THE HIMALAYAN TRAIL

     Being a self confessed keen observer of people, one fine day I woke up and decided to observe nature more closely and what better way to start my day than to take a morning walk.

     The Himalayan trail is one of the most underused and almost abandoned path. People are very reluctant to use it not only because of its undulating nature but also due to its slippery slopes, uphill climb and deserted outlook. Its slippery unkempt slopes and muddy pathways are quite unpropitious for the knees. Also it is most of the times devoid of any human being. Despite all this I still use this track for my evening and morning walks since I feel these solitary walks are a boon for my thinking faculties. For me walking is an activity undertaken not only to burn calories, get some fresh air but also to indulge my wicked mind.

     Nevertheless, today I made a resolve to ignore my mind and pamper only my senses. The Himalayan trail is a gated walkway and the moment I opened the gate to the trail, something inexplicable happened. I was almost numb for a split second and then something made me feel as if the trail was waiting for me today. I looked at the trail and actually saw the path strewn with flowers of my favourite colour. I stood there transfixed, wondering if these flowers were there earlier too. Did I crush such beautiful flowers mindlessly walking any number of times on this path earlier? Was I so occupied with my mind that I actually became mindless. Did mindlessness make me so insensitive, almost blind to my surroundings?

     Seeing me a bit perplexed and lost once again in my thoughts, the trail had lined my path with a wonderful arrangement of plants I had never seen before. Yes! dry and green, both side by side. What a pleasant sight to behold! I realised what I had been dismissing as weeds all my life were the most beautiful creation of nature, and who says brown is the least favourite of all colours. Here I was witnessing the most splendid hues of brown and I stood there absolutely spell bound. The colour, the pattern, the design, so original, so special, so wondrous !!! Who can be more creative than nature !

 

     Just when my mind was trying to trick me into thinking about the routine and the mundane, the trail drew my attention to a prize winning flower arrangement as if made specially for me. Was I dreaming....this simple yet elegant flower arrangement enthralled me no end.

     The trail nudged me further and and I saw yet another yellow beauty greeting me, rendering me utterly confused about my favourite colour. The most beautiful yellow, self made, untended and shining so bright. I approached it slowly, bent down to acknowledge its greeting and the flower swayed a bit and smiled at me. My heart filled with never ever experienced before happiness and immense pleasure.

     Overwhelmed with such natural beauty around me I decided to sit on a rock nearby. Sitting there I saw a strikingly beautiful tiny orange coloured flower hiding in the bushes trying to seek my attention. What a colour! I was now sure that this has to be my favourite colour. As I moved closer to take a better look, the only thought that crossed my mind was, how can an ocean of beauty reside in a flower so tiny? How can a flower so beautiful, so humble live contentedly in absolute anonymity? Why does it not seek compliments? Such an exotic beauty shying away in bushes? My mind was forcing me to get lost in my thoughts. Just then a happy butterfly fluttered past me luring the child in me to run after it carefree. I chased it relentlessly to capture it in my phone but it was taking pleasure in evading me. I followed it like an excited child who was learning to enjoy again. Was it trying to teach me the value of precious moments, was it trying to tell me how to be happy effortlessly? My chase was not over yet and suddenly my eyes fell on a flower composed in such fabulous colour combination and I was compelled to think that nature can any day give the leading designers a run for their money. Thy nature, so inspiring! Greedy me had started making plans of somehow getting a dress made in these shades. Mind! My mind! Never ever lets me rest even for a while.

     I was completely engrossed in the colour combination, design, shape and was marvelling at the beauty. I sat down and the admiration started flowing of its own volition. The mere sight of the flower had such a soothing and calming effect on my mind that I wonder if I was meditating? That very moment the same fun loving butterfly fluttered past and sat on a flower right next to me giving me and my phone camera the ultimate pic of the day. I stealthily moved closer and realised I now want to get my dress made in this colour combo. The more I looked at the butterfly, the more rejuvenated I felt. The trail now seemed to be taking pride in offering me the best of its treasures. Or may be everything is 'the best.' Nature doesn't distinguish or discriminate at all. 

     The trail seemed to be basking in the glory of each and every flower and plant. And how insensitively we discriminate just about anything and everything. How prejudiced we are! What diseased and imaginary notions we have about good and bad, beautiful and ugly. How mindlessly we decide what is best and what is average. Who gave us the right to distinguish and differ? Wherever I looked I saw nothing but beauty. I wanted the time to stop and wanted the butterfly to stay still. But the trail still had very many exotic things to offer, as if hypnotising me the trail shifted my gaze towards new life making its way up the earth. Ah ! So lovely ! New life! Hope ! Life with a promise! Wonder who devised the word hopeless? Why ?

I was overwhelmed, surrounded by beauty on all sides. Flowers that were always there and yet I could never see them. Beauty that was always there and I was blind to it? Always wishing for things that are not there and blind to the best of things that are there? Why? The nature was right there offering its best, always ready to lend me happiness and yet I was blind to it. I was angry at self. I felt I had betrayed my maker. I made some fresh promises and took a vow never to break them. It was so magical, wherever i looked there was a flower or a plant of immense beauty beckoning me to spend some time with it. I clicked as if I may never be able to see them again.

               

     

     Unfortunately my phone couldn't cope with my quest for more. The battery kept warning me and I kept ignoring its pleadings. So drunk was I on beauty that all I wanted was to capture every moment in my phone. I kept clicking pictures as if I would never be able to see anything again. I had this unwarranted fear deep down my heart that tomorrow everything will be gone or I might turn 'blind' again. 

     The phone battery busted and I was absolutely shattered for a while. As if the trail had taken a vow to keep me happy despite anything, it unleashed three butterflies in shades of gold, brown and yellow towards me. They appeared from nowhere and made me regret all the more of my incapability of clicking their pics. But these butterflies were given instructions from the trail to take on the task of entertaining me from thereon. They seemed to be dancing literally and all of a sudden it dawned upon me that not every moment is meant to be captured by gadgets, some moments need to be enjoyed, the memories of which the heart would always cherish. I was nearing the end of the trail , with these three happy go lucky butterflies putting their best efforts to entertain me. As I exited the gate I looked up in gratitude and saw the sky peering at me smilingly as if asking me, "Now tell which is your favourite colour?"