime.  I would listen to the rippling music of the flowing water, attuned to the rustle of the swaying trees and singing birds on the banks.

It was divine and alluring music, which would make me feel utterly free and light-hearted. I would get so carried away that I needed to be tickled by the fish, which nibbled at my feet to bring me back to reality from some unknown horizon.

Bathing in hot, cold water spring

Himachal abounds in hot and cold-water springs due to the presence of sulphur and uranium deposits. Bathing in them is sheer fun. The resultant feeling of freshness and euphoria is something to be personally experienced. With a bonfire to keep us warm when we sat listening to the rustling music of the night beside a lake or on a mountain top, are experiences of a lifetime.

The exhaustion felt was physical, while the mind remained alert, absorbing the experiences in its entire entirety. When the trees are laden with apples, cherries, almonds, apricots, peaches, olives and Japanese fruit, an orchard becomes the focus of attraction and action.

On a hectic day after having got the fruits plucked, picked and packed – I used to stretch out on a jutting boulder. I could look down into the valley and across, from there. If it was a clear day, I could see the Beas River flowing gracefully, twisting and turning among boulders and meandering through the valleys.

Nature in its myriad mani- festations

There is so much to see, ponder upon, reflect and perceive tha